Bosnich: She hit me first

Soccer star Mark Bosnich has spoken out about his alleged attack on ex-girlfriend Sophie Anderton - insisting that the underwear model hit him first.

The former Chelsea goalkeeper, sacked after testing positive for cocaine, claimed that he was forced to restrain Anderton after she smashed a lamp across his back.

"It was mad," he said. "She was attacking me. I grabbed her and put her to the ground. She kept trying to kick."

Bosnich, 31, was arrested and questioned by police following a furious row at his Knightsbridge flat which left 26-year-old Anderton needing hospital treatment for bruising.

But the footballer today claimed the one-time Gossard bra model attacked him after demanding he give her money.

Bosnich, whose version of events is said to be strongly denied by Anderton, told The Sun: "She said, 'I'm not going anywhere until you give me some of the thousands you keep in the safe'."

The couple's tempestuous 18-month relationship ended in September. Tuesday night's fracas apparently unfolded after Anderton arrived at his £1 million flat to collect some belongings.

Bosnich, however, insisted that his former lover had been temporarily staying with him.

Claiming that she had assaulted him with a lamp, Bosnich told how he frogmarched the naked model to the door and threatened to throw her out. Finally, he said, she agreed to get dressed and leave.

"She went out," he added. "I chucked her bags out into the hall. Then she was on the phone to police and apparently an ambulance came and took her away."

Bosnich was held and questioned by police at Notting Hill station until 2am before being released on bail.

He said: "I felt humiliated in front of my neighbours. I still have marks on my wrists from the handcuffs. Being in a police cell was horrible."

He also accused his former girlfriend, who recently lost the baby she had been expecting with him, of being volatile and possessive. "She has tried to scare off three girlfriends with nasty text messages," he said.

While admitting that he was once besotted with Anderton, Bosnich said: "She is a beautiful girl. But I'll be honest and say I've had better.

"She has taken everything from me. She has taken my career and now she is trying to take my selfrespect, my dignity and my pride.

"The worst part about it is that, deep down, she's good but she's trying to destroy everything around her. I've got nothing left for her."

The model, who suffered a breakdown in July, has been on crutches following the incident.

Her spokeswoman today insisted: "Sophie has been battered and bruised but she's going to get through this. She will be pursuing this and taking Mark to court."