It may not have been the punch heard 'round the world, but Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton will receive a three match ban for his 'slug' into the gut of Blackburn's Morten Gamst Pederson on Wednesday night.
Newcastle’s Joey Barton Gets Three Match Ban For Violent Conduct
Barton will accept the three match suspension bestowed upon him from the FA and has since publicly apologized for ‘reacting badly’ in the heat of the moment.
At least Barton, a player with a tainted past of incidents and infractions a mile long, this time seems to genuinely show some remorse over the matter:
”I fully accept that I was in the wrong on this occasion and accept the charge that the FA have brought against me. This season I have really been enjoying my football and, although I have been on the receiving end of a few robust challenges, I have, up until now, remained calm in the face of provocation and just carried on with the game.
But I hold my hands up, I reacted badly to the situation on Wednesday night and I deeply regret it.”
What was a brilliant week last week for the Toon is now slowly headed downhill. Newcastle, after winning at home against Sunderland and away to Arsenal, has now lost to Blackburn and on the same night, lost Barton for three matches.
Barton’s absence will be felt by Newcastle on some level. His solid play thus far this season on the right side of midfield has been paramount in Newcastle’s current 5th place position. Barton’s provided good service on the right with crosses into the box and his work rate in midfield is only matched by some of the league’s best at that position.
Barton could have appealed his punishment to delay the suspension, but a three man panel could have increased the number of games Barton would miss had they deemed it appropriate. While his punch is currently making its way around the Internet through YouTube and other outlets, there would have been no viable reason for him to appeal.
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