5 Jan 2012

QPR lose Barton appeal

6:55 am on 5 January 2012

Queens Park Rangers have lost their appeal against midfielder Joey Barton's red card in Tuesday's Premier League football match against Norwich City.

Barton was dismissed when he appeared to headbutt Norwich's Bradley Johnson in an off-the-ball incident after 34 minutes of Rangers' 2-1 defeat.

Barton, who claimed the officials had been "conned" into sending him off, will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect.