Barton completes 45 Minutes

[Deano 0]

Give the lad ONE LAST CHANCE.

 

why? hes had fucking tons of them

 

for 60 grand a week I'd have been more useful to this club than that little shit

 

how many ex cons do you reckon are working in the office jobs at SJP? only reason he continually gets away with it is cause hes a footballer and hes on a (stupid) contract thats too expensive to cancel

 

So for that reason give him a chance, he is being paid by us so use him, you never know andrew he COULD actually turn out to be decent for us...then again he may not but who knows?

 

Dont for one minute think i condone his behavior at the club or prior for that matter, but he is a newcastle player...deal with it mate.

[OTF 7295]

I'm still disappointed that the club didn't use his off field behavioural issues (which brought the clubs reputation into question) as a means to either piss him off, or at thea very least vastly reduce his massive salary.

 

If he was on half what he is on now he'd still be vastly overpaid but if the rumours are correct that would have been savings of 1.5 million pounds across a single season.

[Guest alex]

well we've heard it all before i guess but i still believe he is the best central midfielder at the club. tbh, anything that puts a block on Butt getting into the team is a good thing for me.

Barton doesn't do that though because he's never fit Given what we have though, him and Guthrie would be our best bet next season if we're playing two in the middle in a conventional 4-4-2. Stick Nolan on top of that if we play 3 in there.

[Christmas Tree 4725]

Journal interview... Didn't realise it was three broken feet and ligament damage! Talk about bad luck ( or Kama)

 

HITLER, Public Enemy Number One, Chairman Mao, the Antichrist. Joey Barton has been called many things since rising to prominence as a professional footballer - those four were his own choices - but right now there is one accusation that would cut deeper than any of them.

Contemplating a return to a Newcastle United team that has made impressive but understated progress towards a Premier League return in his absence, Barton is desperate not to be seen as a 'distraction'.

That is why it was with some reticence that the 27-year-old midfielder, consigned by his grisly past to have his every move scrutinised in forensic detail, opens his mouth after a 75-minute run-out for Newcastle reserves at a virtually deserted, windswept Victoria Park.

He had told Newcastle's media department that he would not but, after seeing a clutch of journalists had turned up to see him play, felt it only polite to offer a few words on his return. As is always the case with a man who eschews the normal footballer's platitudes for eviscerating self-honesty, 'a few words' turns into five or six questions - and before you know it he has talked for 35 minutes about injuries, his desperation to make up for lost time and joking about how he left Manchester City three years ago because they weren't spending enough money.

That was before posing for photographs and signing hundreds of autographs for young Hartlepool fans who had gathered to see what all the fuss is about.

Barton understands the contradiction, but his life will never be simple until he is once again known for his football. Being judged solely as an athlete, he insists, can not come soon enough.

'I think people are sick of hearing me talk and babble on. I think they just want to see me do it,' he admitted.

'I wasn't going to speak after the Hartlepool game but you took the time and effort to come down to see me, so I feel it's only fair that I do.

'I just want to play football - I just want to be part of this football club. It's good times (for Newcastle) but I know it's going to be a long, hard road this season and next season and the season beyond.

'A lot of the stuff that goes with me is off the pitch. I just want to concentrate on the pitch - I want to be judged on the pitch. I think it's well-documented that my life has had ups and downs but there are a lot of players going through it now and I can sort of relate to it.

'It actually brings back a lot of bad memories for me and confirms my belief in what I'm doing to address certain things in my life.'

Barring a couple of interviews to promote the Sporting Chance foundation, for the best part of six months he has slipped under the radar.

In his absence, a pared-down United from the club he joined have climbed to the summit of the Championship. The desire to join the battle now he is fully recovered is keenly felt - especially given the way supporters have reacted to him.

'I love Newcastle United. The people around the city and the fans have been incredible with me. I really appreciate it,' he said. 'I don't deserve it with some of the things I've been up to since I signed for Newcastle. I don't deserve that backing but, for whatever reason, I've got it and I'm determined to repay them,' he said.

'I have a lot to prove to a lot of people who have stuck by me at this football club and in this region. That responsibility is not wasted on me.

'People think I take that support for granted, but I don't.

'I know that people have criticised me - and rightly so - and I know some people have stood by me. But I'm determined. I want to be part of this football club.'

And what of the job Hughton and the rest of the squad have done over the course of the season? 'I think that team spirit has shone through this season - we could have easily downed tools,' he said.

'Everyone expected us to plummet like Leeds or Sheffield Wednesday did, but the lads got together and fair play to them.

'I think that is a testament to the bunch of men we have at the football club - on the pitch and with the backroom staff - that we're sitting top of the league.

'I've been in the background trying to support them but it starts for me, hopefully, on Saturday and then we'll take it from there.'

With Barton, questions about his temperament often dominate the debate. But Newcastle fans have as much reason to care about the fitness of a player who has suffered a broken foot three times and a torn medial ligament as anything else.

'Not playing for six months is the worst. Fans say he's sitting on his a**e, picking up his money, but I tell you - it's a lot harder when you're injured than when you're fit,' Barton said.

'Being out there at Hartlepool, for me was fantastic. That's the light at the end of the tunnel for me.

'Being part of something great happening to Newcastle United was always my motivation, as well as the desire to prove myself.'

So we come full circle to that desire not to distract, not to undermine team-mates who have performed so well in his absence.

Can Barton - who believes he is good enough to get back in Newcastle's team - cope with being a peripheral figure for the run-in, despite being fully fit? Time will tell, but acceptance at the club he 'loves' depends on it.

'We've got some tough games coming up, but we won't take our foot off the pedal,' he said.

'That's the feeling I get from the camp, and hopefully I can add something to that. They've lacked me all season - maybe I can come in and freshen it up a little bit.

'Maybe I won't be needed, who knows, that's down to Chris Hughton, but I will put my hand up for selection.

'I want to play every game between now and the end of the season because I want to take a bit of the workload off getting this club back where it belongs.'

[Guest alex]

All but completed 3 years of a 5 year contract

[trophyshy 7083]

[Monkeys Fist 42458]

Happy Birthday Center Parting

[1892 0]

3 years, fuck me.

[Happy Face 29]

Quiet Friday afternoon and that, I wondered what Barton has cost us in context (actually not in context at all, using an arbitrary transfer fee, that doesn't account for their salary or what we recouped in outbound transfer fees, or whether they'll play more games. Either way though)....

 

 

Luque - £9.5m, 21 appearances (£452,380.95 per game)

Marcelino - £6.7m, 17 appearances (£374,117.65 per game)

Cort - £7m, 22 appearances (£318,181.82 per game)

Owen - £16m, 71 appearances (£225,352.11 per game)

Viana - £8.5m, 39 appearances (£217,948.72 per game)

Bassedas - £4.1m, 24 appearances (£170,833 per game)

Boumsong £8m, 47 appearances (£170,212.77 per game)

Coloccini - £10.3m, 62 appearances (£166,129.03 per game)

Maric - £3.6m, 23 appearances (£156,521.74 per game)

Barton - £5.8m, 38 appearances (£152,631.57 per game)

Goma - £4.7m, 33 appearances (£142,424.24 per game)

Smith - £6m, 67 appearances (£89,552.24 per game)

[Deano 0]

Quiet Friday afternoon and that, I wondered what Barton has cost us in context (actually not in context at all, using an arbitrary transfer fee, that doesn't account for their salary or what we recouped in outbound transfer fees, or whether they'll play more games. Either way though)....

 

 

Luque - £9.5m, 21 appearances (£452,380.95 per game)

Marcelino - £6.7m, 17 appearances (£374,117.65 per game)

Cort - £7m, 22 appearances (£318,181.82 per game)

Owen - £16m, 71 appearances (£225,352.11 per game)

Viana - £8.5m, 39 appearances (£217,948.72 per game)

Bassedas - £4.1m, 24 appearances (£170,833 per game)

Boumsong £8m, 47 appearances (£170,212.77 per game)

Coloccini - £10.3m, 62 appearances (£166,129.03 per game)

Maric - £3.6m, 23 appearances (£156,521.74 per game)

Barton - £5.8m, 38 appearances (£152,631.57 per game)

Goma - £4.7m, 33 appearances (£142,424.24 per game)

Smith - £6m, 67 appearances (£89,552.24 per game)

 

So the three we currently have are at the lesser regions of the flopchart?

 

Not that i consider Smith or Coloccini a flop though.

[Christmas Tree 4725]

JOEY Barton has quashed mounting speculation over his future by claiming it is a "privilege" to play for Newcastle United.

 

The Magpies midfielder has featured in the club's last six matches after recovering from a foot injury that sidelined him for the majority of the campaign, and provided a reminder of his ability with the perfectly-weighted through ball that led to Wayne Routledge's goal at Plymouth on Monday night.

 

Barton's eye-catching performance at Home Park led to renewed speculation over his summer plans, with Kevin Nolan, Alan Smith and Danny Guthrie all having leapt above him in the pecking order during his enforced spell on the sidelines.

 

But having benefited from Newcastle's support during a string of much-publicised troubles, the one-time England international is not about to turn his back on a club he feels proud to be a part of.

 

"I am not going anywhere," said Barton, who is likely to miss out on a Championship winners' medal as a result of his limited involvement this season. "I love everything about this football club, every player here.

 

"I'd be hard pushed to find a group of lads like it, a group of lads that I'd want to have a go with. This is them.

 

"I've had a lot of chances here, and although it's been said before, I just want to prove how grateful I am by getting out there and playing football.

 

"Injuries have hindered that a bit, but I'm humbled to be part of this achievement and humbled to be part of everything that is going to happen to this football club in the very near future. It's a privilege."

 

Barton was a member of the Newcastle squad that crashed out of the Premier League 12 months ago, but having nurtured a powerful team spirit during their season outside the top-flight, the Liverpool-born midfielder feels the current squad is far superior to the one that struggled last season.

 

For much of the current campaign, he has been on the outside looking in. But he has still seen more than enough to convince him that Newcastle's battling qualities will stand them in good stead as they attempt to survive next season.

 

"We're in a much better position this time around to go into the Premier League," he said. "We've got some real, real strong characters, a real togetherness as a team.

 

"It's probably the first time in my career I can look around and say I'm really happy to be in the trenches with every single one of them in the dressing room. There is not a set of lads like them.

 

"Even with all the shenanigans and things that have been bandied about, people trying to stick spanners in the works - the lads have stayed together."

 

That team spirit has carried Newcastle to their first domestic title since 1993, and a sold-out St James' Park will rise to acclaim the champions when they receive the Championship trophy in the wake of Saturday's home game with Ipswich.

 

Having made only his seventh start of the season at Plymouth, Barton is desperate to be involved against Roy Keane's side, but admits his wider role in the title triumph has been peripheral at best.

 

"The lads have laid all the foundations of what happened," he said. "I just helped put the chimney pot or the aerial on, if you like. Just the little end bit I was involved in.

 

"I've been there in the background, willing the lads on. Im just humbled to be part of this squad of men and this achievement because I know people say we had the biggest squad but we still had to go out and win the league.

 

"We've had some tough trips this season. We had 23 Cup finals away from home this year and when Newcastle come to town, you know everyone's going to be looking to take a scalp.

 

"But the lads have been magnificent. They've done all the graft and hats off to them. I'm privileged to be part of it."

 

Barton is not the only player hoping to play a more prominent role at St James' next season, as goalkeeper Fraser Forster has also turned his attentions towards the future as his loan spell at Norwich City nears its end.

 

Forster has played an integral role in Norwich's promotion from League One, and while scouts from a number of Premier League clubs have been flocking to Carrow Road to watch him recently, the Hexham-born 21-year-old is desperate to succeed with the Magpies.

 

"It's been a brilliant season for me," said Forster. "It's all part of my personal progression towards being a future Newcastle number one.

 

"We're very strong for keepers at the minute, and I'm hoping to keep improving. As a local lad, I really want to make it at Newcastle, and I'm confident I can.

 

"Steve Harper's had a fantastic season and I'm sure he'll carry that on into next season, but I'm just trying to close the gap on him and really push him for his place."

 

Northern Echo

 

 

 

 

Like the bit about the chimney pot

[ChezGiven 0]

Fantastic performance from Barton yesterday. He needs to stay fit and in the team. Him and Smith were nails in the centre of the park yesterday.

 

Well done Joey.

[Guest alex]

Ref was dying to book him btw. Let about 4 or 5 niggly Villa fouls that were at least as bad go without a yellow. Same with the Smith booking.

[ChezGiven 0]

The Smith booking was a joke but its just one of those things, once the player has the reputation its a case of they made their bed so they can lie in it. Unfair of course and you'd expect more but seems to be the case with many referees.

 

Speaking of which, a 25 year ref'ed a prem game on saturday. Bit young that for me.

[Barney 0]

If there's grass on the pitch...

 

Yeah, ref should have given a free/yellow for the trip on Smith outside the box. I didn't think the yellow for Smith was right either, he just saw him running about like a lunatic, then Heskey fell over(anyone see Heskey's pass straight out of play? )

[ChezGiven 0]

I dont normally condone booing of England players post-international failure, it seems to ignore the post-failure analysis. However, yesterday i was delighted to hear Heskey getting some stick as he's a sensitive soul and it would have knocked his confidence, as his contribution suggested.

[Dr Gloom 21924]

hopefully this is a sign of things to come from barton. he's been total crap for three years he's been with us; he owes us a couple of good seasons.

[Andrew 4757]

The Smith booking was a joke but its just one of those things, once the player has the reputation its a case of they made their bed so they can lie in it. Unfair of course and you'd expect more but seems to be the case with many referees.

 

Speaking of which, a 25 year ref'ed a prem game on saturday. Bit young that for me.

 

and was as good as any other PL ref from what I saw

[Andrew 4757]

I dont normally condone booing of England players post-international failure, it seems to ignore the post-failure analysis. However, yesterday i was delighted to hear Heskey getting some stick as he's a sensitive soul and it would have knocked his confidence, as his contribution suggested.

as champion mentioned though, bit harsh booing warnock when he never even played

[ChezGiven 0]

The Smith booking was a joke but its just one of those things, once the player has the reputation its a case of they made their bed so they can lie in it. Unfair of course and you'd expect more but seems to be the case with many referees.

 

Speaking of which, a 25 year ref'ed a prem game on saturday. Bit young that for me.

 

and was as good as any other PL ref from what I saw

 

Which game was it again?

[ChezGiven 0]

I dont normally condone booing of England players post-international failure, it seems to ignore the post-failure analysis. However, yesterday i was delighted to hear Heskey getting some stick as he's a sensitive soul and it would have knocked his confidence, as his contribution suggested.

as champion mentioned though, bit harsh booing warnock when he never even played

 

aye

[Andrew 4757]

The Smith booking was a joke but its just one of those things, once the player has the reputation its a case of they made their bed so they can lie in it. Unfair of course and you'd expect more but seems to be the case with many referees.

 

Speaking of which, a 25 year ref'ed a prem game on saturday. Bit young that for me.

 

and was as good as any other PL ref from what I saw

 

Which game was it again?

 

birmingham blackburn I think

[Happy Face 29]

The Smith booking was a joke but its just one of those things, once the player has the reputation its a case of they made their bed so they can lie in it. Unfair of course and you'd expect more but seems to be the case with many referees.

 

Speaking of which, a 25 year ref'ed a prem game on saturday. Bit young that for me.

 

and was as good as any other PL ref from what I saw

 

Which game was it again?

 

birmingham blackburn I think

 

I thought that was a definite nowts each.

 

Put the blackburn keeper and 2 defenders in my dream team, and a Birmingham defender too.

 

 

Blackburn had one bastard shot on target and scored.

 

...and Foster's getting heaped with praise the bell-end...

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/t...ity/8936646.stm

[wykikitoon 20154]

Made a cracking decision in that game too re the pulling of the shirt.

 

Well done to the lad.

[kockhead 0]

hopefully we can get rid of the odious twat in the summer

 

 

You fucking soft or something? I know you speak like a twat and no one can understand you but getting rid of your best players thats fucking soft. Nolan and Barton best players at Newcastle thats why you won 6-0 silly twat. So calm down half jock and take a chill pill.