Joey Barton has risked the wrath of Newcastle's management board after blasting how the club is being run, insisting there will be a "time and a place" to tell the fans "exactly how it is" at St James' Park. Newcastle's pre-season preparations have been overshadowed by unrest within the squad with defender Jose Enrique, who has one year remaining on his contract, fined two weeks' wages for taking to Twitter to state that "this club will never again fight to be among the top six" if they continued to let their best players leave. Newcastle, who were relegated to the Championship in 2009 before returning to England's top flight as champions the season after, sold Andy Carroll to Liverpool for £35 million in January and talismanic midfielder Kevin Nolan to West Ham for an undisclosed fee this summer. Barton, himself in the final year of his current deal, vented his frustrations on the social networking site on Sunday, supporting his team-mate by bemoaning the club's hierarchy and declaring his intent to leave on a free transfer next summer. He tweeted: "If only we as players could tell the fans exactly how it is, without them above fining us lots of money. There will be a time and a place. "If it wouldn't affect team morale and cause unrest within the dressing room, am certain Jose's comments would be the tip of the iceberg ... And again it would be left to those magnificent fans to pick up the remnants of their once great football club. "If I wanted to leave, I'd just come out and say 'I want to leave'. Things need addressing as am not prepared to go through a relegation again." On Monday lunchtime, Barton tweeted: "I will be making an announcement regarding my future, on here at 4pm today..."
Re: Joey Barton To Make Announcement at 11am eastern Strong suggestions from @LukeEdwardsTele that @Joey7Barton released on free transfer from Newcastle. Are they insane? (Rhetorical question) #NUFC officials met Joey Barton this morning and told him he can leave on a free transfer. Club statement to follow.
Re: Joey Barton To Make Announcement at 11am (rumors of release) I'm sure Barton would love riding the pine at Arsenal and would never be a distraction.
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) Confirmed that he has been released.
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20110801/barton-placed-on-transfer-list_2281670_2407238
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) come on man, this is Newcastle you're talkin about
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) And i'm going to say this, Ashley needs to get the hell out. Selling our captain and top goalscorer and now getting rid of Barton. He's running this to survive, he's treating us like we're Wigan
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) Hey, Wigan would be in the third division if it wasn't for their owner.
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) It is starting...... Somewhere in those high echelons of NUFC, they have decided, I am persona non grata. I am on a free but the honour of wearing those B+W stripes, surpasses that One day the board might realise, what the shirt signifies. HONOUR and PRIDE. Thanks for your continued support........... #toonarmy
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) I think Joey is a fool for continually calling out the board(not saying he's wrong at all), but he does understand what it means to put on the stripes. I will always like Joey Barton, I hope Ashley sells and the new owner re-ups him
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) Villa are early favorites for Barton.
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) Yeah, can't really tell if Barton wanted to leave or not. If he did want to leave then this played out well for him. 95% of fans (in general, not Newcastle fans) already think he's a cunt so I don't really see him using Twitter to engineer a move out of Newcastle hurting his reputation.
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) Barton spoke his mind which several other members of the club have done recently on twitter. Fair play to him. He was tired of sitting back and watching the club sell off valuable players.
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) losing to a 3rd tier american side cant help morale much either
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) Yes, losing to Orlando City is not what a player dreams of...
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) well he wasn't even there to take part in it so......
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) i figured he would join the big sam in london
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) A lot less upset after reading this
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) @Joey7Barton Joseph Barton Made to train alone today, how predictable......... @Joey7Barton Joseph Barton If the club want to put out all these false statements via the Chronicle, then let them do that. Everyone here knows, I speak the truth..... @Joey7Barton Joseph Barton I also have too much respect for my teammates and the fans, to get in a tit for tat war with them. I have too much self-worth and dignity @Joey7Barton Joseph Barton Ha ha the inevitable, 2 weeks wages fine has just arrived. Needless to say it shall be appealed forthwith. #kickingamanwhilsthesdownha
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) lol http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/dirty-tackle/post/DT-Exclusive-How-Joey-Barton-annoyed-Newcastle?urn=sow-wp3834
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) I just want him gone so I don't have to read about his bullshit every day....
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) Joey7Barton Joseph Barton "I am human and I need to be loved, just like anybody else does" #thesmiths
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) "And i'm going to say this, Ashley needs to get the hell out. Selling our captain and top goalscorer and now getting rid of Barton. He's running this to survive, he's treating us like we're Wigan" Man City did more damage to Newcastle than to any other club. You're never going to be a top 5 club again.
Re: Joey Barton Released by Newcastle (Twitter Statement at 11am) Ashley will eventually sell. Fans aren't on his side already, and the moves this summer haven't helped his cause.