Newcastle Hands Joey Barton £120,000 Fine
Joey Barton, a midfielder for Newcastle United, has been fined by the club for £120,000, or two weeks’ wages, following being made available on a free transfer. The footballer posted on Tuesday that the fine inevitable, but he will appeal the decision. This post came after one earlier that day that he was being made to train by himself.
The reason for the fine hasn’t been confirmed, nor has the club made a statement. However, it’s said the the fine is due to Barton publicly criticising the club and owner Mike Ashley. However, this may have just been the last straw. The footballer has also been accused of having several dressing-room brawls with other players and of being a bad influence on younger teammates. He is also said to have refused shaking hands with boss manager Alan Pardew after the captaincy was stripped from him. Last week, after striking back at the club for telling lies, he launched an attack on the board via Twitter. Relations between he and the club have already been strained since the breakdown of contract negotiations over the summer.
However, Willie McKay, Barton’s agent, is surprised about the decision. He also noted that he has been overwhelmed with interest from Premier and European leagues to sign the footballer. Tottenham and Arsenal have emerged as early runners, but his client is disappointed that talks over his contract with Newcastle broke down. He loves it at St James’ Park, is settled there and has been playing great. He’s a strong player, the likes of which are few, he added.