Lions tour manager John Spencer spoke on Thursday night of how he was abused by a drunken diner in an Auckland restaurant in midweek.

Spencer was dining with his wife and a family friend at the city-centre eaterie called The Depot when the trouble began - reportedly after a request for a photograph of the former England captain was declined.

Spencer was not wearing any official Lions clothing, but one of his companions was wearing a Lions rugby shirt.

"It was an unsavoury incident, with a drunken man who came over to our table and verbally abused a member of my family," said 69-year-old Spencer. "I asked him to go away but he continued, so I stood up and he pushed me before his wife came over and took him away.