Challenges Faced by Joey Barton: Obstacles and Turning Points

Life is full of challenges, and Joey Barton faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Joey Barton is an English football manager and former player, primarily a midfielder. He played extensively in the Premier League, notably with Manchester City, making 269 appearances. Most recently, he managed Bristol Rovers in League One.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

July 2004: Caused ten-man brawl

On 25 July 2004, Joey Barton sparked a ten-man brawl in a friendly match against Doncaster Rovers after "hacking" at an opposition player.

December 2004: Christmas party incident

In December 2004, Joey Barton stubbed out a lit cigar in youth player Jamie Tandy's eye during Manchester City's Christmas party and was fined six weeks' wages.

2004: Cigar Incident with Jamie Tandy

In 2004, Joey Barton stubbed out a lit cigar in Jamie Tandy's eye while Tandy was a youth player at Manchester City, leading to a civil claim in 2008.

May 2005: Broke pedestrian's leg while driving

In May 2005, Joey Barton broke a 35-year-old pedestrian's leg while driving his car through Liverpool city centre at 2 am.

September 2006: Exposed backside to Everton fans

On 30 September 2006, Joey Barton exposed his backside to Everton fans after Manchester City's injury-time equaliser in a match at Goodison Park and was later fined £2,000.

March 2007: Arrested on Suspicion of Assault and Criminal Damage

In March 2007, Joey Barton was arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage following an altercation with a taxi driver in Liverpool.

March 2007: Arrested on Suspicion of Assault

On 13 March 2007, Joey Barton was arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage after an alleged argument with a taxi driver in Liverpool.

April 2007: Criticized City's performances

On 22 April 2007, Joey Barton publicly criticised Manchester City's performances during the 2006-07 season and described some of the players as "substandard".

May 2007: Assault on Teammate Ousmane Dabo

In May 2007, Joey Barton assaulted his teammate Ousmane Dabo during a training session, leaving Dabo unconscious and hospitalised with head injuries. Subsequently, on 16 May 2007, Barton was arrested and charged with assault.

May 2007: Fined and Suspended for Assaulting Dabo

On 1 May 2007, Joey Barton was fined £100,000 and suspended by Manchester City for assaulting teammate Ousmane Dabo during training.

July 2007: Newcastle Debut and Injury

In July 2007, Joey Barton made his Newcastle debut in a friendly against Hartlepool United but was then ruled out for six to seven weeks after fracturing his left foot during a friendly match with Carlisle United.

October 2007: Ruled out for further month

In October 2007, Joey Barton was ruled out for a further month due to his foot injury.

December 2007: Arrested on Suspicion of Assault in Liverpool

In December 2007, Joey Barton was arrested on suspicion of assault in Liverpool city centre after punching a man and attacking a teenage boy. He was denied bail due to previous arrests.

May 2008: Sentenced to Jail for Assault

In May 2008, Joey Barton was sentenced to six months in jail for the December 2007 assault in Liverpool city centre. His cousin and brother also received suspended sentences for their involvement.

May 2008: Sentenced to Imprisonment

On 20 May 2008, Joey Barton was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for common assault and affray during an incident in Liverpool city centre.

July 2008: Sentenced for Assault on Ousmane Dabo

In July 2008, Joey Barton was sentenced to a four-month suspended prison sentence, 200 hours of community service, and ordered to pay £3,000 compensation and Dabo's court costs for the assault on Ousmane Dabo.

July 2008: Sentenced for Dabo Assault

On 1 July 2008, Joey Barton was sentenced to a four-month suspended prison sentence plus 200 hours of community service and ordered to pay £3,000 compensation and Dabo's court costs for assaulting Ousmane Dabo.

August 2008: Jamie Tandy Pursues Civil Claim

In August 2008, Jamie Tandy pursued a civil claim against Joey Barton for stubbing out a lit cigar in his eye in 2004.

September 2008: FA Ban for Violent Conduct

On 1 September 2008, Joey Barton was banned for six matches, with a further six-match ban suspended for two years, and fined £25,000 by the FA for violent conduct against Ousmane Dabo.

November 2008: Injured during a match against Wigan

In November 2008, Joey Barton was injured after a tackle from Lee Cattermole during Newcastle's draw with Wigan. He was confirmed to be out for two months with a medial ligament injury.

November 2009: Agreed to Pay Tandy in Out-of-Court Settlement

In November 2009, Joey Barton agreed to pay Jamie Tandy £65,000 as part of an out-of-court settlement regarding the cigar incident in 2004.

2011: Violent conduct charges

In 2011, Joey Barton was charged with violent conduct three times by The Football Association.

June 2012: Arrested After Nightclub Fight

In June 2012, Joey Barton was arrested alongside three other men after a fight outside a nightclub in Liverpool. He claimed he had been "sucker punched" during the incident.

2012: Not given a squad number by QPR

Ahead of the 2012 season, Joey Barton was not given a squad number by QPR. The chairman later identified Barton's absence as a factor in the club's poor performance and relegation.

April 2019: Investigation Launched into Alleged Assault on Daniel Stendel

In April 2019, South Yorkshire Police launched an investigation after Joey Barton was alleged to have assaulted opposition manager Daniel Stendel following a game between Fleetwood Town and Barnsley.

July 2019: Charged with Causing Actual Bodily Harm

In July 2019, Joey Barton was charged with causing actual bodily harm related to the alleged assault on Daniel Stendel and was bailed until October 2019.

October 2019: Bailed until October 2019

Joey Barton was bailed until October 2019 after being charged with causing actual bodily harm.

June 2021: Alleged Assault in Kew, London

In June 2021, an alleged assault took place in Kew, London, leading to Joey Barton being charged with assault by beating in July 2021.

July 2021: Charged with Assault by Beating of a Woman

In July 2021, Joey Barton was charged with the assault by beating of a woman at an address in Kew, London, which allegedly occurred in June 2021.

December 2021: Found Not Guilty of Assaulting Daniel Stendel

In December 2021, Joey Barton was found not guilty of the charge of assaulting Daniel Stendel.

March 2022: Court Heard Allegations of Assault on Wife

In March 2022, a court heard that Joey Barton was accused of kicking his wife in the head and grabbing her throat while drunk, with the case being adjourned to 23 June due to late arrival of emails.

January 2024: Controversial Comments on ITV Pundits

In January 2024, Joey Barton referred to Eniola Aluko and Lucy Ward as "the Fred and Rose West of football commentary", prompting condemnation from ITV.

April 2024: Investigation into Communications Act Offences

In April 2024, Cheshire Police announced it was investigating Joey Barton after "reports of offences under the Communications Act".

July 2024: Charged with Malicious Communications

In July 2024, Joey Barton was charged with making malicious communications related to tweets he made concerning Eniola Aluko between 1 and 18 January 2024. The tweets likened Aluko and Lucy Ward to serial killers Fred and Rose West.

December 2024: Charged with Malicious Communication

In December 2024, Joey Barton was additionally charged with malicious communication relating to social media posts referring to Jeremy Vine and Lucy Ward.

March 2025: Found Guilty of Assault and Handed Suspended Sentence

In March 2025, Joey Barton was found guilty of assault and handed a 12-week suspended prison sentence.

April 2025: Aluko Wins First Stage of Libel Claim

In April 2025, Eniola Aluko won the first stage of a High Court libel claim against Joey Barton after he posted comments suggesting her private education made her a "hypocrite" and that her late father had been financially corrupt.