Joey Barton Banned 3 Matches: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Queens Park Rangers captain Joey Barton has been banned for three games for his red card against Hull City.

News of the suspension was confirmed by the club’s official Twitter account:

The midfielder was sent off by referee Anthony Taylor in bizarre circumstances after he swung an arm toward Tom Huddlestone’s groin. Rangers eventually lost the match, 2-1, in what was a major dent to their chances of survival.

Barton is no stranger to controversy, as we can see here courtesy of Squawka:

The former Manchester City man offered the following apology on Twitter in the aftermath of the incident, per Bleacher Report UK:

At this stage of the season, QPR cannot afford to be carrying players such as Barton, who has a tendency to lash out in this manner. While he is a talented midfielder, he’s made a habit of letting his team-mates down with poor judgement and malicious decision-making throughout his career.

If Rangers had 11 men on the pitch during their clash with the Tigers, they would have had a better chance of getting something out of the game. For new boss Chris Ramsey, now might be as good a time as any to start phasing out one of the Premier League’s most notorious enfants terribles.