Barton receives Milner backing

Villa man reckons former team-mate can lead Toon revival

Last updated: 2nd November 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Barton receives Milner backing

Milner: Barton support

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James Milner has backed former Newcastle team-mate Joey Barton to lead the Magpies out of danger.

Milner will face Newcastle for the first time on Monday since leaving for Aston Villa this summer.

Since then, Kevin Keegan has resigned as manager while Barton has returned to first-team action after spending two months in jail this summer for assault.

A Barton penalty set the Magpies on course for a morale-boosting 2-1 win over West Brom last week but Saturday's results have seen them slip back to second-bottom.

Barton is set to remain in the Magpies' midfield and Milner is optimistic the 26-year-old can put his personal problems behind him.

"You hear loads of different things, people say things and you read things in the paper," he told the News of the World.

Fantastic

"But you can only ever take someone how they are with you, how you find them and Joey was fantastic with me. I always got on with him and I wish him all the best.

"Hopefully he can put in some good performances for them and help them move away from they are in the table.

"A lot of things have gone on with Joey off the field but he's shown his ability in past seasons and what a good player he is.

"Hopefully now he can get some back-page headlines for himself and stay off the front."

Milner has no regrets about leaving Tyneside for Villa but is hoping his former club can drag themselves to safety.

"It was difficult to leave Newcastle. It's a fantastic place to play," he added.

"I enjoyed my time there immensely and they're a massive club.

"They've been struggling and it's tough times up there at the moment with all the instability but I really do want them to do well."

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