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Joey Barton opens up possibility of return to football after completing 18 month ban

SWANSEA, WALES - MARCH 04: Joey Barton of urnley walks out prior to the Premier League match between Swansea City and Burnley at Liberty Stadium on March 4
Image: Joey Barton could return to professional football after his ban at the age of 36

Joey Barton does not appear ready to call time on his football career as he begins an 18-month ban for breaches of betting rules.

The Burnley midfielder was banned last week after admitting to placing 1,260 bets over a 10-year period, many of those after FA regulations on betting were tightened up.

Barton intends to appeal against the severity of the ban, even though the FA's written reasons indicated 18 months was the "shortest possible" available to them.

He would be 36 by the time he is eligible to return in late 2018 and Barton's statement after the ban was handed down said it "effectively forces me into an early retirement from playing football."

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But Barton posted details of an 8.7km run on Twitter this morning and wrote: "I was the one who dedicated my life to forge this career. Therefore, I will be the one to call time on it."

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