football Joey Barton attacked in street in Liverpool

[Rappy Veteran]

Footballer Joey Barton has been punched in the face outside a nightclub in Liverpool.

Merseyside Police said officers were called to Eberle Street at about 05:30 BST following reports of a disturbance outside the Garlands club.

His club Queens Park Rangers said two men sang offensive chants at the midfielder and then hit him.

Two 21-year-olds are being held on suspicion of a public order offence and are currently in police custody.

A spokesman for QPR said: "Joey Barton was involved in an incident in Liverpool city centre in the early hours of Monday morning.

"Barton was on his way home from a night out with his girlfriend when two men sang offensive chants and then proceeded to hit the Rs midfielder."

"Police were immediately on the scene and... Barton decided not to press charges and left the scene with his girlfriend soon after."

Barton, 29, was banned for 12 matches after being sent off in Queens Park Rangers' defeat at Manchester City on the final day of the season.

The Football Association found him guilty of two counts of violent conduct.

He joined QPR in August last year on a free transfer from Newcastle and became club captain.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-18321310

[Noir Angel]

What Joey Barton did was stupid but this kind of uncouth idiocy is sadly still representative of the image that English football is trying to shake off, sadly there are still a lot of thugs that call themselves "fans".

[game_over]

What Joey Barton did was stupid but this kind of uncouth idiocy is sadly still representative of the image that English football is trying to shake off, sadly there are still a lot of thugs that call themselves "fans".

there's also a lot of thugs that call themselves "footballers" .. the bloke is a joke and had it coming.

[metro2012]

He didnt press charges? guess who started it and who changed the story: yup, same person