Ivan Toney pleads not guilty to assault charge at Southwark Crown Court - The News International

On Thursday, England striker Ivan Toney appeared in court and pleaded not guilty after being accused of headbutting and punching a man at a nightclub in London last year.

The 30-year-old Toney represented England at the World Cup last summer and plays for Al-Ahli will face a hearing in June next year over an alleged assault.

During the brief proceeding at Southwark Crown Court in London, Toney maintained his innocence against the charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after a chaotic physical fight at a night spot on Wardour St. on December 6 last year, according to Britain’s Press Association news agency reporting.

The judge said in a statement, “That's a long way in advance and I'm sorry about that.”

“As you may know, the crown courts are operating under a great deal of pressure. We have got a massive backlog of work for various reasons.”

A temporary trial date was set at the same court on June 12 by Judge Christopher Hehir who apologized to Tony for the delay. Furthermore, Toney began his career with Northampton and played for Newcastle and Peterborough before signing in 2020 with Brentford.

Toney denies the allegations and looks forward to clearing his name, though observers note that the distant timeline could affect his status for Euro 2028.