A FORMER Newcastle United footballer's arrogance sparked a "large-scale" fight outside a nightclub between groups of black and white men, a court heard.

Kazenga Lua Lua, now playing in the Championship for Brighton and Hove Albion, his friend Andy Mogwo, a former Newcastle United trainee, and co-accused Kevin Ashong, who claimed to have heard a racial insult, deny affray at Newcastle Crown Court.

James Adkin, prosecuting, said there was serious disorder outside the Riverside club on the city’s quayside in the early hours of June 26 last year.

The jury heard Lua Lua started the violence after he argued with a man called Michael Ball outside the club, and punched him in the face. “He seemed to admit it was his arrogance and attitude that had caused the trouble,” Mr Adkin said.

“Whatever the precise circumstances of the argument, that confrontation between Kazenga Lua Lua and Michael Ball was the spark that caused the significant upsurge in violence.

“A group of black males surged over to Michael Ball and friends. At one stage some witnesses suggest someone blew a whistle which seemed to galvanise the black males into action.”

It was only good fortune that prevented more serious injury in the fighting that followed, the jury heard.

A man called Jordan Bogie, who tried to help Mr Ball, was punched to the floor and was repeatedly kicked while he was unable to defend himself, Mr Adkin said.

“The men in the dock were part of that aggressive group of black men who surged over to the white males and kicked and punched them unlawfully,” he added.