Newcastle bad boy Barton suspended after dressing-room row with Shearer

05 May 2009 13:43
Alan Shearer has suspended Joey Barton for the rest of the season following an explosive row between the pair which saw them held apart at Anfield. Shearer was furious at the volatile midfielder for getting sent off for an ugly late challenge on Xabi Alonso during Newcastle's 3-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday. Newcastle boss Shearer told Barton that his lunge on the Spaniard was 'a coward's' challenge. The midfielder responded by claiming that he was the only Newcastle player making tackles. JOEY BARTON'S CRIME SHEET 2004: February - Sent off after half-time in an FA Cup tie at Spurs with his team 3-0 down. City go on to win 4-3. December - Stubbed a lit cigar into the eye of young team-mate Jamie Tandy during club's Christmas party. Fined six weeks' wages by City. Forced to pay four weeks' salary - approximately £60,000 - immediately, with a further two weeks suspended for a year. 2005: May - Barton breaks leg of 35-year-old pedestrian while driving his car at 2am in Liverpool city centre. July 22 - Involved in an altercation with a 15-year-old Everton fan at City's team hotel in Bangkok, where the team are playing in the FA Premier League Trophy. July 27 - Fined eight weeks' wages by City after being found guilty of gross misconduct in the Bangkok incident. Accepts punishment and agrees to undertake aprogramme of rehabilitation. 2006: September 30 - Drops his shorts in the direction of Everton fans following City's 1-1 draw at Goodison Park. Merseyside Police and the FA later confirm they are liaising in their investigation into the matter. October 5 - Charged with improper conduct and/or bringing the game into disrepute by the Football Association. October 9 - Admits charge. October 10 - Fined £2,000 and warned as to his future conduct by the FA. 2007: February 21 - Cleared of making obscene gestures towards Portsmouth fans due to insufficient evidence. March 13 - Arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage in an incident involving a taxi driver. He is later charged with criminal damage, which he denies. May 1 - Suspended by City for the rest of the season after training ground altercation with Ousmane Dabo. August 2 - Charged with assault over training ground incident involving Dabo. October 4 - Appears in court charged with Dabo assault. Indicates he will plead not guilty. December 1 - Barton causes controversy on Tyneside by describing the St James' Park crowd as "vicious". December 27 - Arrested in Liverpool city centre in connection with an allegation of assault. December 28 - Charged with common assault and affray and refused bail. 2008: January 3 - Released from custody after being granted bail. January 16 - Appears in court in Liverpool over allegations of assault and affray. March 12 - Appears in court charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray. May 20 - Admits assault and affray and is jailed for six months at Liverpool Crown Court. July 1 - Receives four-month suspended sentence for assaulting Dabo. July 28 - Released from prison. July 31 - The FA charge Barton with violent conduct over the Dabo incident. August 13 - Barton admits the FA charge. September 5 - Banned by the FA for 12 matches - six of which are suspended - and fined £25,000 after admitting violent conduct charge in relation to the Dabo incident. 2009: May 3 - Sent-off against Liverpool for late challenge on Xabi Alonso. Receives subsequent criticism from Newcastle manager Alan Shearer. May 5 - Suspended until further notice by Newcastle. The pair clashed immediately after the game and as Shearer ripped into the £5.8m former Manchester City star, telling him he had let himself and the club down, The Sun claims that Barton replied: 'You're a s*** manager with s*** tactics.' The player and manager then had to be pulled apart just as they were about to come to blows. A club statement said: 'Newcastle United can confirm that Joey Barton has been suspended from the club until further notice. 'The club will be making no further comment on the matter at this time.'A Newcastle insider told The Sun: 'It was unbelievable. They were like two stags. 'Shearer told Barton he had made a mistake putting him back in the team, that he thought Barton was good enough to do it but he had shown he wasn't. 'Joey shouted at Alan that he was the best player at the club, which was why he had to play him. 'Alan said he wasn't, called him s*** and Joey replied that he was a s*** manager with s*** tactics. 'At that point, it looked like they were going to have a full-scale brawl and had to be dragged apart. 'Shearer was really angry, not just because of the stupid red card but because it means Barton will be missing for the last three Premier League games when Newcastle need everyone available. 'Alan gave Joey the big build-up during the week, saying what an important player he could be in Newcastle's fight against relegation, and then he does that. 'You wonder what goes on in Joey's head.' Shearer has said that he intends to fine Barton two weeks' wages of about£120,000 and has washed his hands of the midfield hot-head. After the game Shearer said: 'Barton wasn't unlucky to be sent off, it was the right decision. 'We will be without him for the rest of the season and I'm not happy at all. 'He has let me down, definitely, and the same goes for the whole club and himself. From a disciplinary point of view, I will do whatever I can.' So, who in their right mind would take Barton off Newcastle's hands now?

Source: Daily_Mail