Nottingham Forest striker Darius Henderson has appeared in court accused of causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) on New Year's Eve.
The footballer, who signed with Forest in January, allegedly hit a Good Samaritan who tried to calm a dispute he became involved in.
Henderson was out with his girlfriend when a woman claimed she had recently had sex with him, St Albans Crown Court heard.
John Bell, 42, who was in the same restaurant in St Albans, was allegedly hit when he tried to calm Henderson.
Henderson, 31, of Markyate, Herts, denies causing grievous bodily harm.
The jury in the case was today discharged by the judge. No new date has been fixed for the trial.
Henderson began his career at Reading in 2000, when he penned his first senior four-year contract. Three years later, in a bid to gain more experience, he was loaned to Brighton & Hove Albion, where the striker netted two goals in 10 fixtures during half a year.
After returning to Reading he took his tally to 11 goals in 71 games by 2004.
Later that year Henderson penned a deal with Gillingham, but he fell victim to injury just a month later.
He was sent out on loan to Swindon Town in the summer, and immediately endeared himself to fans.
He scored two headed goals during his debut - a 2-1 win at Bristol City - and went on to score a total of five goals in his six appearances.
The club tried to secure Henderson on a permanent basis, but a deal fell through.
His next move was to Watford on the eve of the 2005-6 season. Henderson remained with the club until 2008, during which time he helped them reach the Premier League and was named Championship Player of the Month.
In July 2008 he penned a four-year contract with Sheffield United, in a deal worth £2 million. He quickly established himself as a regular starter but missed a number of matches due to injury.
He would in the summer of 2011 don the Millwall shirt, signing a two-year contract with the club. He arrived at The New Den with a record of 84 goals in 335 appearances.
He took a substantial pay cut in moving to the club, but claimed he was willing to do so in order to help the Blades amid their £40 million debts.
"I hold myself personally responsible for United's relegation because I didn't play enough games or score enough goals to help keep them up," he said.
"I would have been happy to stay in Sheffield but, equally, I didn't want to be a drain on their finances."
By the summer of 2012 Henderson had caught the eye of a number of clubs, including Sheffield Wednesday, Wolves, Brighton and Cardiff. Millwall manager Kenny Jackett insisted the club had received no official bids, however, and said he hoped it would stay that way.
In January 2013 Henderson moved for an undisclosed fee to become Forest's third signing of the transfer window, penning a deal keeping him at the club until the end of the campaign.
The 31-year-old scored seven goals in 22 games for the Lions this season.
Forest chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi said: "We are delighted to have brought a player of Darius's experience to the club.
"He knows all about the Championship and has also played at the highest level in England as well and I've no doubts he will be a great addition to Alex McLeish's squad."
