Joey Barton | ||
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Personal information | ||
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Full name | Joseph Anthony Barton | |
Date of birth | 2 September 1982 | |
Place of birth | Huyton, Knowsley, England | |
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1] | |
Playing position | Centre-Midfielder | |
Club information | ||
Current club | Newcastle United | |
Number | 7 | |
Youth clubs | ||
1997–2002 |
Everton Manchester City |
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Senior clubs1 | ||
Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
2002–2007 2007– |
Manchester City Newcastle United |
130 (15) 29 (2) |
National team2 | ||
2003 2007 |
England U21 England |
1 (0) |
2 (1)
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
Joseph Anthony "Joey" Barton (2 September 1982)(IPA: /ˈdʒəʊiː ˈbɑːtʊn/) is an English footballer who plays for premiership side Newcastle United.
His career and life have been marred by numerous controversial incidents and disciplinary problems,[2] and he has been convicted twice on charges of violence. On 20 May 2008 he was sentenced to six months imprisonment for common assault and affray during an incident outside a McDonald's restaurant in Liverpool City Centre.[3] Barton served 77 days of this prison term, being released on 28 July 2008.[4] On 1 July 2008 he was also given a four months suspended sentence after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm on former teammate Ousmane Dabo during a training ground dispute.[5] This incident effectively ended his Manchester City career.[6] Three days after his release, he was charged with violent conduct by The FA for the assault on Ousmane Dabo.[7]
Barton was born in Huyton, Merseyside and raised in a poor area.[8] He began his football career with Manchester City in 2002 after working his way through their youth system. His appearances in the senior side gradually increased over the following five years and he made more than 150 for the club. Impressive form at club level earned him his first cap for the England national team in February 2007,[9] despite his criticism of some of the team's players. He joined his current club Newcastle United for a fee of £5.8 million in July 2007. The contract negotiations became protracted after Manchester City refused to pay Barton a fee of £300,000 to which he was reported to be entitled if he left the club without submitting a request for transfer. [10] Newcastle United consequently raised their initial offer of £5.5 million to £5.8, in effect compensating Manchester City for the £300,000 discrepancy.
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Barton is the oldest of four brothers.[11] His parents separated when he was 14 years old and consequently he lived with his father at his grandmother's house on a different estate.[12] He has said that his grandmother's influence helped him to avoid the drug culture in Huyton, and attributes his work ethic to his father.[8][12] His father, also named Joseph, worked as a roofer[13] and played football semi-professionally for Northwich Victoria.[14] Barton excelled at physical education at school which he represented in various sports. He left school with seven GCSEs.[12]
Barton pursued his dreams of becoming a professional footballer by joining Everton's youth system, but was released by the club when he was 14. He underwent trials at Nottingham Forest, but was rejected when it was decided he was too small to become a footballer.[15] Barton said his rejection by clubs only made him more determined to succeed as a footballer and prove his detractors wrong.[16] When Barry Poynton, an ex-Everton scout, heard that his former club had released Barton, he invited him to trial at Manchester City. Barton made a good impression and was offered a Youth Training Scheme contract at the club.[14] He spent 12 hours a day training at the club's ground on a wage of £72.50 per week.[8] He made his first appearance for the club's under-17s team in 1999 and played regularly at Academy level for three years. His first reserve team appearance came at the end of the 2000–01 season, in his final year as a trainee. Uncertain about Barton's future prospects, the club planned to release him,[17] but reconsidered and gave him his first professional contract in the close season.[14] Over the next two years, he successfully made the transition from the under-19s to regular reserve football. He was promoted to the first-team squad in the 2002–03 season.
Barton would have made his debut for the City first-team in November 2002 against Middlesbrough, had he not lost his shirt after leaving it on the substitutes bench at half-time.[18] He eventually made his first-team debut for the club against Bolton Wanderers on 5 April 2003.[19] His first senior goal came two weeks later in a 0–2 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Good Friday.[20] He ended the 2002–03 season with a run of seven consecutive starts.
After impressing in his first season at City, Barton was offered a new one-year contract at the club by manager Kevin Keegan, which he signed in April 2003.[21] He featured in the first-team more regularly during the 2003–04 season and, following a second Premiership goal, was rewarded with a call-up to the England U21 squad for their 2004 European Championship qualifiers against Macedonia and Portugal.[22]
An FA Cup match against Tottenham saw Barton receive the first red card of his career in unusual circumstances: at half-time, with his club 3–0 down, he argued with the referee and was sent off although the match was not in progress. In the second half, despite playing with 10 men, Barton's team-mates achieved an unlikely 4–3 victory.[23] Barton left the City of Manchester Stadium in anger on 17 April, after not being named in the team to play Southampton.[24] However he featured regularly in the 2003–04 season, which he completed with 39 appearances and one goal. His displays impressed City's supporters, and at the end of the 2003–04 season he was awarded with the club's Young Player of the Year award.[14]
Barton sparked a ten-man brawl in a friendly match against Doncaster Rovers on 25 July 2004 after "hacking" at an opposition player.[25] Although he signed a new contract on 22 September 2004, which would keep him at City until 2007,[26] the club considered sacking Barton in December 2004 after an incident at their Christmas party. He stubbed out a lit cigar in youth player Jamie Tandy's eye,[27] after he had caught Tandy attempting to set fire to his shirt.[28] Barton subsequently apologised for his actions and was fined six weeks' wages (£60,000).[28][29]
The following summer, Barton was sent home from a pre-season tournament in Thailand after assaulting a 15-year-old Everton supporter[30] who had provoked Barton by verbally abusing him and kicking his shin.[31] Barton had to be restrained from attacking the boy further by teammate Richard Dunne.[10] Barton underwent anger management therapy at the order of City manager Stuart Pearce and paid £120,000 in club fines.[32] In the autumn of 2005, Barton began a seven-day programme of behavioural management at the Sporting Chance clinic,[33] a charity set up to help troubled sportsmen and women.
Barton handed in a written transfer request in January 2006, which the club rejected.[34] The following day, they also rejected a verbal offer for Barton from Middlesbrough,[35] with Stuart Pearce asserting that a deal could still be made to keep him at the club. During the following week, Barton admitted that he was "a little bit impetuous" in making such a request and agreed to begin negotiations on a new contract at City.[36] He was rewarded with a new four-year deal, which he signed on 25 July, ending speculation about his future.[37][38]
His behaviour appeared to improve after his participation at the Sporting Chance clinic.[39] However, on 30 September 2006, television cameras captured Barton exposing his backside to Everton fans, following City's injury-time equaliser in a game at Goodison Park.[40] Barton had received abuse from Everton supporters throughout the match and the gesture has since been described as "light-hearted" and "inoffensive" by people involved in football.[41][42] Merseyside Police looked into the incident, but announced in October that no further action would be taken,[43] although Barton was fined £2,000 for bringing the game into disrepute and warned about his future conduct by the The Football Association.[44]
Barton's agent Willie McKay revealed in January 2007 that if any team offered at least £5.5 million for Barton, it would trigger a release clause in his contract that would mean City would have to allow Barton to talk to the interested club.[45] This reportedly prompted Everton manager David Moyes to make an inquiry to City about Barton's availability.[45] However, the next day Barton said "People are trying to unsettle me but I'm happy to stay here".[46]
Following impressive form at club level, Barton received his first call-up to the full England squad on 2 February 2007 for a friendly match against Spain,[47] despite his recent criticism of certain members of the England squad for releasing autobiographies after an unimpressive 2006 World Cup. He had suggested such players had "cashed in" on the national team's lack of success.[48]
Barton later received support over his comments and Steven Gerrard, one of the players whom Barton had criticised, praised him for his honesty.[41][48][49] However, Frank Lampard, who had also released an autobiography following the tournament, publicly stated his disapproval.[50] Barton made his international debut on 7 February 2007, replacing Lampard in the 78th minute of the 0–1 defeat to Spain at Old Trafford.[9]
Barton displayed his outspokenness once again on 22 April 2007 when he publicly criticised City's performances during the 2006–07 season, and described some of the players the club had signed as "substandard".[51] Following his comments, City's manager Stuart Pearce banned him from speaking to the media.[52]
Barton was fined £100,000 and suspended by City until the end of the 2006–07 season on 1 May 2007, following an incident during training when he assaulted his team mate Ousmane Dabo.[6][53] Dabo said that he had been hit several times, and had to go to hospital after suffering injuries to his head, including a suspected detached retina.[54] Dabo requested that the police press charges against Barton,[55] and as a result, Barton was arrested and questioned by Greater Manchester Police.[56] This altercation effectively ended Barton's time at City, although he later cited a "relationship breakdown" with Stuart Pearce as the main reason he left the club.[57] Barton was bailed until August and was later charged with assault,[58][59] to which he initially pleaded not guilty.[60] He later changed this to a guilty plea and was sentenced to a four month suspended prison sentence plus community service.[5]
Following offers from Newcastle United and West Ham United,[61] Barton joined Newcastle on 14 June 2007 for a fee of £5.8 million.[10] He said that his desire to win trophies helped him to make the decision,[62] along with his admiration for manager Sam Allardyce.[63] Barton made his Newcastle debut in a friendly against Hartlepool United on 17 July 2007.[64] Four days later, he was ruled out for six to seven weeks after fracturing the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot during a friendly match with Carlisle United.[65] He was ruled out for a further month in October 2007.[66] He eventually made his Premier League debut for Newcastle on 22 October 2007, coming on as a second half substitute in a 3–1 win over Tottenham.[67] During his first Tyne-Wear derby for Newcastle against Sunderland, Barton appeared to raise his foot dangerously in a challenge with Sunderland's Dickson Etuhu,[68] leading to the News of the World running with the headline "Ban Him".[69] However the FA were unable to charge Barton for the incident because match official Martin Atkinson had seen the act take place in the match, and had taken no action. FIFA regulations dictate that a retrospective charge for violent conduct can be made only if the match official did not notice the incident. Barton later apologised for the tackle.[70] Early in December, he launched an attack on Newcastle fans, due to their abuse of manager Sam Allardyce and other players.[71] He later played this down, saying his comments had been misrepresented.[72] On 20 May 2008, he was sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty for his part in the December 2007 assault. Barton's cousin, Nadine Wilson and his brother Andrew Barton also pleaded guilty to their part in the assaults and received suspended sentences.[73]
Barton's subsequent conviction for the earlier assault on Ousmane Dabo at Manchester City was handed out while serving this sentence.[5] He returned to playing action on 30 August 2008, six days before his FA hearing, as a second half substitute during Newcastle's 3–0 defeat to Arsenal. He came on to a chorus of boos from the Arsenal supporters.[74] Shortly into this return game, Barton was involved in an incident with Samir Nasri, putting in a hard but fair challenge, for which the referee did not give a foul. Minutes later, Nasri deliberately tripped Barton while tracking back, for which he was booked. At the end of the game, then-Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan was involved in an altercation with Nasri and Arsenal captain William Gallas, in regards to the incident. [75]
It was a brief stint back in the playing squad, with Barton banned for six games, with a further suspended six-game ban, for his assault on Dabo.[76] After serving his ban, he played 75 minutes in a reserve game and said he wanted to be transform his image to become a role model,[77][78] before he returned to action in the Tyne-Tees derby on 25 October. He was booed by Sunderland fans and had missiles thrown at him as he warmed up, as Newcastle lost 2–1.[79] Without him, Newcastle had not recorded a league victory since the second game of the season, but Barton scored a penalty in his second game back to lift the club out of the relegation zone.[80] The suspended six-game ban was nearly brought into action when Barton appeared to flick Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor in the club's next game, but the FA decided not to punish Barton.[81][82] However, further allegations that Barton had made a racist remark to Agbonlahor were cause enough for the FA to reconsider this decision. In Newcastle's 2-2 draw with Wigan on 15 November 2008, Barton was injured after a tackle from Lee Cattermole. It was later confirmed that Barton would be out for two months.[83]
Early in his career, Barton mainly played a defensive role,[84] with a game based on tackling and tracking back to shield the defence.[85] As his career has progressed, he has begun to incorporate a more attacking approach to his play, which has resulted in a greater number of goals and assists, and he was Manchester City's leading scorer in 2006–07, despite not playing as a striker.
Barton has been described as having a good work ethic and the ability to carry the ball and retain possession for the team.[85][86] He has been praised for having a good passing range.[41] This aspect of his game has shown improvement since the 2005–06 season, when he began to favour simpler passes over more ambitious ones,[87] and his relatively high pass completion rate can be attributed to this change.[85] Barton's passes have often proved to be crucial; in the past he has led the way in his team's assists.[88]
Barton has been described as a tough tackler,[89] a style reflected in the high number of fouls he has committed during his career.[90] He received 39 bookings and three red cards during his time at Manchester City.[91] This physical approach was occasionally criticised by Kevin Keegan as excessive.[25][92] Opta statistics rated Barton as the tenth best tackler in the Premier League for the 2004–05 season.[88]
Season | Club | League | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
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Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
2002–03 | Manchester City | Premier League | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
2003–04 | 28 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 39 | 1 | ||
2004–05 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 2 | ||
2005–06 | 31 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 6 | ||
2006–07 | 33 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 7 | ||
Club Total | 130 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 153 | 17 | ||
2007–08 | Newcastle United | Premier League | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
2008–09 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | ||
Club Total | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 2 | ||
Career Total | 159 | 17 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 182 | 19 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
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2007 | 1 | 0 |
Career total | 1 | 0 |
Barton has a fiery temper and occasionally gets into on-field confrontations. Off the playing field, he has been known to be outspoken,[52] a trait which he attributes to the rough area where he grew up.[16] Interviewers have described him as open, self-critical and ambitious.[95]
Barton is a patron of the Tamsin Gulvin Fund,[96] a charity set up to support people who have addiction problems and no financial support. Tony Adams, who had been impressed with Barton's attitude during his involvement in the Sporting Chance clinic, appointed him to this role.[96] He is a part of the 'Get Hooked on Fishing' campaign, designed to keep children out of trouble by encouraging them to take up fishing.[97] He has also taken part in a celebrity cricket match for charity to help fund a new children's rehabilitation unit at a hospital in Manchester.[98]
He is good friend of the boxer Ricky Hatton and has supported him in some of his fights,[99][100] and has trained with him.[101] He is also a friend of Oasis band member Noel Gallagher,[102] and has dated glamour model Amanda Harrington as well as Crissy Manley.[103] Barton has found himself at the centre of controversy outside football. In May 2005 he broke a 35-year-old pedestrian's leg while driving his car through Liverpool city centre at 2 am.[104] He was arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage after an alleged argument with a taxi driver in Liverpool while going to his hotel after a match on 13 March 2007.[105] He was cleared of this charge in May 2008.[106] On 27 December 2007, Barton was arrested on suspicion of assault in the Church Street area of Liverpool city centre following an incident which took place at 5:30 am.[107] He was remanded in custody on 28 December since the alleged offence was committed whilst he was on bail for two prior offences; the presiding magistrate noted "I also have to consider the safety of the public - you lashed out indiscriminately".[108] He was later charged with common assault and affray, and was sentenced to six months in prison on 20 May 2008.[109] Barton admitted to having an addiction to alcohol and claimed he wanted to achieve "total abstinence" in order to improve his behaviour.[73]
His half brother, Michael Barton, was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for his involvement in the racially motivated murder of Anthony Walker in 2005.[110] Joey made a public appeal to his brother to come forward and help with the police investigation following the attack, and also made a series of calls to Michael, enquiring about his involvement in the incident.[31][111]
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Persondata | |
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NAME | Barton, Joseph Anthony |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Barton, Joey |
SHORT DESCRIPTION | Professional footballer |
DATE OF BIRTH | 1982-09-02 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Liverpool, England |
DATE OF DEATH | |
PLACE OF DEATH |