1 Aug 2008

Barton charged by FA

11:26 am on 1 August 2008

The controversial English footballer Joey Barton has been charged by the Football Association with violent conduct.

The charge relates to an assault by the Newcastle United midfielder on his then Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo at City's Carrington training ground in May last year.

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

This FA charge arises from the hearing at Manchester Crown Court, with the governing body now having received the documentation it wanted from that case.

He was released from prison Monday after serving 74 days of a six-month sentence for assault following an incident in his native Liverpool last year.

However, Newcastle and especially manager Kevin Keegan have said they intend to keep the player at the club and help him rebuild his career.