Joey Barton says emotional vulnerability nearly ruined his career

Joey Barton has said he blames the destructive behaviour which nearly ended his career on his own emotional vulnerability. The Newcastle midfielder, talking to Esquire, said he had no excuses for his track record, which includes a six-month jail sentence for assault, and that giving up alcohol had allowed him to understand why he struggled so badly to fit into the world of professional football.

"It's not an excuse for me to say, 'Oh, I had it rough, I had it this, I had it that.' I never. The reality of it is I was fucking stupid. There is no two ways about it.