The 26-year-old is full of remorse for both the assault in Liverpool city centre last Christmas which led to his jail term and the training-ground attack on his former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo which prompted a four-month suspended prison sentence and a six-game Football Association ban.The 26-year-old is full of remorse for both the assault in Liverpool city centre last... more
Violent offender footballer Joey Barton has been dropped by the American sporting giant Nike for bringing their brand into "disrepute" following his six-month prison sentence for a violent attack in Liverpool city centre.
While Kevin Keegan elected to keep him in his £3 million a year Newcastle United job, Nike have talen a stand by calling a halt to his £40,000 annual boot sponsorship deal.
"Whilst Joey Barton is a talented footballer, we cannot condone or accept what he did and his contract with us has been terminated," said a Nike sportsperson.
Barton is a repeat violent offender and committed his last offence while on bail. He last served time after punching a man to the ground and pummelling his victim up to 20 times with his fists in an attack caught on CCTV in Liverpool last December.
He is also serving a four-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, after a separate conviction for a "ferocious" training ground attack on former Manchester City colleague Ousmane Dabo, which left his victim unconscious and bleeding.
Should Barton have been dropped from Newcastle as well as Nike? If footballers are role models for young people, what message does Kevin Keegan's acceptance of Barton's violent behaviour send out? Why are footballers seemingly exempt from taking responsibility for their actions? What should be done about Barton?
Violent offender footballer Joey Barton has been dropped by the American sporting... more
