Former Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has urged the Magpies not to sack midfielder Joey Barton.
The 25-year-old is serving a six-month jail sentence for assault and affray and was also handed a suspended prison term last week for assaulting former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo.
Barton is due to have talks with Toon officials about his future and Allardyce, who signed the Liverpudlian from City last summer before leaving St James' Park in January, fears for the player if his contract is cancelled.
Allardyce told the News of the World: "If Newcastle sack Joey it will be another punishment and defeat the objective of him trying to put things right and become a better person.
"It could also be dangerous to take football away from him. He is a complete football man. His life revolves around it.
"If Newcastle keep Joey, this is the last chance for him. He is fighting for his future because I don't think anyone will take him if he steps out of line again.
"Joey has had help in the past but he needs to do things for himself now. If this doesn't make him want to get things right, nothing will."
More news from SportingLife.com
Comment 1 - 15 of 15
Football and its @#$% footing rules has ruined the game Barton isnot the first by a long way, anything goes today.I gave up along time ago.
Get shut of Barton now. Mr K, Or you could make yourself an accessory before the fact? Ignorance is no excuse in the eyes of the law. You and Mr T McDon, and all your other backroom staff at St James Park have given, myself and lots of football supporters, much pleasure in the past. Please dont lose your integerity, and reputations? on this bad egg Barton, From a Proper Scouser, and real football fan.
The reputation of Newcastle Utd is now on the line. How the board and the manager deal with a very public gross misconduct will be a reflection on their personal integraty. Do you think that Man.Utd.,Liverpool, Chelsea, or any top team anywhere would want their reputation tarnished in this manner? It seems that the fans and supporters live by a set of values and rules that do not apply to players. Everyone is waiting to see of there is a spine in Newcastle Utd.
what is this man saying..........barton should be sacked by newcastle......that boi is a coward a disgustin mo fo...........
Sam has sprung a leak in his brain again. So its all right to half kill a person (twice),give him all the adulation he requires,praise him,pay him, then tell him to forget it. KK is too soft. They should take him to Beachy Head and drop him off with lead weights. He should be banned for life and given 20 years hard labour. He is truly a disgusting indivdual
Joey Barton has had more chances than most people to put things right, this isn't the first time and it wont be the last, he is not the brightest bulb on the tree.
Joey Barton is a yob, an overpaid aggressive individual who has a great ability but you cannot educate Pork only cure it. What message does this give out to rest of society it these high profile individuals continue to get off the hook with lenient sentences and fines. He done the crime, now do the time
I think maybe he should go on a night our in Liverpool
has sam gone soft in the head he talks about barton like hes human,hes not hes a peice of low life scum ,how do we get rid of the vermin on our streets when low life like him make the headlines,i hope he sffers big time while hes in prison and if he wants to top himself let him get on with it who cares
Leopards and spots? At your peril Mr Keegan.
Incidentally, regarding Newcastle not wanting to lose the 5m they paid for him, they can always sue him and recoup their losses that way.
I think his contract should be shredded. Professional footballers are constantly in the public eye and should be aware that kids look up to them and follow their example. This bloke is a thug and should be treated like the violent criminal that he has been proven to be. Big Sam says that football is his life. So?? Plenty ordinary people have a similar position to Barton and their lives have been ruined, but through their own actions. Barton chose to conduct himself in the way that he did and has to accept the consequences of his own action. As for Newcastle losing 5m, tough. They should have thought about that before they bought him, especially when you consider his conduct at City.
This animal should never be allowed to play professional football again. Lets face it, he's hardly likely to starve.
He should be banned for life. It just shows what an idiot Allardyce is. In any other walk of life you'd be out of a job right away. I feel sorry for the Newcastle fans if the club decide to let him stay. Who wants a loose cannon like him in their side?
I think he has had too many chances already and he should be sacked.
Most people don't get too many chances in life such as Barton has had.
I'm for sacking him if and it's a big if ....the FA make a ruling saying that he can't play in the prem or agaisn't Newcastle for the remainder of his contract. Why should Newcastle write off 5 million quid? and have another club sign him on a free (with a lovely big signing on fee - no doubt) and then he pops up and scores against Newcastle in the league or cup?
did big sam not watch him beat seven shades of @#$% out of those 2 men?
if football is his life why did he also beat a team mate UNCONCOUS.........
get rid hes bad news......................oh and im a nawcastle fan and my man's a geordie, we don't need these things happening in our team when were trying to get GOOD players for next season...........x
Please login to post a comment
Not already a Yahoo! user ? Sign up to get a free Yahoo! Account