Newcastle United Football Club News

• Nickname:Magpies
• Founded:1881
• Manager:Alan Pardew

• Ground:St James' Park
• Capacity:52,193

Barton returns to training

15 Jan 2008 - 16:54:45

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Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton has returned to training less than three weeks after being charged with assault.

Barton is unable to play for the Magpies due to the conditions of his bail, but the troubled midfielder has been back training with his team-mates since the beginning of the week.

"What I can tell you is that the bail rulings are in place and at some point, Joey had to be introduced to training because at the end of the day, he is one of our players," said caretaker boss Nigel Pearson.

"He has got back in the last couple of days to basically assess his fitness and we will go from there.

"Outside of that, I can't really comment because I am not totally au fait with the details.

"All I will say that any rules and regulations which are in place will be met by us."

Barton spent the new year period in Walton Prison after being arrested in Liverpool city centre in the early hours of December 27.

He was subsequently charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray.