Barton charged over Dabo clash

Any hopes Joey Barton had of enjoying a quiet pre-season were obliterated last night as the Football Association charged him with violent conduct.

Just three days after he walked free from Strangeways prison, the midfielder was back in the spotlight again for his training-ground assault on former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo – an offence to which he has already pleaded guilty in court.

Barton, 25, was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, on July 1 after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Dabo 15 months ago.

The FA were unable to launch their own investigation into the incident – of which there is no video footage – until the completion of the criminal investigation and court case.

However, the decision to proceed with a case against Barton, who could face a ban and fine of unlimited scope, has angered Newcastle, who feel they are being penalised for misdemeanours they had nothing to do with.

“Newcastle United can confirm that it has received documentation from the Football Association stating that it is charging Joey Barton with misconduct in relation to the incident that occurred with Ousmane Dabo in May 2007, at a time when he was a registered player of Manchester City,” a club statement read.

“The club has sought clarification from the Football Association as to why this decision has been reached now, given the incident occurred nearly 15 months ago.”

Barton now has until August 13 to respond to the charge and the Magpies confirmed he will seek a personal hearing.

The FA case will be heard by an independent regulatory commission on an as yet unspecified date.

It is understood the FA will strongly contest any claim by Barton that further punishment for the offence would be a case of ’double jeopardy’, given that an employee in any industry would expect to suffer professionally for a criminal offence committed at work.

When Eyal Berkovic was kicked in the head by West Ham team-mate John Hartson during a training session in October 1998, he was fined £20,000 and banned for three matches the following February, although the FA admit there is no direct precedent for such a severe, non-match attack.

When then Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher knocked out Portsmouth’s Pedro Mendes with a forearm smash during a game two years ago he was banned for eight games, with a further 15 suspended for two years.

It is believed the Dabo incident is considered to be of an at least equal severity at Soho Square, although it will be up to the independent commission to decide if the two attacks are comparable.

The FA’s charge comes in the week Barton was released from prison in Manchester after serving 74 days of a six-month sentence for beating up a teenager in Liverpool city centre last December.

Newcastle wasted no time in offering their support to the controversial midfielder, who earned a solitary England cap in February 2007.

However, Barton’s boot sponsors Nike confirmed on Wednesday they had terminated their deal with the Huyton-born player.