Barton accepts the FA's verdict

10:35am Saturday 6th September 2008

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JOEY Barton is not expected to appeal against his latest suspension after the Football Association handed the Newcastle midfielder a six-match ban, with a further six games suspended, following his training-ground assault on Ousmane Dabo.

Barton attended a Football Association disciplinary panel hearing in London’s Soho Square yesterday after pleading guilty to a charge of violent conduct.

A four-man panel that included former England manager Graham Taylor took just under two hours to reach their verdict, and Barton is unlikely to appeal against the results of their findings as he attempts to put his previous misdemeanours behind him.

The England international has been fined £25,000 and handed a 12- match ban, with six of the matches suspended until the end of the 2009-10 season. If Barton does not re-offend in that period, those six matches will be struck from the record.

The Magpies midfielder will miss five Premier League matches and this month’s Carling Cup tie with Tottenham and, intriguingly, his first match back could be the October 25 away game at Sunderland.

However, it remains to be seen whether Newcastle’s next manager will subject the 26-year-old to the taunts of the Stadium of Light crowd.

Barton’s former boss, Kevin Keegan, did not attend yesterday’s hearing despite previously making a pledge to defend his player in public, opting instead to submit a character witness by fax.

Barton’s latest suspension will sideline him for more than six weeks, but it is far from the longest suspension ever handed out by the FA.

David Prutton was banned for ten matches after he pushed referee Alan Wiley in 2005 and Paolo Di Canio was suspended for 11 after shoving Paul Alcock in 1998.

And Eric Cantona was sidelined for eight months after he assaulted a spectator at Selhurst Park in 1995.

“Much has been written about Mr Barton in recent months,” said a statement released by regulatory commission chairman Maurice Armstrong.

“The regulatory commission had the benefit of taking all appropriate information into consideration. The commission members considered principally the serious attack by Mr Barton that clearly cannot be accepted.

“The members also had to take into consideration the sanctions imposed by the courts and the pro-active support Mr Barton has received from Newcastle United FC and other professional bodies.

“The commission members wanted to punish the offence appropriately but give Mr Barton an opportunity to ensure his professional conduct does not falter again and ensure he is fully aware of the consequences should he make another serious error of judgement.”

Dabo, who now plays for Italian club Lazio, was left with a suspected detached retina and several cuts and bruises after last May’s attack.

Barton received a suspended four-month prison sentence for the assault in July, and was also ordered to pay £3,000 in compensation and carry out 200 hours of community service.

He was embroiled in further controversy yesterday morning, after reports emerged alleging he had driven through a red light as he journeyed to meet his probation officer.

A national newspaper published pictures that claimed to show Barton’s Range Rover using bus lanes to pass vehicles on the inside lane in Newcastle city centre.

Barton’s representative, Willie McKay, claimed he was not aware of the details of the incident, but questioned the actions of the photographer who took the pictures.

“Why are they following him? It’s a disgrace,” said McKay “What would you do if people followed you in a car?

“What is the guy meant to do? He doesn’t know who is in the car, does he?”

Northumbria Police said officers had not yet seen the original tape of the incident, but Detective Chief Inspector Allan Brown said: “We are looking into the matter.”