Not Ashley's Fault This Time - Keegan's Big Mistake!
Last updated : 06 May 2009 By Footy Mad - Editor
But Kevin Keegan told Ashley he could transform the troubled midfielder.
After a lot of soul searching, Ashley agreed to give Barton ONE more chance, and what a big mistake that has been.
The club is taking legal action to see what can be done to get the Scouser away from Tyneside - at the minimum of cost.
Former Newcastle defender John Anderson, usually a man to sit on the fence, claims the club is right to suspend Barton and look to find a way to get him out of St James' Park.
John Anderson: "A lot of fans didn't want him in the first place, but people were prepared to give him a chance.
"Everybody deserves a second chance - but you just wonder how many chances this guy actually wants.
"Sam Allardyce brought him in because he thought he could control him and change his temperament.
"But when you are like that, you are never going to change. It's just in his nature, it's in his make-up and there's not a great deal you can do about it.
"He kept coming out with statements that he was going to change his ways, but Sunday just proved he hasn't changed at all.
"I'm not surprised (Barton has been suspended) after you saw Alan's reaction in the press conference on Sunday.
"He was visibly very angry and when he spoke, you could see the anger in him as well.
"I'm not surprised at all."
Has Barton played his last game for Newcastle?
Anderson: "You have got to be very careful with that. It all depends on who is in charge here next season.
"Yes, if Alan is here next season, that's his last game. But you never know, another manager might quite fancy him as a player.
"To be fair, he's a very, very lucky boy anyway. He has let himself down, he's let everybody down."