Joey Barton allowed to leave Newcastle on free transfer

Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton will be allowed to leave the club on a free transfer, the club has announced

Relations between Barton and the club have been strained after contract talks broke down, leading to the 28-year-old airing his frustrations on Twitter.

A club statement said: "The player has been advised that he can leave the club on a free transfer."

In response, Barton tweeted: "Somewhere in those high echelons of NUFC, they have decided, I am persona non grata."
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Earlier on Monday, Barton, who has a year remaining on his contract at St James' Park, said on Twitter that he would make an announcement on his future at 4pm.

But before he could do so, the club made a statement on their website saying Barton had been placed on the transfer list and could leave the club immediately.

Barton added on Twitter: "I am on a free but the honour of wearing those B+W stripes, surpasses that."

"One day the board might realise, what the shirt signifies. HONOUR and PRIDE. Thanks for your continued support. #toonarmy."

Newcastle had hoped to sell the 28-year-old, who joined the Magpies from Manchester City for £5.8m in 2007, this summer but a deal has not materialised.

After serving a six-month ban from football and a 77-day prison sentence for assault, Barton has rebuilt his career at St James' Park.

Though he clashed with manager Alan Shearer and was suspended in 2009, he resolved his differences with the club and played a key role in helping the Magpies gain promotion to the Premier League under Chris Hughton in 2010.

Last season, he scored four goals and set up nine more as Newcastle ensured their top flight survival by finishing 12th.

Talks of a new contract were put on hold when Andy Carroll left for Liverpool and stalled once more when his good friend and captain Kevin Nolan signed for West Ham, despite Barton saying he wanted to stay with club.

Another genius move by Ashley.

The smell of relegation off Newcastle

Why the F**k does this low life deserve his own thread for??

Why the f**k does this low life deserve his own thread for??

Because this is a fairly dramatic development and it is a big headline in football today and people want to discuss it in a general football forum.

I'm not going to bother analysing the strategy of the Newcastle Utd board... selling Carroll for £35m made good business sense... getting rid of their two other best players last year, Nolan and Barton, for very little is incomprehensible.

Did I hear the word 'Moyes'?

Did I hear the word 'Moyes'?

Probably not.

His agent said 'top clubs in Europe' were interested. Sorry, Gollum.

Oh right.

Tottenham must be in for him then.

Or maybe Bangor city are looking to strengthen after their 10-0 defeat in the CL qualifier? At least they've got more chance of getting through to the group stage of the CL than everton.

As for Barton? He should be in jail anyway.

Because this is a fairly dramatic development and it is a big headline in football today and people want to discuss it in a general football forum.

No all we want to say is F**k Barton, the bluenose c**t, the daft overated c**t will probably end up with Nolan at West Ham!!

As for Barton? He should be in jail anyway.

Is right, like his brother and the rest of the gobs***e family!

horrible little rat.

wish gamst pederson would have just ripped his F***ing head off when barton gave him a dig.

itd be great to see such an honest and well liked footballer like gamst pederson, or somebody similar, just F***ing batter barton infront of cameras world wide.

hate him. absolute n*b head. the thought of a 50-50 between barton and stevie really turns me on. want to see stevie go straight through the c**t.

every time ive seen barton and gerrard go for a tackle barton shits it every time. gobs***e.

Joey Barton 'inundated' with interest says agent Willie McKay

Page last updated at 12:29 GMT, Tuesday, 2 August 2011 13:29 UK

   
Joey Barton Barton was told by Newcastle that he can leave on a free transfer immediately

Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton has been "inundated" with interest from Premier League and top European clubs, according to his agent Willie McKay.

Despite having one year left on his contract, the 28-year-old has been told he can leave St James' Park for free.

"We have been inundated with interest," McKay told BBC Radio 5 live.

Barton revealed on Tuesday that he was prevented from training with his team-mates, tweeting: "Made to train alone, how predictable."
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    I've probably got the easiest job of any agent in the transfer window

Willie Mackay Joey Barton's agent

Relations between Barton and the club have been strained after contract negotiations broke down in the summer, leading to the midfielder venting his frustrations on Twitter.

McKay, who received a call from Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias on Sunday night saying Barton could leave the club, said he was surprised by the decision.

The agent said: "I've got nothing against [Newcastle owner] Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias and the guys that run the club. They can do what they want but I think it's suicide what they've done.

"I've probably got the easiest job of any agent in the transfer window."

Despite Arsenal and Tottenham emerging as the early front-runners to sign Barton, McKay revealed that his player was disappointed when talks to remain at St James' Park broke down.

"Joey was disappointed. There was no way we were going to take a cut in his wages. He wanted four years, they wanted three," added McKay.
Joey Barton's fast facts
Continue reading the main story

    Born: 2 September 1982
    Birthplace: Huyton, Merseyside
    Position: Midfielder
    Former clubs: Manchester City
    Current club: Newcastle
    Career goals: 22

"He wanted to stay as he loves it up there and he's settled. He was playing great football.

"I think he's a very strong player for the team as there are not many players like Joey about.

"If he was playing for Arsenal last season, they'd probably have won the title."

McKay also praised Newcastle for sticking by Barton when he served a 77-day prison sentence for assault, and said he would be happy to discuss ways of Barton staying at the club should they have a change of heart about letting him go.

"To be fair to Derek Llambias, he and the club did stick by Joey after his troubles but I thought he paid them back by playing well the year before and last season," said McKay.

"If Newcastle change their mind, I'm happy to meet Mike and Derek with Joey because Joey loves it up there."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14367204.stm

Bleeding inundated?! We'll see who this piece of low life scum ends up with ends up with then won't we.

Barton good but dangerous - Capello

Sat, 06 Aug 23:56:49 2011

Fabio Capello does not trust Joey Barton enough to consider him as a realistic England candidate.

Despite his own insistence that he is one of the most effective midfielders in the Premier League, Barton's international career still only extends to a 12-minute substitute appearance against Spain at Old Trafford in 2007 - a cap earned during Steve McClaren's time in charge.

The Italian simply feels the Newcastle midfielder - transfer-listed earlier this week after his blast against the club's hierarchy on Twitter and with a string of problems, both on and off the pitch, on a sorry crime sheet - is too volatile to be trusted. He said: "He is a good player but he is a dangerous player because sometimes you could end up playing 10 v 11. He might get sent off."

When it was put to the Italian that Barton's "head might go", the answer was firm, before a further explanation as to why he could not be considered this week.

"Yes," said Capello. "But this is not a good moment to decide something about him.

"When a player is fighting with his club it is normal to stay outside. The relationship between a club and a player is really important."

Capello was speaking after a Q&A session as part of the Just Play initiative, the Football Association's national campaign to increase grassroots participation in the sport amongst English adults, backed by sponsor Mars.

The folly of Barton's refusal to adopt a more mature stance to his entire career could be viewed in Scott Parker's presence within the England fold, even though, as it presently stands, he is looking ahead to a season in the npower Championship with West Ham.

After spending so long on the outside of England gatherings, it seemed odd Capello should assure Parker he would not be dumped, even if he fails to secure a move away from Upton Park before the transfer window closes. However, Capello does feel it would be better for the 30-year-old if he remained a top-flight player.

"If I find a really good player in the Championship I will pick him. Why not?" said Capello. "Parker is one of the players who can play with the national team."

EuroSport

That's what you got from a rebellious lad. No one risks to get and tame him.