Mike Ashley feels the force of Star Wars fans

Mike Ashley raised quite a few eyebrows yesterday after comparing himself to a Star Wars character while testifying in the High Court in London.

"I am not Obi Wan Kenobi controlling the Death Star, let's be clear," the Sports Direct founder said, discussing his influence on the sportswear firm.

Obviously, Ashley is "not a Star Wars geek", says the BBC, which points out: "Obi Wan Kenobi has also denied controlling the Death Star - that was Darth Vader's department."

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The businessman's faux pas also earned him a roasting from fans of the sci-fi saga on Twitter.

Steve Matthewson, London chief for S&P Global Market Intelligence, said the "annihilation of the Star Wars story" might actually be worse than revelations of Ashley's "bizarre business practices".

Ashley is accused of reneging on an alleged deal made in a pub to pay a former colleague, Jeff Blue, £15m if he oversaw a substantial rise in the share price. He denies the claim and argues the former investment banker is trying to exhort money.

Boozy sessions at the pub were not formal meetings, he said, and any conversation during the evening would have been "banter", reports The Guardian.

"If I did say to Mr Blue that I would pay him £15m… it would be obvious to everyone, including Mr Blue, that I wasn't being serious," he said.