Barton says FA ban means he cannot play in Grenfell Tower fund raiser

Joey Barton says his Football Association ban has prevented him from playing in the Grenfell Tower fundraising clash.Game 4 Grenfell will take place at Loftus Road - the home of Barton's former club QPR - on September 2, aimed at raising money for the victims of the Grenfell fire.Barton's 18-month ban for placing bets on 1,260 football matches was reduced to 13 months on appeal on Thursday, meaning he can return to competitive action on June 1 next year.However, he says the ban also prevents him from playing in the fundraiser, as he had intended, given the match is sanctioned by the FA.Tweeting a screenshot of an e-mail from the game's organisers which told him he was unable to play, he wrote: "I would have loved to be supporting the #Game4Grenfell at Loftus Road on 02.09.17, but @FA have decided my ban extends to helping a great cause. So unfortunately, unless someone engages their brain, I won't make it."The likes of Alan Shearer, David Seaman and Paul Merson have signed up for the game.

Source: PA