Barton cleared over Gabby spat
06 Nov 2008 - 08:10:40
The Football Association have confirmed that Newcastle United's Joey Barton faces no further action over his spat with Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor.
Barton had already been cleared for appearing to flick a hand in Agbonlahor's face, but he has now also been cleared of making a racially-motivated comment in the Villa forward's direction.
An FA statement confirmed: "The FA wrote to Aston Villa to ask for any information the club could provide regarding allegations reported in Wednesday's media of remarks made by Joey Barton to Gabriel Agbonlahor during Villa's match against Newcastle on Monday.
"The club has responded to inform us that they have no complaints to make. On this basis, the FA will not be pursuing this matter."
An FA spokesman had earlier said: "We are aware of the rumours circulating, but it is difficult to comment any further on something that has no further substance to it.
"We take seriously any allegations of racist abuse and will obviously act accordingly if we receive any official complaint from Aston Villa."