Some developments over the weekend suggested that Alex McLeish of Birmingham City has inquired about taking Joey Barton on a season-long loan deal.
Joey Barton - who will take him?
And that seems to have already stirred up some fans at St. Andrews, who hardly want to see Joey representing their club next season.
Joey was brought to Newcastle under controversial circumstances by Big Sam Allardyce, who had to persuade Mike Ashley and Chris Mort at the time that Joey would not be a liability at Newcastle.
But that’s exactly what he’s turned out to be because in addition to the altercation he had already gotten into at Manchester City on the training field, he was arrested on December 27th, 2007 at 500 am in the morning in the Liverpool City Center, for assault, and subsequently spent time in jail for that assault last summer.
That all happened while he was a Newcastle United player, so it’s hard to see how many clubs will want to take Joey off our hands, even at a reasonable transfer fee.
There was uproar a few years ago when then Birmingham manager Steve Bruce made a move to bring in another Newcastle player, Lee Bowyer to St Andrew’s, but the former England midfielder opted for London, and West Ham United, instead.
The sad thing is that Joey is more than a decent player, but his terrible reputation for trouble precedes him, and even players on the field, will now try to niggle him.
He doesn’t show much sign of growing up either, having been sent off at Liverpool in his first game back for Newcastle and then arguing with Alan Shearer after that game in the dressing room, which will end his stay on Tyneside, if Alan eventually become manager on Tyneside.
However, McLeish himself is confident he can tame the hot-tempered Liverpudlian midfielder, but you seem to have to pay a price to have Barton at the club, and it’s a price few clubs seem willing to pay.
Comments welcome.
Written from Paris, France.
36 responses so far ↓
1 Nick D // Jul 6, 2009 at 7:06 AM
Why can’t we just cite irreconcilable differences and sack him. Trying to claw money back on the loser is a waste of time.
2 Ericles // Jul 6, 2009 at 7:31 AM
Take him. Sixpence.
3 shrews mag // Jul 6, 2009 at 7:40 AM
Sooner we get rid of this liability the better.
If no-one wants to buy him (and who would?) get him out on loan … to anyone.
Does anyone know how many years left on his contract ? If he goes out on loan for 12 months and keeps his nose clean, maybe someone will take him off our hands … even if it means selling him at a loss … just get rid …
4 Geordiedoonsooth // Jul 6, 2009 at 8:22 AM
Get rid of him ASAP
5 magforlife // Jul 6, 2009 at 8:22 AM
Cut price loan deal where we pay part of his wages, i would hope not, we would be better off just canceling his contract to get rid of him and his wages. Club should have sacked him for misconduct and sued him for a transfer fee if another took him on same as the Mutu case at Chelsea.
6 Toon Graeme // Jul 6, 2009 at 8:28 AM
Morning all – Bonjour Ed.
Joey will have to go in some shape or form to get him off the wage bill.
Although I relent that his skill will aid us in the push back upstairs – too much water under the bridge and wages.
I doubt we will hear owt about the sale today.
I just hope NUFC.com are wrong!!!!!
7 spiderpig // Jul 6, 2009 at 8:29 AM
we bought him and we agreed his wages.as did the rest of the flops we bought.we as in nufc.contracts have to be honoured and they work both ways.i have no sympathy for the club when players dont want to move on.its not their fault we offered them that much money.its a fact of life that to entice players to the north east you have to give them more money.none of them would come otherwise.maybe thats why so many of them looked like they didnt really care.the club needs to look long and hard at the signings they make in the future,and maybe pass up on the expensive big names that we have always coveted,and that includes the fans not demanding them.
8 Toon Graeme // Jul 6, 2009 at 8:56 AM
Will we ever be rid of Ashley???
http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/07/06/mike-ashley-s-price-too-high-for-bidders-61634-24081250/
9 Stuart79 // Jul 6, 2009 at 9:36 AM
All these stories seem to be pointing to the fact that Ashley has had bids for about £80m. At least there has been bids.
He was never going to be offered the full £100m was he?
It’s a buyers market as they know he’s desperate to get rid of the club. The longer it goes on the more money it’s going to cost Ashley.
He’s the one who will be responsible for paying the wages!
10 Toon Graeme // Jul 6, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Whats the worst that can happen – he cant sell immediately – keeps the club on the market, interest dwindles the wage accounts doesnt decrease, no one buys a season ticket, kinnear comes back and we fit financial meltdown.
Worse case scenario – but ever the optimist we will be rid
11 WELSHMAG // Jul 6, 2009 at 9:53 AM
So here we are again, still no solid news and a take over looking less and less likley this week!
Just shows how much the media know, we’ve been tipped to have been taken over this week so we’ll see how much they actually know.
12 Stuart79 // Jul 6, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Toon Graeme // Jul 6, 2009 at 9:44 AM
That scenario is exactly why Ashley needs to get rid of the club asap!
He will lose the lot if we go into financial meltdown.
Ashley has been paying the wages out of his own pocket and he won’t want to keep doing that.
13 AndyNUFC // Jul 6, 2009 at 10:22 AM
In all fairness we’ll probably sell him for £1million and he’ll have a fantastic season shining out for Brimingham. Players like him should be kept, not Coloccini, Geremi, Cacapa etc.
14 belfast toon // Jul 6, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Cordroy pillows are making the headlines
15 belfast toon // Jul 6, 2009 at 10:30 AM
I’m sure their will be some strong words spoke if the clubs not sold this week. I for one am getting p***ed off with getting strung along one week to the next and nor a word from our useless bosses
16 belfast toon // Jul 6, 2009 at 10:40 AM
I do think we will hear something if not today this week
17 THE MAGPIE // Jul 6, 2009 at 10:41 AM
These loan deals will all be the same-offer to pay 50% of his wages. Can you really see Birmingham paying him 60000 a week.
As for the sale, it certainly could drag on till the end of July but its costing Ashley more money the longer it goes on-he still has to pay the wages.
18 Toon Graeme // Jul 6, 2009 at 10:45 AM
The club says nowt
Shearer – “cant comment” (spoke to him on Sat)
Press – know nowt
Team has started pre-season
I really hope the club can get this sorted!!
19 spiderpig // Jul 6, 2009 at 10:54 AM
i personally would keep barton.he cant get much worse off the pitch.we need to keep a nucleus of premiership standard players,and he is one.he also has the grit to play in the championship,unlike many others on the same wages as him,like jonas,collo,and geremi,and possibly martins.still think him and guthrie would make a great centre mid pairing.if he plays well and stays out of trouble he deserves his money.if he plays up on or off the pitch fine him 2 weeks wages everytime.he will be playing for free virtually.lol.
20 magforlife // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Maybe he can now keep a lid on it off the pitch but his natural confrontational personality will always reveal itself on the pitch, every game he is a bomb ticking away and as such he is a liability to the team.
21 RyanToon // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:03 AM
another day
another championship life GONE
22 sahota // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:06 AM
God knows whats going on. Frankly nobody knows whats going on and what will happen. Sheer frustration for all fans. This is killing me very day. I wake up in a hope that we will be sold. Then again same old story. Its sad time for all of us I guess. But we need to get through this.
When Mike sells our club, He should be kicked out of Toon. His big posters should be displayed on entrance to city saying this guy is banned from city. Nobody should buy anything from SPORTSDIRECT for lifetime or till Mike is owner.
23 Toon Graeme // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Sahota – its worse when you drive past SJP everyday going to work!! You look up at the towering stadium and is boils ya piste!
24 WELSHMAG // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:24 AM
If he keeps this up much longer there’ll be some protests outside sports direct here in Wales.
There’s a large for sale bin full of footballs outside the S/D here, I’m gonna chuck me toon top on, get down there and boot every football out of the bin onto the carpark!!
25 batty // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:29 AM
WELSHMAG // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:24 AM
If he keeps this up much longer there’ll be some protests outside sports direct here in Wales.
There’s a large for sale bin full of footballs outside the S/D here, I’m gonna chuck me toon top on, get down there and boot every football out of the bin onto the carpark!!<<< aye go on welshmag
26 Rodzilla // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:32 AM
Joey Barton Ate My Hamster
27 batty // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:33 AM
Rodzilla // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:32 AM
Joey Barton Ate My Hamster
<<<< well there you are we should get rid for that reason alone
28 Dan4Toon // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:33 AM
I think officially it will take four weeks but they will sign that agreement thing this week which means they can start making decisions and a think a manager will get appointed this week, most likely Shearer and then the real work can start then we will hear sometime in the future that they have taken over for real.
29 sahota // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:36 AM
@Toon Graeme I can understand how it must be feeling as you said. I think we will be really lucky if Mike sells within this month. We can only hope for best but this guy is totally beyond imagination.
30 Toon Graeme // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:38 AM
Welshmag – if you get an asbo from going anywhere near sports direct I would hold you in high regard. Gan for it fella!
31 Nobby_Long // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:39 AM
The rumours seem to suggest the bidders won’t meet the £100m asking price because of the ongoing costs of wages.
The club have done very little to reduce the wage bill, so the overdraft will be running ever higher by the day and therefore creating more debt.
Ashley surely has backed himself into a corner by not pro-actively reducing the wage bill – he currently has to underwrite the debt & does not seem to have the funds to do so, therefore hardly seems to be in a strong position. Why would anyone want to pay his asking price when he is letting the debt mount up ?
I can’t believe this seems like another cock-up by him. Because the club is like a rudderless ship, there’s no-one to negotiate deals to tell players & agents what is going on . Obviously Seymour Pierce have suggested to him to make some moves to reduce the wage bill to slow down the debt increase – that may help. But Ashley is culpable – he is simply not fit to own a football club & is still grossly mismanaging things.
The sooner he is gone the better & I won’t shed one tear over that he has lost millions – itt serves him right.
32 Rodzilla // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:42 AM
Batty, I did cook it for him first though – he ain’t all bad
33 belfast toon // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Go on welsh I’ll do it if you do, you make the papers for that shit lol
34 Rodzilla // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Dan4Toon, I sincerely hope your optimistic outlook becomes indicative of reality.
Nobby, that First Direct or whatever they’re called are supposed to be handling transfers, and we’ve still got Lee Charnley the Club Secretary. Something must be happening, there’s just a load of media bull day-in day-out because of the NDAs. You know how the media love to kick us while we’re down, the sh1t-stirring bar stewards.
35 belfast toon // Jul 6, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Bout time the toon army had a militant divison
36 Pons Aelius // Jul 6, 2009 at 2:03 PM
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/07/06/newcastle-united-receive-bids-of-100m-for-club-72703-24086316/
belfast toon – your predictions may have been right!
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