Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, has offered his support to disgraced Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton, who today was jailed for six months on charges of assault and affray.
Barton was arrested in his hometown, Liverpool, on 27th December 2007 after being involved in an attack outside a McDonald’s restaurant in the city, which the violent described as “extremely violent and cowardly”.
Taylor labeled the 25-year-old’s imprisonment a “crying shame’ and has vowed that the PFA will do whatever is possible to help him reform
“Whether he has a future at Newcastle United is a decision for the club,” commented Taylor.
“Clearly the lad is a player with ability and when a player has ability there will always be clubs looking to take the opportunity to try and improve things and I hope that is the case.
“When somebody has paid the penalty, which Joey will now have to do, every individual should be given the chance to reform themselves and get on with their life in a proper manner and we will try to continue to help him do that and hope we can succeed.
“With regards to Joey it is of course very unfortunate bearing in mind the various efforts we have tried to make to help him regards anger management and therapy sessions at the Sporting Chance clinic,” added Taylor.
“The fact is sometimes as a footballer and a well-known footballer you would be made an example of, rather than the other way around and no footballer is above the law of the land.
“And this is the price individuals have to pay if they break the law in such a manner.
“It is a crying shame for a player who is clearly very gifted and when you speak to the lad in the cool calm of day he can be very articulate, very sensible and intelligent.
“It is fair to say he has come from a difficult background where there is a history of problems and he has had a history of problems, which we have tried to help with and we will continue to help with
“As I have said, if you do step over the line there is a price to pay, being a footballer does not make you exempt from the law of the land.”
Derek Wanner, Goal.com
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