Troubled Joey Barton Escapes Punishment
F.A to Drop Investigation Into Alleged Racist Comments
Dec 15, 2008 Christopher Wilson
The investigation ground to a halt after the Birmingham club decided not to respond to the FA’s questions concerning the allegations. Nevertheless, the English football governing body says it feels compelled to pursue an inquiry into the altercation between the two players as a ‘duty of care’. Cameras caught Agbonlahor making a ‘cry baby’ gesture to his Newcastle rival before he in turn motioned with his hand while – it is alleged – making a racist remark.
Villa Let it Drop: A Villa Volte-Face
Aston Villa’s decision not to pursue the matter is a reversal of their stance immediately after the incident. Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager, asserted that he and the club would participate in the investigation by furnishing the FA with a detailed account of the incident: "The FA would like to hear what sort of comments we have to make on an official basis," he said. "That's fine, if we have a couple of days to have a look at things, then that's exactly what we'll do."
Barton's Agent Claims His Player is Vindicated
However, O’Neill retracted his club’s claims after reviewing television footage and apparently finding it to be inconclusive. Barton’s agent Willie McKay claimed this was a vindication of his player’s professions of innocence and regarded the issue as fanning the flames of controversy that have surrounded the much maligned Newcastle player since his six-match suspension after his attack on his then Manchester City team mate Ousmane Dabo.
McKay maintained that his player was innocent of the charges and threw the burden of proof on the Villa camp, whose flip-flopping and eventual revocation of the claims has undermined the Birmingham club’s credibility in McKay’s eyes: "If something was said the boy [Agbonlahor] needs to come out and say it. Is he going to? I don't think so. He was the one who put his face right in front of Joey. This was nothing to do with racism,” he maintained in the Guardian newspaper.
Barton Out of Jail, but Back in Trouble
Barton is not unused to controversy. He was released from prison in August this year after completing a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after his training-ground assault on his then-Manchester City team mate Dabo in May 2007. The game against Aston Villa was only his second full ninety minutes since the completion of the six match ban the Football Association meted out upon his release from prison.
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