A football coach was headbutted by a rival parent as all hell broke loose after the full-time whistle at a youth game.
Gateshead Under-16's assistant manager Paul Thompson was left bloodied following the shocking assault at the end of his side's clash with Hebburn last Saturday.
The former South Shields striker, whose son also plays for his Gateshead side, admits he's never witnessed anything like it in his five decades of football.
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"When he stuck the nut on me he split my lip, and my face was all swollen and my neck has been sore," said the 52-year-old, from South Shields.
"It was disgraceful really."
Both Northumbria Police and Durham FA are investigating the assault, which occurred when Paul told the parent of another Gateshead player that he thought their opponents behaviour had been "vile" during the match.
"There was this parent who said 'what did you say?' - I said 'you were vile, the whole lot of you," recalled Paul.
"So he said I will show you how vile I am, and he headbutted me in the face. So it has gone to the police."
Northumbria Police confirmed it is investigating the fracas, which unfolded last Saturday (June 19) after the match at Gateshead International Stadium.
"It was reported that a man head-butted another male following a verbal altercation. The victim suffered injuries to his lip as a result," said a force spokesperson.
“Enquiries are ongoing into the incident"
Having started on Newcastle United's books in the 1980s, he eventually became a South Shields striker and a club legend.
Now a referee and a coach, he feels some parents are making the beautiful game ugly.
"There are lots of games now that I referee, and the parents are the problem on the line," he admitted.
"Just being a referee or a coach, at all levels, it is getting worse."
As for the headbutt, he said he's given the police the name of the man behind it - someone whose actions had left young onlookers "traumatised".
And Paul added: "The one saving grace for me is that I'm 6ft 4, he was probably about 5ft 8 - if he had been taller he'd have broke my nose, so I was lucky in the end really."
John Topping, from Durham FA, added: "I can confirm we are investigating the incident."
Anyone with information or who witnessed what happened is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page on the force's website or by calling 101 quoting log 1227 190621.
