FOOTBALL managers Paul Jewell and Kevin Blackwell told the court that accounts of how Ternent had attacked them were "completely fabricated".

Ex-Burnley boss Ternent wrote in his autobiography Stan The Man: A Hard Life In Football that he bashed Jewell's head against a dugout roof and gave Blackwell a "right f***ing hiding" outside a referee's dressing room.

Both versions of events were rubbished by the former Wigan boss and the current Luton Town manager when they gave evidence.

The book, ghost-written by ex-Daily Sport editor Tony Livesey, was presented to the jury as a bad character reference.

Two excerpts were read out in court involving incidents relating to Blackwell, who was assistant manager at Sheffield United at the time, and Jewell, who was assistant coach at Bradford City.

Blackwell told the court that Ternent's Burnley went to Bramall Lane for a vital league clash in March 2002.

He said his then manager Neil Warnock had spotted Ternent remonstrating with the referee at half-time and told him to make sure he was not influencing him.

Blackwell said: "I went over to Stan and said Leave it out''.

"We squared up and there was a bit of pushing and shoving.

"It happened in front of about 15 people including stewards, and a policeman."

Alistair Webster QC, defending, a season ticket holder at Burnley FC, asked him whether he remembered Ternent's account of the tussle.

"He said he smacked you in the face and nutted you for good measure. Do you remember that?"

Mr Blackwell replied: "I think I would have remembered that and I'm sure the fans would have recognised it."

Ternent also wrote that he boasted to his players that he had given Blackwell "a right f***ing hiding" and had "sorted him out big style".

Blackwell, who has also managed Leeds United, said it was an embellishment of the truth.

Robert Elias, prosecuting, suggested to him: "It was a basic load of lies that was published under the banner of the defendant's autobio-graphy?"

"Fine," Blackwell replied "I have so many things written about me that if I fought everyone I wouldn't have time to do my job."

He said he remained friends with Ternent and said both sets of coaching staff at the match enjoyed a drink after the alleged punch-up.

In Jewell's case Ternent wrote that he bashed his head against a dugout roof at Bradford.

Jewell said that claim was rubbish and that despite the book the pair had remained friends.