Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton appears in court charged with assaulting former teammate
MANCHESTER, England: Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton appeared in court Tuesday charged with assaulting former Manchester City teammate Ousmane Dabo.
The 25-year-old Barton pleaded not guilty at the Manchester court, and will go to trial no earlier than June 30. That is after the European Championship, which Barton could play in if England qualifies and selects him.
“I realize it seems a long way away,” prosecutor Richard Varden said. “Although it's a straightforward allegation, there is an additional factor in that the defendant is a Premiership footballer.”
Barton allegedly punched and kicked Dabo at City's training ground on May 1, sending the Frenchman to a hospital and forcing him out of the final two games of the season.
The 24-year-old Barton was suspended by City and never played for the club again, joining Newcastle in June for 5.8 million pounds (US$12 million; €8.1 million).
Greater Manchester police arrested Barton in May and extended his bail while they investigated the case. Dabo described himself as looking like the “Elephant Man” after the incident because of the heavy swelling of his eyes and face.
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PRESTON, England (AP) — Preston is set to appoint Alan Irvine as its new manager.
Preston, which fired Paul Simpson last week after the club slipped to one place above the League Championship relegation zone, agreed to pay Everton compensation to release the 49-year-old Irvine from his contract as assistant to David Moyes.
Irvine will sign a 3 1/2-year contract, Preston said Tuesday.
“He's ready to have a crack at management,” Preston chairman Derek Shaw said. “He's got a reputation of being a top notch coach, his work ethic is amazing, he's worked with David Moyes and I know the amount of games they take in.
“You see them all over the country.”
Irvine spent 5 1/2 years at Everton alongside Moyes after a spell at Newcastle.
“We all wish him the very best in his first managerial role,” Everton chief executive Keith Wyness said.
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LONDON (AP) — West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand was cleared Tuesday of assaulting a man outside a nightclub.
The 22-year-old Ferdinand admitted to punching Emile Walker in Ilford, southeast England, on Oct. 2, 2006, but claimed it was because he thought his friend was about to be attacked.
Walker had told the court in Snaresbrook, northeast London, that Ferdinand hit him and that he was then punched and kicked to the ground by as many as 10 men.
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