A 21-year-old law student has admitted sending football pundit Stan Collymore "grossly offensive" messages on Twitter.
Joshua Cryer, 21, changed his plea to guilty at a hearing at Newcastle Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. He had previously denied contravening the Communications Act.
The Newcastle University student, who lives in the Jesmond area of the city and who gave his address as Coal Clough Lane, Burnley, Lancashire, will be sentenced on 21 March.
Cryer was arrested in January after Collymore, a former England striker, reported online abuse to Staffordshire Police and they passed the matter to their Northumbria Police counterparts.
The pundit, 40, originally from Cannock, Staffordshire, played for a string of top clubs, including Liverpool, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
He works as a broadcaster for talkSport, campaigns against racism and is a supporter of the Depression Alliance charity.
He tweeted yesterday: "J Cryer pleaded guilty yesterday and will be sentenced on 21st March at Newcastle Magistrates court."