Comments on: Saving Private Barton: how the FA can help Newcastle save Joey

By: PÃ¡draig

PÃ¡draig — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:02:21 +0000

Tragic is definitely not the word I would use to describe Barton’s story to date.

A lifetime ban is not the answer but Barton still deserves to be punished for what he’s done.

By: Craig Brown

Craig Brown — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:21:16 +0000

I have never been that bothered about commenting on stories before, however after reading “Save Joey” I felt I had to air my opinion.
Lets take football and the rich rewards that it can provide out of the equation and put Joey into an office job shall we? Joey has always been just a little hot tempered, he assaulted a younger employee at a function but it was brushed under the carpet as he was a promising talent.
Later on in his career he seriously beat up someone in a canteen arguement which left the victim with horrific injuries. He then left to work elsewhere and then went to prison for another serious offence. On his CV his references will not be good. Would you employe this man? Would you give him his job back if his victim also worked for you. What message would it send out to your other workers about your management abbilities?
Lets get real, in a normal society this man would be a criminal for life, but because he plays football and can throw around his weight and money it’s deemed as acceptable?
He is a thug and a bully, if anyone reading this knows someone who has been a victim of assault they know the harm it can do in the long term.
Sack him ban him for life, and he will end up where he belongs, in the gutter or back inside and good ridance.

By: City Slicker

City Slicker — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 06:44:45 +0000

What a sigh of relief City fans breathed when they got rid of this accident waiting to happen. He has had more chances than he deserved or a right to expect. He’s a nasty little thug.

By: indian kopite

indian kopite — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 20:15:18 +0000

for once i agree with your article

By: BD Condell

BD Condell — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:58:06 +0000

To Jack, Geoff and Millo: Spot on. The last chance saloon has just closed it’s doors in my book.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:49:16 +0000

I am all for second chances but Barton has had far too many already. He will never play for England again and one more mistake in the next 10 years and his career ought to be over, and he has already made about 5 in the last 6 years.

I feel for him in a way, as a City fan I saw him emerge some years ago and mature into a good footballer (barring his distribution) but running parallel to that there were always incidents which indicated he would run into problems.

I say I feel for him because of the the fact it was his step-brother a perpetrator of the tragic murder in Liverpool in 2005, and that cannot have been easy to deal with. I’m aware that the victim’s parents would have found things a lot more tough don’t get me wrong but I felt for Barton because of the stick he would get from fans for something he wasn’t involved in.

But that was it, there was an incident prior to that where he stubbed a cigar into the eye of a youth team player. There was an incident in Thailand – not long after that murder as memory serves – where he was involved in an altercation with an Everton fan.

With that in mind you would think ok this is not good but as a fan you will stand by him. His actions over the next few months just took the piss, to be honest, I know we weren’t great under Pearce but slamming in a transfer request in February 2006 after we stood by him through all that, well that was his decision.

The season after was the one where he pretty much matured, in footballing terms anyway, his goals for the best part kept us up as we just could not seem to score and he was rewarded with the England cap. (Transfer request long forgotten as I think he realised he was not as good as he thought he was when none of the big four came in for him).

He was not keen on staying with City, we stood by him through a lot and Keegan was, ironically, giving him a second chance about 4 or 5 years ago with the cigar incident. But his attitude as he developed as a player towards us changed – he started becoming arrogant towards us and I resented that.

There was always, despite the talent, that risk he would go off the rails and the Dabo incident and what happened in Liverpool have just shown him to be a mentally unbalanced thug, in my opinion. I have got no time for him anymore, I feel for Newcastle because as much as I have taken the piss out of them down the years they are a good set of fans and I can’t believe Keegan is still standing by him but that is life. They still have Â£5.8m invested in him at the end of the day. Glad he is not in a blue shirt anymore though. Very, very glad.

By: Millo

Millo — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:24:07 +0000

@rab

You go on about Ferguson, Adams, Cantona, Keane…. all who got another chance and were better for it. Barton has had his second chance… on more than one occasion. You can’t just keep giving second chances forever can you? Man City would of sacked Barton after the Dabo incident – there is no way he would ever have played for the club again. But why sack him when you can fob the maniac off to Newcastle for five and a half million?

He pleaded guilty yeah lol. He was jailed for the incident in Liverpool then pleaded innocent for the Dabo incident. When it was obvious he was gonna lose the case he changed his plea. Now you tell me this… how can someone who is currently in jail for a violent crime… get a suspended sentence for a separate violent crime. What a joke. He should still be inside. There’s also the incidents he’s got away with… the attack on the taxi driver.. driving without tax and insurance… assault on a minor… etc etc etc.

He’s a thug pure and simple so no I won’t ‘give him a chance’ – not again.

By: amy

amy — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:18:03 +0000

although joey has made a klot of mistakes i beleive that newcastle were 100% right in their desition.
he has made mistakes btu sacking him would not have solved anyhting it would have just shown peolple that if you go to prison tere is no way back what sort of message will this giev to young lads who have been inside.
people are to quick to point the fingr and call for others head it is alot harder for people to try and help him move on.
he can not be all bad as he has made it from a council estate in liverpool to a prem footballer and this take some personality.
i tiink that joey will take this chance and will become a great role modle to others who have made mistakes in theor lives!
100% correct artical.

By: slaine

slaine — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:45:34 +0000

Barton is a maniac. The F.A. should ban him for 15 matches. Newcastle should have voided his contract and told him to piss off. They would lose money on his transfer fee but they would save money on wages. He’s nowhere near good enough to consider overlooking the fact that he is a maniac. He’s simple not worth the trouble.

Edmundo – yeah. Stoichkov – yeah. Cantona – yeah. Cassano – yeah. Barton – NO!

By: stashman

stashman — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:33:28 +0000

I think you are an idiot.