FOOTBALLER’S DAD BATTERED BY CLUB CHAIRMAN
A football club chairman violently attacked the dad of a player from a rival team.
Craig Reid lost the plot when the man apparently tried to wind him up with a comment made in a chip shop queue.
He launched a brutal assault, picking the man up and slamming him on to a car bonnet.
When the victim fell to the ground, 48-year-old Reid repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on his head.
Reid, a businessman and chairman of the Hillfield Swifts Football Club, appeared in the dock at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
He became irate when the dad of a player at another club made a comment towards him when they both picking up take-away food.
The player is Robbie Breeze, of Oakley United. He was not present and had nothing to do with the incident.
His dad Robert Breeze spotted Reid in a Dunfermline chip shop and said, “I bet you wished you’d signed Robbie now.”
Reid, of Linburn Grove, Dunfermline, admitted that on 1st March at The Brig, Linburn Road, he assaulted Mr Breeze.
He seized him by the body, threw him on to a car bonnet, pulled him to the ground, repeatedly kicked and punched him on the head and repeatedly stamped on his head, all to his injury.
Hillfield Swifts Football Club is a community-based registered charity with children’s teams right up to senior level, originally based in Inverkeithing but now playing in Dalgety Bay.
Depute fiscal Sarah Smith told the court that Mr Breeze’s son
had been approached about potentially joining the Swifts but currently plays for Oakley.
“It was Robert Breeze’s belief that Reid had blocked his son being signed by Hillfield Swifts,” she added.
At about 6.30pm Mr Breeze and his wife went into the chip shop to buy some food.
Reid was already there. After Mr Breeze collected his food, he said as he was leaving, “I bet you wished you’d signed Robbie now.”
Reid asked, “Who does he play for now?” and was told “Oakley”.
Mr Breeze was ushered out of the shop by his wife towards their car. Reid followed them out and shouted, “I don’t give a f***. Square go.”
Reid ran at Mr Breeze, picked him up and threw him on to a car bonnet. He then put him to the ground and repeatedly kicked, punched and stamped on his head.
The victim was able to get back up and Reid walked away.
Mr Breeze walked back towards the shop as his glasses had been knocked off.
Reid shouted, “Are you looking for me?”
Mr Breeze replied, “I’m getting you charged.”
Reid said, “Take your beating like a man.” He ran back at Mr Breeze and resumed the assault. He pushed him over and again began kicking, punching and stamping on his head.
Mr Breeze later drove himself to hospital for X-rays. He had sustained bruising and swelling to his eye and face.
The court was told Reid is a director of a construction company.
Sheriff Robert More called for reports and Reid will be sentenced on 9th September.
The Swifts were formed in the summer of 1996 with over 100 boys and girls attending the first ever training session at Hillfield playing fields in Inverkeithing.
“The vision was to provide all the local boys and girls the opportunity to play football in a fun and safe environment,” their website states.
The Swifts were officially founded in early 2000 and since then the club has grown from strength to strength. It has teams at various age groups up to senior level, over 550 members, is a SFA Legacy Quality Marked community football club and a registered Scottish charity.
