PFA - Barton must banish demons

Taylor offers support to 'off the rails' midfielder

Last updated: 2nd July 2008

PFA - Barton must banish demons

Barton: Offered support by PFA

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Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor has warned Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton he must banish his 'demons' in order to save his career.

On Tuesday, Barton escaped a second spell in prison when he received a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm on former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo.

Barton is currently serving a six-month jail term, which began on 20th May, after pleading guilty to charges of assault and affray over an incident at a McDonald's in Liverpool city centre on 27th December.

Newcastle have said they want to hold talks with the player and his representatives as soon as possible and Taylor is hoping Barton can address his problems.

Problem

"It's one of those strange situations that when you talk to the lad in the cold light of day he's quiet, he's calm, he's considered," Taylor told talkSPORT.

"But he has those demons - there's no doubt they're there. He's been fortunate with this sentence, that it's been suspended.

"No doubt the judge, like us (the PFA), will be hoping that this term in prison will have made him come to terms with his problems - and I hope he's eradicated them for the sake of his life and his football career."

Taylor has also confirmed that the PFA has offered Barton support and has hinted that it may be time for the 25-year-old to leave Newcastle.

Anger

"We encouraged him to take use of our facility at Tony Adams' Sporting Chance clinic that is staffed by people who have been through and have had various addictive problems," added Taylor.

"With Joey Barton, it's been anger management and it's also problems with alcohol.

"I'm hoping that this spell in jail will help him come to terms with himself as a footballer and his life.

"It's a sad case. He's completely off the rails - and if it carries on like this, he'll continue to cause suffering to people.

"It might be that a totally new start at a new club is best. Like a new broom, sweep him clean - and hope that that can have the right psychological effect on him."