I’m not going to say that the lad has changed everyone’s opinion about him because quite simply he hasn’t and it seems as though Barton must repay his debt to society forever more, but on the pitch he has at least proved some of those doubters wrong when it comes to his ability.
Nobody can argue his commitment either to be honest, despite the fact that his contract saga appears to rolling on unresolved. His surname may be Barton, but dare I say that he should be called Joey Bargain? I mean he cost us £5.8 million back in 2007, and granted it has taken a while for us to see a return on that investment due to prison and injury, but do you think that we could pick him up for that price now with the form that he is in at the moment? I don’t think we could…
Bargain regularly talks of how privileged he feels to be part of this team and to be playing for a club like Newcastle United, and even though he is playing in an unfamiliar right-wing position he has taken to it like the proverbial duck to water and has put in some stellar performances. He did admit however that he did have some concerns when he was first asked to play out on the right.
“That was my greatest worry when Chrissy told me I was going to play there against West Ham – how long will I stay here?” Barton told The Chronicle. “It is then almost a case of if you go there and play too well everyone will see you as a right-sided midfielder.”
“I am just happy to be fit and playing and being able to showcase my talent at a big club like this. I would play left-back, right-back or in goal if I could.”
That is the kind of attitude I like to see from players if I’m being honest, and it’s a far cry from the likes of Kieron Dyer who sulked off because he didn’t get played in what he deemed to be his correct position. Bargain Barton is different though and is more about the team than Dyer ever was.
“I am just happy to play in the side, and I feel, at the minute, it is the best formation for us to play as a team. There will be certain games when the gaffer might feel it would be better for me to play in the middle. At Spurs, he felt it was better for me to play off the front man.”
“As I say, I am just happy being fit and well, and I am enjoying my football for the first time in a long time. Long may it continue.”
It’s good to see that Barton is enjoying his football at the moment, and to be honest the lad deserves a crack at it. He has had continual criticism from just about every angle, but he has come through the other side of and it will have made him a better person.
As I said earlier, when do you stop paying your debt to society? When do people move on? It does happen, people are given chances in life. I know that more than anything as it could have turned out very different for me and I could still be tagged as many a name from my youth due to my past transgressions. Unfortunately some people won’t forget, which is their choice I guess.
I’m just happy that he playing his heart out for us at the moment!
Barton should be given credit for coming back against all the odds, he has been, and still is the victim of a witch hunt which in this day and age is nothing short of a disgrace.
When you look at the way Rooney behaves on and off the pitch without a great deal of criticism and at the same time, referees seem to make it their goal in our game to yellow card Barton, it boils my ****.
To play so well against the odds whilst is one hell of an achievment and i hope he stays with us for the forseeable future.
bobby(Quote)
Aye its a shame Barton never got a regular England place or featured in a World Cup. No doubt then he’d be viewed as some saintly patriot fighting for his country like the Gerrards, Rooney’s and Terry’s who are all c*nts in their own ways yet for some reason often praised for their attitudes? Madness. Oh well, Englands loss, just hope we can keep him on to retirement, quality player, brilliant attitude and dare I say almost a reformed character.
NewkieBrown(Quote)
i do think the refs are cooling doon on joey and letting him get on with his footy , but cappelo is a fckin discrace for not pickin joey for the england squad he,d rather play ***** 😡
batty(Quote)
Newkie, agree with you, very little media coverage for the cowardly lunge by Rooney on the Crawley player that should have been a red, disgrace, but his time will come as he is out of control and a road crash in waiting.
Barton just needs to stay fit for us and continue with his good behaviour and form, that will do for me.
bobby(Quote)
The bloke is class. Yes he has his demons to fight on a daily basis, but at the moment he’s in control of them. Masturful player who’s attitude is a shining beacon to professionals everywhere.
Shearers Receeding Hairline(Quote)
Now thats a good article Toonsy. 😆
I like the Bargain Barton angle. You’re right he would cost a fortune at todays mad prices.
Howay NUFC get this lad signed up on a good contract
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
Toonsy I agree with everything you say mate. I think its testament to the stellar work he has done that even most of our own fans are now getting behind him, as it wasn’t the case a yr ago when he was still the waste of space in the eyes of a lot of fans.
I have said before that a lot of people do a crime but dont get the time, but in Bartons case he has done the time for his crime, and in my eye’s he is now entitiled to a clean slate.
I admire the way he has went about turning his life around, and I think kicking the drink is a big reason in the change of the man so long may it continue, but a word of warning I still think we could see an odd occasion when he is being kicked from one end of the pitch to the other and we might see a bit of red mist desending, but even the mildest mannered people can hit back when they have took enough.
Here endeth my reading 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE stick too tatoos mate 😀 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
Agree with all of the above!
Barton has been a revelation this season, and has turned a corner both proffessionally and personally since we signed him. I have always believed in him, and I am happy for him that he has come this far, and long may it continue. Just hope he is offered a contract accordingly.
AlanPardewProject(Quote)
TOONSY any chance of new thread 😆 😆 😆
icedog(Quote)
I never have really said anything positive or negative about Barton. I recall that when he first went to jail, I was very disappointed. However, even then I know he was a good player. And, I’ve always believed that Joe Kinnear letting him take the penalty that gave him his first Newcastle goal was the best move at the time.
Since then, I’ve been a fan. Of course, it’s only been this season where he seems to have had a nice long run of games, and it’s clear that with him, the team is better.
I for one hope he gets a new 5-year deal like the last few new contracts. I’ve also been surprised that England haven’t come calling for him yet, but I am sure Capello has his good reasons… 😐
NorCal Toonfan(Quote)
Ice – Not now mate. I;m at work. This’ll have to stick, unfortunnately for you 😆
toonsy(Quote)
NorCal he is will be 30 this year so I think a 5yr deal will be a tricky one 😉
Ice you dont need to let on anymore, Batty told me you are a Joey Fan 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
TOONSY lol only kidding mate 😀
playing right up a certain persons street 👿
icedog(Quote)
Toonsy did you get me post about the mobile ste ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
I guess I was thinking that 5 years would take him to the end of his playing time. He’s one of those players I’d like to see leave the game in the B&W stripes.
NorCal Toonfan(Quote)
Dave – About it not working? It’s getting a tuning up as well mate 😉
toonsy(Quote)
Nice to see Carroll and his new boss ******* each other
http://swns.com/images/stories/dalglishcarrollboyzone/dalglishcarrollboyzone1.jpg
Tossers!
toonsy(Quote)
When it comes to Barton, I was always one of his bigist critics and said that he should never be alowed to play on a football pitch again as what he had done was shocking and kids would be looking up to him.
Now I’ve got a totally different view and not just becuse of the way h is playing. There has been a total change of attitude by him and a GREAT example to kids or anybody else looking on. This season he has had to put up with so much and 99% of the time, just ignored it and got on with the job in hand. He was treated so badly at Wolves and in many other games. The one though that really impressed me was the Arsenal game. Any player could have been well within their rights to turn round and retaliate for being pushed and grabed by the neck, for getting that done to you, shouldn’t even be a yellow card for getting your own back in my point of view. But Barton just got on with it and became the bigger man. He showed once and for all he is a changed character. Perhaps he has more or less paid his dues to society and he just wants to get on with what he does best. I remember an interviw with him last season talking about giving p drinking and helping him change. I think he has grown up.
Sorry Ice, but this is one time I’ve got to disagree with you ha ha!!
As for his game time and playing this season, he has ran so many of the games and I think just taking the player of the season award for me a little ahead of Tiote. Barton, Tiote, Nolan and Jose and not forgetting Harper have ran our season for me in my eyes and doing total wonders for the club.
The team and season I enjoyed the most was the one when we almost got relegated to the old 3rd, maybe because of the team sprit and me having so much to do with the players at the time, it was a bad season, but the players stuck together and got us out of it, the rest of course is history and why we are here now. But this group of players are right up there with them in my eyes. Yes, better players now, but team sprit and togetherness seems to be just like that and it all coming off. Just hope they can keep it up and give us a finishing place as high as possible
Simon(Quote)
SIMON you stick to your guns mate,its your right,nee worrys
icedog(Quote)
Simon you touched on something that I always was a believer in as my Dad use to tell me show me a man that has done nowt wrong, and that is a man that has never really lived. 😆
It is so easy for people like Lineker, Owen etc to be a good example to the very few people that have never really done owt wrong, But for the majority of people that have made mistakes I think Joey is someone to look up to in how you change after making mistakes.
It is something that is close to my heart as in my younger days I have done some bad things that I still cringe when I think about them now, but I do feel I have paid a very high price for some of the things I have done. But I can honestly say that in the last 10 yrs drink free I have turned a corner and have become a completly different person and I believe a better person for what I have been through.
Here endeth another rant 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
I know Ice, think I thought worse of him than you when he first came lol but I’ve been won over.
Footballs great though isn’t it, we all have our own views but still all suport the team together.
Simon(Quote)
DAVE batty said you were smokeing those funny tabs again 🙄
icedog(Quote)
Big Dave, got to agree with you there. As you said, sometimes people who change so much are the best one to look up to.
As I just said to Ice, it’s good we all have our own views but stick together.
Got to say, I was sitting there at the Arsenal game and before we started scoring and thinking I want to write to Barton to say well done and keep it up. He had sone so much by that point to turn his life around – on the pitch and what we know of anyway, but that really was a major turning point in my eyes. Just hope he keeps it up and helps to lead our club onto som form of glory
Simon(Quote)
SIMON spot on mate,tak no notice of me and dave,hes a good lad,its just a thing we have over joey and have a bit kid on 😀
icedog(Quote)
still cannot handle the blokes past,would you if you were the parents of those he abused,i couldnt thats all
icedog(Quote)
Thought as much Ice. Makes coming on here and reading everything more of a laugh
Simon(Quote)
Barton – “I’d play Left back” He might have to when Enrique gans in the summer!
Stuart79(Quote)
Ice I havn’t had one for over a yr mate 🙁 and I wont have 1 because 1 is never enough 😆 and im not going down that road again 😀
Simon Ice is a closet Barton fan he just thinks it winds me up but I know how he feels because Batty told me and Batty is a very honest guy 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
Got to agree with you there as well Ice, some things are just going to far and if those things were done to your own kids, its something that a parent could never forgive. I still have that point of view about the things he has done in the past, just trying to find the good in him/people as well. Mind you, sometimes looking for the good all the time means you get let down as well. But I’m trying the new positive me aproach now
Simon(Quote)
battys a slag 😀
icedog(Quote)
Ice love’s Joey 😉
richietoon(Quote)
Batty is the most honest on here if you ask me!!
Simon(Quote)
Ice I know what you mean but the ones he “abused” wern’t that inoccent either 😕
I know that dosn’t make it right but it shows that he isn’t the devil that the rags make him out to be 😉
Big Dave(Quote)
the old married gits back,got that dog yet,or still ganning with that white stick like 😛
icedog(Quote)
Ice…wait til I tell wor lass ya said I must be blind to marry her 😈
richietoon(Quote)
DAVE you mean that lad smoked cigars too,thought you put them in your mouth,silly me
icedog(Quote)
My mam always told me – if you haven’t got owt nice to say, divint say anything at all.
And for that reason – I’m oot!!! 😀
Toon Chicken(Quote)
RICHIE 😀 😀 😀
icedog(Quote)
kna i mean your match comments 😉
icedog(Quote)
Ice…I klnow what ya mean but I can’t let the truth get in the way of a good story 😉
richietoon(Quote)
TC 😆
icedog(Quote)
Na, seriously though – the world is f**ked up enough as it is without handing out medals whenever someone a bit nutty goes a few months without smashing someone’s heed in.
Well done, Joey, but you’re only doing what 90odd% of the rest of normal folk don’t even think twice about.
Toon Chicken(Quote)
kna jokeing a-side,joey should keep his gob shut and just play his game,let others slag it oot as for strikers one other and doyle from wolves when they gan doon
icedog(Quote)
I wish we’d got Hooper when we were linked with him, Ice.
I’d like us to go for Whickham too, although I’ve heard him linked with Spurs recently so we’ve probs got nee chance of him.
Toon Chicken(Quote)
I meant Wickham – the young lad from Ipswich.
Toon Chicken(Quote)
TC might have been a canny shout,lennon shouting the odds today he should be in england team,wouldnt gan that far like,but was worth a punt at that time if price was right
icedog(Quote)
I would take Doyle of Wolves, I seen us being linked with Crouch but I dont fancy getting him 😕
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE divnt worry aboot crouch m8 hes comeing up 30,not ashley way imo
icedog(Quote)
Toon Chicken
Posted February 22, 2011 at 8:15 PM
I meant Wickham – the young lad from Ipswich.
I’d like him too, but I doubt w’d meet Ipswich’s valuation or his salary. Not to mention the fact that top four clubs will no doubt be in for him.
We could have possibly made a move earlier for him. Thought that was our plan?
Stuart79(Quote)
Ice I hope not I just dont rate him that highly,
I also seen Cisse’s name being mentioned he is wanting away from Panathinaikos over racist chants so if he can work his way out of his contract he would be a free agaent.
Big Dave(Quote)
WTF 😯
Blackpoo 2-0 Spunks 😯
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
DAVE was canny at one time until that bad leg break ect,the scum back-heeled him like,used to be a ball greedy git too imo,
.
stop gap till end of season well maybe,not for me m8
icedog(Quote)
Ice was he a bit of a dirty player ? I think i might be getting him mixed up with el hadji diouf
Big Dave(Quote)
come to think of it is he maybe friendly with Benny as I can remember Benny talking about him and his injury 😕
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE think you are m8 he wasnt dirty at anytime i saw him,think he also broke that leg twice too when i think back
icedog(Quote)
Ice I think I am because Diouf played for liverpool round the time they brought in Cisse.
I think he might be handy to have for the rest of the season, but we still need to get a longterm striker sorted and I dont think its going to be that easy.
I dont think Best or Lovens is the answer, but maybe when Ranger gets the monkey of his back he might prove to be what we are looking for 😀
Big Dave(Quote)
DAVE dont think its so much the monkey its more his heed isnt reet,thats 3 managers cant get his heed right the snides trying hoots couldnt and his ex club couldnt,know you might say hes a kid,but how many chances does he want m8?
icedog(Quote)
Ice I know mate but I was reading an article yesterday and Pards was basically saying that he was pleased with the change in Rangers attitude, so maybe Pards publically stating that he needed to knuckle down is working 😉 I hope so anyway as I do think he could be the answer, but as you say we cant keep letting him take the ****
Big Dave(Quote)
TC says >>>Well done, Joey, but you’re only doing what 90odd% of the rest of normal folk don’t even think twice about.<<<< fookin hell you must live a shelterd life 🙂
batty(Quote)
DAVE mail
icedog(Quote)
Ice good one 😆 😆
Big Dave(Quote)
BATTY do you have horses?
icedog(Quote)
See the younguns took a beating down in italy in that compo 🙁
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
me daughter has m8 why ❓
batty(Quote)
just i brought some stuff back from malta for him he said he couldnt get here,he has those trotters
icedog(Quote)
BB aye 3-1 🙁
Big Dave(Quote)
Blackpool 3-0 now 😥
They shouldn’t get relegated now.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
if you ever need owt you cant get here i would bring it when i gan owr
icedog(Quote)
Not surprised really Dave, not played well all season really.
Should get better next season tho 😛
Hopefully.
Beardsleys Boots(Quote)
dog can ya bring desert orchid back plz i miss that horse 😥 😥 😥
batty(Quote)
BB do you follow the younguns much ❓ ifso hows Spears looking as I have only seen we bits of him ❓
Big Dave(Quote)
dave your o telly shortley shameless ,your micky mcguire 😆 😆
batty(Quote)
BATTY well the offers there if you need it mate.
not want sheagar like 😀
icedog(Quote)
dog thanks m8 😉 kna dessie had a massive heart 89 gold cup batty stuck 2 grand on it chucked me ticket dessie battled back too win and the horse hated left handed tracks ,he was losing ground at every fence kept jumping too the right 😉
batty(Quote)