FA hits Barton for six
by Tom Adams, 05 September 2008
The Football Association has sanctioned Joey Barton with a 12-game ban, six of which are suspended, following his training ground assault on former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo.
The Newcastle United midfielder has also been fined £25,000 as a result of the incident which occurred in May 2007, and Barton will be hit with the suspended six games if he is involved in another violent incident or if he is dismissed for violent conduct before the end of the 2009-2010 season.
Barton has already been handed a four-month suspended jail sentence after attacking Dabo at City’s training ground and leaving the Frenchman requiring hospital treatment.
Now The Football Association has imposed its own punishment for the shameful incident.
An FA statement read: “At an independent Regulatory Commission hearing today, Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton was given a 12 match suspension, six matches of which are suspended until the end of the 2009-2010 season, and fined £25,000.
“Barton admitted a charge of violent conduct relating to an assault on his then Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo at City's Carrington training ground on 1 May 2007.
“He is suspended for six matches with immediate effect. The suspended sanction of six further matches will be automatically invoked in full should Barton be found guilty of any similar charge involving violence or be dismissed from the field of play for violent conduct (but not for serious foul play).”
Barton was also released from prison in July after serving two months of a six-month sentence for assault and affray, following an incident in Liverpool city centre on December 27.
Newcastle opted to stand by the player despite his troubled history and it is believed that Kevin Keegan, who resigned from the club on Thursday, provided a character reference via fax for Friday’s hearing.
Regulatory Commission chairman Maurice Armstrong added: "Much has been written about Mr Barton over recent months. The Regulatory Commission had the benefit of taking all appropriate information into consideration. The Commission members considered principally the serious attack by Mr Barton that clearly cannot be accepted.
"The members also had to take into consideration the sanctions imposed by the courts and the pro-active support Mr Barton has received from Newcastle United FC and other professional bodies.
"The Commission members wanted to punish the offence appropriately but give Mr Barton an opportunity to ensure his professional conduct does not falter again and ensure he is fully aware of the consequences should he make another serious error of judgement."
Barton will now miss the upcoming Premier League games against Hull, West Ham, Blackburn, Everton and Manchester City, as well as the Carling Cup tie with Tottenham on September 24.
His first game back in Newcastle colours could be the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on October 25.