Newcastle United’s Joey Barton to miss three games due to FA suspension
Newcastle United’s midfielder has yet again resurfaced with his aggressive side as he has been hit with a three game suspension due to his undisciplined behaviour against Blackburn Rovers in Newcastle’s English Premier League match in mid-week. Joey Barton
has been known in the past for losing his temper on occasions but his latest behavioural problem came as a shock to many due to his superb on-field form which he displayed in the 2010-2011 Premier League season for Newcastle United.
The midfielder came out on Thursday and apologized for the attack on Morten Gamst Pederson of Blackburn Rovers. He admitted his mistake and thus is scheduled to serve a three match ban for violent conduct. Last time, Barton made headlines for his violent
conduct on the field of play was in the 2008-2009 season when Joey committed to a terribly late challenge on Xabi Alonso, a tackle which left the Spanish midfielder seething in pain and out with injury.
If that wasn’t enough, Barton also embarked on a dressing room campaign against Newcastle’s ex-manager now Alan Shearer and his assistant manager, Ian Dowie. A tirade that cost him his three week’s pay but Barton earned back favour with Newcastle’s fans
as he stuck with the club during their relegation season in the Championship division of football.
Before his move to Newcastle, Barton played for Manchester City where his antics in the Liverpool city centre earned him a six month prison sentence; if that wasn’t enough he also attacked his team mate Ousmane Dabo, which caused the F.A. to ban him for
six competitive games. Attack on Dabo caused City to part ways with the volatile midfielder as Newcastle signed him for 5.8 million pounds. Chris Hughton, Newcastle’s present manager has come out and supported Barton as he said that Barton is a reformed character
who has a past of bad brushed with the authorities. He also said that this incident with Pederson during the Blackburn game will prove to be a one-off-one as far as the former City player is concerned.
Joey Barton himself released an apology last night as he said, "I fully accept that I was in the wrong on this occasion and accept the charge that the FA have brought against me. I would like to apologize to Chris Hughton, my team-mates, our supporters and
of course to Morten Gamst Pedersen and Blackburn Rovers. This season, I have really been enjoying my football and although I have been on the receiving end of a few robust challenges, I have, up until now, remained calm in the face of provocation and just
carried on with the game. But I hold my hands up. I reacted badly to the situation on Wednesday night and I deeply regret it. I have been working very hard to keep that side of my game under control."
Barton’s conduct means that he will now miss Newcastle’s games against Fulham, Bolton and Chelsea. Something that will not bode well for the Tyneside giants. Chris Hughton was supportive of his player as he remarked on F.A.’s decision to ban Barton for three
games. Chris said, "We accept the action taken by the FA, and it is of course disappointing to lose Joey for three games. He has worked so hard on his game this season, but he knows that he can't react the way he did on Wednesday."
Hughton went on to say, “We are, of course, very conscious of his past. He showed at Wolves away, with extreme provocation, that he's able to maintain a certain discipline. This is an individual who not so long ago the television was showing him being kicked
from pillar to post around a football ground. Unfortunately, yesterday he did react. There was provocation."
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