Joey Barton tries to patch it up with Alan Shearer

Oct 9 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

Nothing was said that anyone was going to lose sleep over. The reason I didn’t comment on it or try and put my side across is because my thinking is, what goes on in dressing rooms should stay in dressing rooms. I didn’t get drawn into it because I have a lot of respect for him as a footballer and as a man, and I still do.”

Barton is due to give an explosive interview in two national newspapers this weekend, but in the meantime the 27-year-old is once again trying to put his house in order as he recovers from an operation on his foot which will sideline him until the New Year – starting with another fall-out earlier this season with Shearer’s successor, Chris Hughton.

He said: “I shouldn’t have said what I said when I said it. I’m not saying what I said wasn’t right. But for me and Chris it was over in minutes. For everyone, the team, it was over in minutes, it was rectified and I was left on the bench at West Brom.

“I didn’t question it and make a fuss out of it, whereas in the past, when I was younger and a bit more hot-headed and not as mature as I am now, I might have reacted differently.”

Barton has also admitted he was not doing himself any favours trying to play with the foot problem which has required surgery.

He added: “I eventually sat down with the club and said ‘this isn’t fair on anyone, the lads who aren’t playing because I’m playing, to the people who pay to come and watch and you, and most of all myself’.

“You try and run off injuries sometimes, but when you get a bit older you think this isn’t possible. I have had the operation now and I’m looking forward to getting back fit and coming back and being an impact player for Newcastle in terms of winning the Championship.”