Modern Football Mavericks: Joey Barton
What is a Maverick?
A Maverick is an unorthodox or independent-minded person. In regards to Football, these individuals has gone against the rules set by clubs, organisations (e.g. F.A) and even those that fans expect any other player to follow. Some are loved and some are hated, and in this mini-series of posts, I will be looking at how they have become a Maverick and what this means for them on and off the pitch.
Name: Joseph Antony Barton
D.O.B: 2nd September 1982
Club: Burnley
Career Information: Manchester City (2002 - 2007), Newcastle United (2007 - 2011) Queens Park Rangers (2011 - 2015), Marseille (2012 - 2013), Burnley (2015 - Present).
Honours:
Club
Newcastle United
Football League Championship 2009-10
Queens Park Rangers
Football League Championship Play-Offs 2013-14
The Worst Football Maverick?
Joey Barton is a name that is usually associated with fights, red cards and below-par Football. Many have said that he's the Worst player that has ever been categorised in as 'Maverick'. As well as detailing his infamous Maverick moments, I will be overviewing one of the most Hated Footballers in Modern Football, Joey Barton.
Barton was in Everton's academy but did play for Liverpool at 14 (just going to ignore my personal opinion about that). He was rejected a lot from a lot of clubs, such as Nottingham Forest, for being too small (well isn't that ironic). Barton actually held himself back from debuting against Middlesbrough in November 2002 because he lost his shirt after leaving it on the bench at half-time. He got his first red card (the start of many in his career) against Spurs in an FA Cup game. He then left Manchester City's Stadium after not being named in the Starting XI against Southampton. A ten man brawl sparked against Doncaster in July 2004, definitely 'not' started by Barton. City considered sacking Barton later in the year for stubbing a youth player with a cigarette.
Side note: If you didn't know already, Barton is mad. Just so you know...
Anyway, he apologised and fined £60,000. In May 2005, Barton broke a 35 year-old pedestrian's leg after driving through Liverpool at 2am (classic Footballer). He was sent home in summer 2005 from City's pre-season tour in Thailand for assaulting a 15 year-old Everton fan. Barton later started a programme that helps troubled Sportsmen and women (didn't that work...). Barton then handed in a transfer request in January 2006, had it rejected and signed a new four deal (classic Footballer). On 30th September 2006, Barton showed his backside to the Everton home fans in response to abuse (again, going to ignore my personal opinion) and had to pay £2,000 for the incident to the FA.
Barton was arrested in March 2007 on suspicion of assaulting a taxi driver in Liverpool but later cleared in May 2008. This is the first time in this series that a serious incident has been noted and I will say that unfortunately these events that do actually further a Maverick's 'unique' character. Barton was fined in £100,000 and suspended after assaulting team-mate Dabo. He was later arrested and questioned by Greater Manchester Police and was later bailed.
After a huge breakdown with Stuart Pearce at City, Barton signed for Newcastle United in June 2007 for £5.8 million. In a game against Sunderland, Barton raised his foot into Dickson Etuhu, sparking huge media attention for him to be banned but no action was taken. In December 2007, Barton was AGAIN arrested for assaulting a man. CCTV footage emerged of Barton punching a man twenty figures and knocking him unconsciousness. He was then sent to prison for six months but served 77 days, being released in 28th July 2008. He then returned for Newcastle against Arsenal on 30th August 2008.
He was then banned for six games for his assault on Dabo. Barton then later commented saying "I want to transform into a role model."
Oh, wow.
There was also rumours of Barton racially abusing Agbonlahor, although nothing happened. He then got into a war of words with Alan Shearer about his suspension for the end of the season in which Newcastle were in trouble of getting relegated. After Newcastle got relegated, Barton played extremely average and the club wanted him gone (which I'd most certainly do).
In August 2011, Barton signed with QPR (Queens Park Rangers) on a one-year contract. Barton was then involved in the most dramatic day in Premier League History on the 13th May 2012, as he single handily threw away QPR's chance of denying old club Manchester City their first Premier League title after he elbowed Carlos Tevez, kneed Sergio Aguero in the back and attempted to hand-butt Vincent Kompany. When walking to the tunnel, he tried to get onto the City bench in order to square off with Mario Ballotelli (another loose cannon for this series). Barton was stripped of the captaincy and later fined £75,000 and given a twelve match-ban at an FA hearing. A month later, Barton was signed £500,000 by QPR (six months wages).
Barton was then loaned to Marseille and his twelve match-ban was upheld in French Football. Barton told ESPN that he would join QPR after his loan and that he had gone to France in order to provide money for the child that his partner and him were having. Barton was then banned for two games after he labelled PSG centre-back Thiago Silva a 'overweight ladyboy' and he only escaped a longer suspension only because he had appeared in the BBC's Homophobia in Football documentary. Barton then returned and was released in May 2015. He signed for Burnley on 27th August.
Looking back at this post, I can't help but notice that I've mostly wrote about the on-field incidents instead of the actual Football highlights of Barton's career. Well, there haven't been any. Barton seems to be more famous for his tweets, whether it be on Neymar or the philosophical nature of ISIS. Barton is definitely the worst (Football ability wise) Maverick I have written about and will ever write about.
Club
Newcastle United
Football League Championship 2009-10
Queens Park Rangers
Football League Championship Play-Offs 2013-14
The Worst Football Maverick?
Joey Barton is a name that is usually associated with fights, red cards and below-par Football. Many have said that he's the Worst player that has ever been categorised in as 'Maverick'. As well as detailing his infamous Maverick moments, I will be overviewing one of the most Hated Footballers in Modern Football, Joey Barton.
Barton was in Everton's academy but did play for Liverpool at 14 (just going to ignore my personal opinion about that). He was rejected a lot from a lot of clubs, such as Nottingham Forest, for being too small (well isn't that ironic). Barton actually held himself back from debuting against Middlesbrough in November 2002 because he lost his shirt after leaving it on the bench at half-time. He got his first red card (the start of many in his career) against Spurs in an FA Cup game. He then left Manchester City's Stadium after not being named in the Starting XI against Southampton. A ten man brawl sparked against Doncaster in July 2004, definitely 'not' started by Barton. City considered sacking Barton later in the year for stubbing a youth player with a cigarette.
Side note: If you didn't know already, Barton is mad. Just so you know...
Anyway, he apologised and fined £60,000. In May 2005, Barton broke a 35 year-old pedestrian's leg after driving through Liverpool at 2am (classic Footballer). He was sent home in summer 2005 from City's pre-season tour in Thailand for assaulting a 15 year-old Everton fan. Barton later started a programme that helps troubled Sportsmen and women (didn't that work...). Barton then handed in a transfer request in January 2006, had it rejected and signed a new four deal (classic Footballer). On 30th September 2006, Barton showed his backside to the Everton home fans in response to abuse (again, going to ignore my personal opinion) and had to pay £2,000 for the incident to the FA.
Barton was arrested in March 2007 on suspicion of assaulting a taxi driver in Liverpool but later cleared in May 2008. This is the first time in this series that a serious incident has been noted and I will say that unfortunately these events that do actually further a Maverick's 'unique' character. Barton was fined in £100,000 and suspended after assaulting team-mate Dabo. He was later arrested and questioned by Greater Manchester Police and was later bailed.
After a huge breakdown with Stuart Pearce at City, Barton signed for Newcastle United in June 2007 for £5.8 million. In a game against Sunderland, Barton raised his foot into Dickson Etuhu, sparking huge media attention for him to be banned but no action was taken. In December 2007, Barton was AGAIN arrested for assaulting a man. CCTV footage emerged of Barton punching a man twenty figures and knocking him unconsciousness. He was then sent to prison for six months but served 77 days, being released in 28th July 2008. He then returned for Newcastle against Arsenal on 30th August 2008.
He was then banned for six games for his assault on Dabo. Barton then later commented saying "I want to transform into a role model."
Oh, wow.
There was also rumours of Barton racially abusing Agbonlahor, although nothing happened. He then got into a war of words with Alan Shearer about his suspension for the end of the season in which Newcastle were in trouble of getting relegated. After Newcastle got relegated, Barton played extremely average and the club wanted him gone (which I'd most certainly do).
In August 2011, Barton signed with QPR (Queens Park Rangers) on a one-year contract. Barton was then involved in the most dramatic day in Premier League History on the 13th May 2012, as he single handily threw away QPR's chance of denying old club Manchester City their first Premier League title after he elbowed Carlos Tevez, kneed Sergio Aguero in the back and attempted to hand-butt Vincent Kompany. When walking to the tunnel, he tried to get onto the City bench in order to square off with Mario Ballotelli (another loose cannon for this series). Barton was stripped of the captaincy and later fined £75,000 and given a twelve match-ban at an FA hearing. A month later, Barton was signed £500,000 by QPR (six months wages).
Barton was then loaned to Marseille and his twelve match-ban was upheld in French Football. Barton told ESPN that he would join QPR after his loan and that he had gone to France in order to provide money for the child that his partner and him were having. Barton was then banned for two games after he labelled PSG centre-back Thiago Silva a 'overweight ladyboy' and he only escaped a longer suspension only because he had appeared in the BBC's Homophobia in Football documentary. Barton then returned and was released in May 2015. He signed for Burnley on 27th August.
Looking back at this post, I can't help but notice that I've mostly wrote about the on-field incidents instead of the actual Football highlights of Barton's career. Well, there haven't been any. Barton seems to be more famous for his tweets, whether it be on Neymar or the philosophical nature of ISIS. Barton is definitely the worst (Football ability wise) Maverick I have written about and will ever write about.
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