Newcastle United can confirm that Joey Barton has been placed on the transfer list today (Monday). The player has been advised that he can leave the club on a free transfer.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE FOLLOWS - Our club sources have told us that Joey Barton has been sacked by Newcastle United for a continuing failure to meet the club's expected standards of conduct by it's players. We we were told that officials met the player this morning and told him he can leave on a free transfer with a full club statement soon to follow. The drama all started this afternoon on the social networking site twitter, where Joey remarked, quoting The Smiths; And then; Only to then say an hour later; Our sources say that Barton was told specifically not to talk to press in the aftermath of yesterday's miserable friendly defeat against Leeds United at Elland Road but did so anyway off his own accord and then didn't travel back to Newcastle on the team bus as instructed. As his war of words against the club continued on Twitter over the weekend and his attempts to undermine the ownership of Mike Ashley continued, only one outcome was ever likely to occur. Barton leaving the club. But to be released on a free transfer with one year remaining on his contract is a surprise rather than just letting him rot in the reserves and put him up on the transfer list where his market value could have been anywhere between £2-4 million. The story is developing all the time and we will have more info as it comes. Of course Joey will presumably update his twitter account in 30 mins. P.S. - As a Newcastle United fan who was present at the game yesterday, Barton's on the pitch attitude and level of performance was particularly dire and we would be better off rid of his disruptive influence. Joey Barton isn't as good as Joey Barton thinks he is.... and it's about time Newcastle were rid of high-earning, prima donna's in way of younger, fitter and more consistent performers.