History of Joey Barton in Timeline

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

September 1982: Joey Barton born

On September 1982, Joseph Anthony Barton was born. He would later become an English professional football manager and former player.

1990: Reference to Justin Fashanu coming out as gay

In January 2012, Joey Barton stated his beliefs in support of gay rights referencing Justin Fashanu who came out as gay in 1990 and was England's only openly gay footballer until 2022.

1999: First Appearance for Manchester City's under-17s

In 1999, Joey Barton made his first appearance for Manchester City's under-17s team.

2000: First Reserve-Team Appearance

At the end of the 2000-01 season, Joey Barton made his first reserve-team appearance, in his final year as a trainee.

November 2002: Missed First Team Debut

In November 2002, Joey Barton was supposed to make his debut for the City first team against Middlesbrough, but he lost his shirt after leaving it on the substitutes bench at half-time.

2002: Started Career with Manchester City

In 2002, Joey Barton began his football career with Manchester City after progressing through their youth system.

2002: Professional Contract with Manchester City

In 2002, despite initial plans to release him, Manchester City reconsidered and gave Joey Barton his first professional contract.

April 2003: First Team Debut and First Senior Goal

In April 2003, Joey Barton made his first-team debut for Manchester City against Bolton Wanderers and scored his first senior goal in a win over Tottenham Hotspur.

April 2003: New Contract

In April 2003, after impressing in his first season at City, Joey Barton was offered and signed a new one-year contract at the club by manager Kevin Keegan.

2003: First Red Card

During an FA Cup match against Tottenham in 2003, Joey Barton received the first red card of his career for arguing with the referee at half-time.

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.

September 2004: Signed new contract with Man City

On 22 September 2004, Joey Barton signed a new contract with Manchester City, which would keep him at the club until 2007.

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: England U21 Call-up

During the 2003-04 season, Joey Barton was rewarded with a call-up to the England U21 squad for their 2004 European Championship qualifiers against Macedonia and Portugal.

2004: Played for England Under-21

In 2004, Joey Barton represented the England under-21 team and was part of the squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers, scoring once against Portugal.

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.

2005: Brother Sentenced for Murder

In 2005, Joey Barton's brother, Michael Barton, was sentenced to life imprisonment for his involvement in the racially motivated murder of Anthony Walker. Joey appealed for his brother to come forward and help with the police investigation.

2005: Evolved Passing Style

Since the 2005–06 season, Joey Barton began to favor simpler passes over more ambitious ones, improving his pass completion rate.

January 2006: Transfer Request and New Contract Negotiations

In January 2006, Joey Barton handed in a written transfer request, which was rejected. He later agreed to begin negotiations on a new contract at Manchester City.

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.

November 2006: Goal Celebration with Corradi

In November 2006, after scoring for Manchester City against Fulham, Bernardo Corradi ran to the corner flag, followed by teammate Joey Barton. Corradi proceeded to remove the corner flag and "knight" the kneeling Barton during a memorable goal celebration.

December 2006: Second Red Card

In December 2006, Joey Barton received the second red card of his career, for a late two-footed tackle on Bolton Wanderers player Abdoulaye Faye.

2006: Manchester City's Leading Scorer

In the 2006–07 season, Joey Barton's six goals from midfield made him Manchester City's leading scorer.

2006: Criticized Players Releasing Autobiographies After 2006 FIFA World Cup

Joey Barton criticized members of the England squad for releasing autobiographies after an unimpressive 2006 FIFA World Cup, suggesting they had "cashed in" on the national team's lack of success.

2006: Assault on Teammate Ousmane Dabo

On 1 May 2007, Joey Barton was fined £100,000 and suspended by City until the end of the 2006–07 season following an incident during training when he assaulted his teammate Ousmane Dabo.

2006: Barton 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 the club had signed as "substandard".

January 2007: Release Clause and Everton Inquiry

In January 2007, Joey Barton's agent Willie McKay said that if any team offered at least £5.5 million for Barton, it would trigger a release clause in his contract, prompting an inquiry from Everton.

February 2007: Earned England Cap

In February 2007, Joey Barton earned his only cap for the England national team.

February 2007: First Call-Up to England Squad

In February 2007, Joey Barton received his first call-up to the full England squad for a friendly match against Spain, despite his criticism of England squad members who had released autobiographies after the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

February 2007: International Debut

On February 7, 2007, Joey Barton made his international debut for England, replacing Frank Lampard in the 78th minute of a 1–0 defeat to Spain at Old Trafford.

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.

June 2007: Joined Newcastle United

On 14 June 2007, Joey Barton joined Newcastle United for a fee of £5.8 million.

July 2007: Joined Newcastle United

In July 2007, Joey Barton joined Newcastle United for a fee of £5.8 million.

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.

October 2007: Premier League Debut for Newcastle

On 22 October 2007, Joey Barton made his Premier League debut for Newcastle, coming on as a substitute in a 3–1 win over Tottenham.

December 2007: Arrested on suspicion of assault

In December 2007, Joey Barton was arrested on suspicion of assault in Liverpool city centre after an early morning incident. He was later remanded in custody because he was already on bail for two prior offenses.

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.

2007: Contract Length

In September 2004, Joey Barton signed a new contract with Manchester City, which would keep him at the club until 2007.

May 2008: Cleared of assault charge

In May 2008, Joey Barton was cleared of charges relating to an alleged argument with a taxi driver on March 13 2007.

May 2008: Sentenced to six months in jail

In May 2008, Joey Barton was sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty for his involvement in the assault that occurred in December 2007.

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: Released from prison

In July 2008, Joey Barton was released from prison after serving 74 days of his six-month sentence for assault.

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.

August 2008: Return to playing action

In August 2008, Joey Barton returned to playing action as a substitute during Newcastle's defeat to Arsenal, six days before his FA hearing. He was involved in an incident with Samir Nasri during the match.

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.

May 2009: Suspended by Newcastle United

In May 2009, Joey Barton was suspended indefinitely by Newcastle United after being sent off in a match against Liverpool and a subsequent dressing room confrontation with Alan Shearer. His future at the club was put in doubt.

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.

August 2010: Physical confrontation with Karl Henry

In August 2010, Joey Barton, while at Newcastle, had a physical confrontation with Karl Henry, accusing Henry of 'trying to hurt people'.

December 2010: Charged with violent conduct

In December 2010, Joey Barton was charged with violent conduct by the FA for punching Morten Gamst Pedersen in the chest during a match against Blackburn. He later accepted the charge and was banned for three matches.

February 2011: Involved in altercation with Abou Diaby

In February 2011, Joey Barton scored two penalties against Arsenal as Newcastle drew 4-4. He was involved in an altercation with Abou Diaby, which led to a red card for Diaby.

April 2011: Scored third goal for the club

On April 11, 2011, Joey Barton scored his third goal for QPR in a 3-0 victory at home to Swansea.

May 2011: Agent confirms Barton will not sign a new contract with Newcastle

In May 2011, Joey Barton's agent confirmed that he would not be signing a new contract at St James' Park after contract talks broke down.

August 2011: Joined Queens Park Rangers

In August 2011, Joey Barton joined Queens Park Rangers.

August 2011: Transfer listed by Newcastle and given permission to talk to QPR

In August 2011, Joey Barton was officially transfer listed by Newcastle and was given permission to talk to QPR. He criticised the Newcastle board after being allowed to leave on a free transfer.

2011: Started Writing for The Big Issue

In 2011, Joey Barton began writing a regular column in The Big Issue, a street newspaper sold by the homeless and vulnerably housed.

2011: Violent conduct charges

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

January 2012: Red card for head-butting Bradley Johnson

In January 2012, Joey Barton scored a goal but was later given a straight red card for head-butting Norwich midfielder Bradley Johnson during QPR's match against Norwich City.

January 2012: Expressed Support for Gay Rights

On January 30, 2012, Joey Barton stated his beliefs in support of gay rights in a BBC Three program, discussing the lack of openly gay players in English professional football.

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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.

July 2012: Played a friendly match for Fleetwood Town

In July 2012, Joey Barton played 45 minutes of a friendly match for League Two team Fleetwood Town after being left out of QPR's tour. A loan deal was turned down by QPR.

August 2012: Loan move to Marseille

In August 2012, Joey Barton completed a season-long loan move to Marseille.

November 2012: Made league debut for Marseille

In November 2012, after stating he only joined QPR for money, Joey Barton made his league debut for Marseille in a win against Lille.

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.

2012: Sponsored Newcastle United Women's Team Shirt

In 2012, Joey Barton sponsored a shirt from Newcastle United's women's team. He sponsored the number seven shirt, the number he wore in the men's side.

2012: Loaned to Marseille

In 2012, while at Queens Park Rangers, Joey Barton was loaned to Marseille.

April 2013: Affirmed he would not play for QPR again

In April 2013, Joey Barton posted tweets affirming that he would not play for QPR again.

May 2013: Suspended ban for comments about Thiago Silva

In May 2013, Joey Barton received a suspended ban for describing Thiago Silva on Twitter as looking like an "overweight ladyboy". He avoided a more severe punishment due to evidence presented about his views on homophobia.

September 2013: Wore Rainbow Laces

In September 2013, Joey Barton became the first player to wear rainbow laces as part of Stonewall's Rainbow Laces Campaign to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport.

December 2013: Sent off in match against Leicester City

In December 2013, Joey Barton was sent off in QPR's defeat to Leicester City, receiving two yellow cards in quick succession.

May 2014: Appeared on Question Time

On May 29, 2014, Joey Barton appeared on the BBC's Question Time and made controversial comments about the UK Independence Party, prompting an on-air apology.

2014: Promoted back to Premier League with QPR

In 2014, Joey Barton started for QPR as they beat Derby County in the Championship play-off final, resulting in the club's promotion back to the Premier League.

February 2015: Received red card against Hull City

In February 2015, Joey Barton received a red card in a match against Hull City after swinging at Tom Huddlestone's groin.

February 2015: Stated Views on Religion

In February 2015, Joey Barton stated that he would privatise religion if he were Prime Minister and that taxpayers' money should not sponsor religion in any form.

May 2015: Queens Park Rangers announced release of Barton

In May 2015, Queens Park Rangers announced that they would release Joey Barton in the summer.

August 2015: Joined Burnley on a one-year contract

In August 2015, Joey Barton joined Championship club Burnley on a one-year contract.

August 2015: West Ham United deal falls through

In August 2015, West Ham United's deal to sign Joey Barton fell through after protests from some fans.

2015: Signed With Burnley

In 2015, Joey Barton signed a one-year deal to play for Burnley, helping them win promotion to the Premier League.

May 2016: Joined Rangers on a two-year contract

In May 2016, Joey Barton joined Scottish Premiership club Rangers on a two-year contract.

May 2016: Joined Rangers

In May 2016, Joey Barton left Burnley to join Rangers.

September 2016: Charged with Gambling Violations

In October 2016, Joey Barton was charged with breaking rules relating to gambling on football matches. He was accused by the Scottish Football Association of placing 44 bets on matches between 1 July and 15 September 2016.

September 2016: Suspended by Rangers

In September 2016, Joey Barton was suspended by Rangers following a training ground argument with Andy Halliday.

October 2016: Charged with Gambling Violations

In October 2016, Joey Barton was charged with breaking rules relating to gambling on football matches by the Scottish Football Association.

November 2016: Contract at Rangers terminated

In November 2016, Joey Barton had his contract at Rangers terminated with immediate effect.

November 2016: Received Ban for Gambling

In November 2016, Joey Barton received a one match ban from the Scottish Football Association for breaking the rules on gambling on football matches.

December 2016: Charged with Misconduct for Betting

In December 2016, Joey Barton was charged with misconduct by the Football Association for placing 1,260 bets over the past 10 years.

2016: Released Autobiography

Joey Barton released his autobiography, No Nonsense, in 2016.

January 2017: Re-joined Burnley and Scored Against Southampton

In January 2017, Joey Barton re-joined Burnley and made his second debut for the club in a goalless draw with Sunderland in the FA Cup third round. On January 14, 2017, he made his league return, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 win over Southampton.

April 2017: Banned From Football

In April 2017, Joey Barton was banned from football after admitting a Football Association charge relating to betting.

April 2017: Received 18-Month Ban

On April 26, 2017, Joey Barton received an 18-month ban from football after admitting a Football Association charge in relation to betting.

May 2017: Released by Burnley

On May 23, 2017, Joey Barton was released by Burnley Football Club.

July 2017: Ban Reduced on Appeal

On July 27, 2017, Joey Barton had his football ban reduced by almost five months on appeal.

April 2018: Appointed Fleetwood Town Manager

In April 2018, League One club Fleetwood Town announced that Joey Barton would take over as manager on June 2, 2018, after the expiration of his ban.

June 2018: Commenced managerial career with Fleetwood Town

In June 2018, upon expiry of his ban, Joey Barton commenced his managerial career with Fleetwood Town.

August 2018: Managerial Debut

On August 4, 2018, Joey Barton's managerial career started with a 1–0 home defeat by AFC Wimbledon.

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.

April 2019: Police Investigation Launched

On April 13, 2019, following a 4–2 away defeat to Barnsley, South Yorkshire Police launched an investigation after Joey Barton allegedly assaulted opposition manager Daniel Stendel in the tunnel.

July 2019: Charged with Assault

In July 2019, Joey Barton was charged with causing actual bodily harm and bailed until October 9, 2019. He pleaded not guilty.

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.

October 2019: Pleaded Not Guilty to Assault Charge

Joey Barton was bailed until October 9, 2019 and pleaded not guilty after being charged with causing actual bodily harm in July 2019.

November 2019: Appeared at Sheffield Crown Court

On November 6, 2019, Joey Barton appeared at Sheffield Crown Court, pleading not guilty to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. A provisional trial date was set for June 1, 2020.

2019: Married Georgia McNeil

Joey Barton married Georgia McNeil in 2019. They have four children together.

June 2020: Trial Date Set for Assault Charge

A provisional trial date was set for June 1, 2020, for the assault charge against Joey Barton at Sheffield Crown Court.

January 2021: Left Fleetwood Town

In January 2021, Joey Barton left his managerial position at Fleetwood Town.

February 2021: Appointed Manager of Bristol Rovers

On February 22, 2021, Joey Barton was appointed manager of Bristol Rovers, with the club in a relegation battle. His first match was a 2–1 defeat against Wigan Athletic.

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.

October 2021: Criticism and Apology for Holocaust Comments

In October 2021, Joey Barton's Rovers suffered a 3–1 defeat to Swindon Town, and he was later criticised for comparing his team's poor performance in a 3–1 defeat to Newport County to a holocaust. He apologised the following week.

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.

December 2021: Cleared of Assaulting Daniel Stendel

On December 6, 2021, Joey Barton was cleared of assaulting Daniel Stendel.

January 2022: Nominated for EFL League Two Manager of the Month

Joey Barton was nominated for the EFL League Two Manager of the Month award for January 2022 after Bristol Rovers picked up ten points from four matches across the month.

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.

March 2022: Named League Two Manager of the Month

Joey Barton was named League Two Manager of the Month for March 2022 after leading his side to five wins from seven matches.

July 2022: Signed New Contract Extension

On July 1, 2022, Joey Barton signed a new three-year contract extension with Bristol Rovers.

2022: Reference to Justin Fashanu coming out as gay

In January 2012, Joey Barton stated his beliefs in support of gay rights referencing Justin Fashanu who came out as gay in 1990 and was England's only openly gay footballer until 2022.

October 2023: Dismissed by Bristol Rovers

On October 26, 2023, Joey Barton was dismissed by Bristol Rovers due to footballing reasons.

December 2023: Prominent Twitter User

As of December 2023, Joey Barton has over 2.7 million followers on Twitter, and his tweets have led to descriptions of him as a philosophical sportsman.

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.