EVEN though he’s no longer playing, Joey Barton is STILL courting controversy.
The bad boy footballer, now 38, has never been afraid to speak his mind and has often been unable to control his temper on and off the pitch.
Joey Barton has never been afraid to speak his mind, and famously fought teammate Ousmane DaboCredit: PA:Empics Sport
Barton has offered Dabo, who was left with a detached retina in their scuffle, revenge in a charity boxing matchCredit: Ray Bradbury
One of Barton’s most infamous acts was a training ground fight with former teammate Ousmane Dabo, which saw the hardman midfielder hit with a six-match ban by the Football Association in 2008.
He was also given a four-month suspended sentence after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm after Dabo was left with cuts and bruises as well as a detached retina.
Incredibly, on Robbie Fowler’s podcast he offered Dabo the opportunity to get revenge in the ring for a charity boxing fight.
But that’s just one of many moments the red mist has descended over Barton’s eyes. And not even the cast of TOWIE was safe either!
THE CHRISTMAS PARTY
With the booze flowing to celebrate the festivities at Manchester City’s Christmas party, there was plenty of opportunity for footballers to behave badly.
But Barton did more than that.
After youth star James Tandy thought it would be hilarious to set Barton’s shirt on fire, the tempestuous bad boy was filled with rage.
He retaliated by stubbing a lit cigar in Tandy’s eye, which resulted in a fine of six weeks’ wages and an apology to despondent boss Kevin Keegan.
When he was a Man City player, Barton was fined six weeks’ wages for stubbing a cigar out on youth player James TandyCredit: PA:Press Association
DOING TIME
In 2008, Barton was sentenced to six months behind bars for common assault and affray during an incident in Liverpool City Centre.
The incident didn’t leave Barton in the best light – punching a man 20 times and breaking a teenager’s teeth.
CCTV captured the fight, and with the once-capped England star already on bail over an allegation of criminal damage involving a Liverpool taxi driver and THAT fight with Dabo, the book was thrown at him.
Barton was convicted of assault and served 77 days in prison.
CCTV caught Barton throwing punchesCredit: Enterprise News and Pictures
Barton was sentenced to six months in prisonCredit: AFP – Getty
REALITY BITES
It’s fair to say Barton isn’t a fan of reality TV, especially if it’s TOWIE.
He first called the cast “freaks”, which prompted a response from Mark Wright and James Argent who were miffed by Barton’s comments.
And Joey didnt stop there. “TOWIE firm don’t mess with big boys, u and ur shallow, fake, pretentious lifestyles. In a year u’ll be opening s**tty poundshops if ur lucky,” he wrote.
“I actually despise the whole of that firm, mentally deficient, turn up at the opening of an envelope, fame hungry, prized ball bags. #TOWIE”
That prompted the TOWIE lot to send Barton a photo suggesting he had a small penis, swore at him and said he was “jel” of their success.
Reaity TV show TOWIE isn’t on Barton’s watchlistCredit: Action Images – Reuters
The TOWIE cast sent Barton a nasty message on Twitter after he slammed the showCredit: Mercury Press Agency
A 12-GAME BAN
The stakes were high going into the last Premier League game of the season in 2012 between Barton’s QPR and title-chasing Manchester City.
Joey didn’t help his teams’ cause surviving relegation though, after he was sent off for elbowing Carlos Tevez in the throat.
He also kicked out at Sergio Aguero, before a red card was shown AND squared up to Vincent Kompany and Mario Balotelli as he left the pitch.
Barton was suspended for 12 games by the FA following the incident.
Barton lost his cool against Man City and was sent offCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And Barton didn’t leave the pitch quietly, kicking out at Sergio Aguero and scuffling with Vincent KompanyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
FIGHT OF THE DAY
On Match of the Day the evening of the above disgrace, pundits Alan Shearer, Alan Hansen and Gary Lineker slammed Barton for his behaviour against Manchester City.
Not happy with Shearer’s assessment, Barton took to Twitter.
He wrote: “I’d take it off Hansen and @GaryLineker but not from that bell, same fella that stamped on Neil Lennon,then threatened FA if they banned him.”
He added: “I really don’t like that p****, in fact I honestly despise him… Goodnight.”
Lineker later stood up for Shearer responding: “Still raging then? Still kicking out? And still, presumably, misunderstood? But only by yourself I suspect.”
Hilariously, Barton replied to Lineker’s note calling him an “odious little toad”.
A BUM NOTE
It’s fair to say through the years, Barton was a target for rival fans.
And in a game against Everton playing for Manchester City, the local boy got all sorts of abuse.
However, it didn’t call for this sort of reaction – exposing his bare bum towards abusers.
He was fined for the incident, and a police investigation was called.
Barton shows off his bare bum to Everton fans at Goodison Park
MELLOW MANAGER? NO CHANCE
Not even management mellowed Barton.
Just ask ex-Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel – who the former Fleetwood Town boss allegedly headbutted and punched during an altercation in the tunnel of a League One match.
Stendel lost two teeth in the fight, after reportedly calling Barton a “f****** scally”.
Barnsley striker Cauley Woodrow was particularly incensed.
He said in a now deleted tweet after the game: “To have a manager that can physically assault another manager in the tunnel is disgusting, causing our manager to have blood pouring from his face!
“People like you don’t deserve a place in the game of football, you are foul.”
Barton faces off against Daniel Stendel after Barnsley’s match with Fleetwood TownCredit: Rex Features
Daniel Stendel was allegedly headbutted and punched by Barton in the tunnel after the gameCredit: PA:Empics Sport
