A LINESMAN who suffered a broken jaw after being punched by a Sunday league manager’s son said volunteers should be able to take part in matches ‘without fear of getting attacked'.

Masihullah Patel suffered a double fracture to his jaw after Thomas Lee Forshaw assaulted him during a match, Blackburn magistrates heard.

The court heard Forshaw, 24, believed his dad, who managed his team, Euro Garages, had been headbutted by the linesman.

And his response was to punch the flag man who said the force of the blow made him think his brain was 'rattling in his head'.

The court heard X-rays showed the victim had a double fracture and was forced to go on a liquid diet for eight weeks.

Forshaw, of Devonshire Drive, Clayton-le-Moors, pleaded guilty to wounding Mr Patel causing him grievous bodily harm.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said the incident flared up during the match between Euro Garages and Clayton Park Rangers on February 11 and there was an altercation after one of the teams scored.

She said: “Mr Patel said a male moved toward him in an aggressive manner and then hit him to the side of the face.

“He fell to the floor and realised a tooth had been knocked out and there was a sharp pain in his jaw.”

Ben Leech, defending, said Forshaw was playing in the game and his father was the manager of his team. His father and the manager of the other team were involved in an altercation and the linesman, who was also part of the other team, got involved. My client says he used his head to push his father away, a head butt. He accepts he reacted to the head but on his father.”

The magistrates ordered a pre-sentence report and the case was adjourned until July 5.

Speaking after the hearing Mr Patel, who was acting as linesman during the Blackburn combination league match, said: “I am glad this is all over. You do not expect to go to a football match and find yourself injured like this just for helping out.

“When you are officiating for your club you do it as a volunteer and like many others week in week out all we are trying to do is help local football.

“Volunteers who are officiating should be allowed to go about their business without fear of getting attacked and abused.”

A Lancashire FA spokesman said: "Lancashire FA does not tolerate any kind of violence and prides itself on having excellent measures in place to safeguard officials, players and volunteers.

"Incidents of this nature are extremely rare.

"We have over 1500 registered referees in Lancashire, whom officiate in excess of 30,000 games per season."

Martin Cassidy, CEO of Ref Support UK, said more help should be given to match officials.

He said: “For some reason when you step over the white line of a football pitch, all rules and laws go out of the window. At the moment referees and match officials are fair game, it’s just not acceptable.

“There seems to be a disconnect between the professional game and grass roots.

“If you run on the pitch and streak at Old Trafford you can get banned from all the professional grounds in England. If you headbutt a referee at an amateur match, nothing happens.

“Everyone thinks it is their fault. But when you start talking to everyone it turns out it's not their fault.

“People start to think ‘it's not just me, I’m not a bad referee’.”

Anyone who has suffered physical or mental abuse can call Ref Support UK on 0300 3111966.