Barton given another chance at Newcastle

Updated 15.20 Tue Jul 29 2008

Keywords: Mike Ashley, Ousmane Dabo, Newcastle, Kevin Keegan, Joey Barton

Newcastle's Joey Barton is having talks with Kevin Keegan and senior board members to discuss his future at the club 24 hours after being released from jail.

Keegan and club owner Mike Ashley confirmed that Barton will be given a final chance to avoid the violent outbursts and damning back-page newspaper stories that have sullied his career to date.

Barton, 25, left Strangeways prison in Manchester after serving 74 days of a six-month sentence for beating up a teenager in Liverpool city centre last December

Barton, 25, left Strangeways prison in Manchester after serving 74 days of a six-month sentence for beating up a teenager in Liverpool city centre last December.

The £40,000-a-week Newcastle United midfielder was jailed in May after pleading guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to assault and affray.

Barton was was also found guilty of assaulting former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo, an offence for which he was given a four-month suspended sentence.

Dabo was left with horrific facial injuries after Barton struck him from behind and reigned blows on him during an incident at the club's training ground last year.

Bolton were recently linked with a move for the midfielder, but an offer never materialised.