Former Shrewsbury Town goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin was today charged in connection with the nightclub brawl which saw Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard accused of assault.

Dunbavin, 28, who now plays for Accrington Stanley, and the club’s midfielder, Robert Grant, 18, were both charged with affray, Merseyside Police said.

A third man, Paul McGrattan, 31, was also charged today with affray and assaulting a police officer.

Liverpool and England player Gerrard, 28, remains on bail after appearing in court charged with assault and affray last month.

He was arrested in the early hours of December 29 after a disturbance at the Lounge Bar nightclub in Southport, Merseyside.

Company director Marcus McGee, 34, from Churchtown, Southport, required hospital treatment after receiving facial injuries in the incident.

Dunbavin played in the youth team at Liverpool but did not get a first team game and left for Shrewsbury Town in 2000.

In 2004 he joined Halifax Town, but was sacked after a drink-driving offence. He had a spell at Scarborough before joining Accrington Stanley in 2006.

Gerrard regularly paid visits to Shrewsbury Town’s former Gay Meadow ground to watch the team play during Dunbavin’s time there.

Gerrard, a father of two who is married to model Alex Curran, 26, was at the bar with friends to celebrate Liverpool’s 5-1 win over Newcastle United earlier that day.

Gerrard’s solicitor indicated at his first court appearance that he would plead not guilty to the charges against him.

He is due to before North Sefton Magistrates again on March 20.

A spokeswoman for Merseyside Police said Dunbavin, of Guildford Road, Southport, Grant, of Enstone Avenue, Litherland, Merseyside, and McGrattan, of Linden Drive, Huyton, Merseyside, will appear at North Sefton magistrates next Monday.

Two men, a 33-year-old from Huyton and an 18-year-old from Roby, Merseyside, remain on bail pending further inquiries.