This courtesy of The Transfer League.com. What a cracking site.
The table below represents the clubs per season spend on purchasing players from the beginning of the premiership in 1992.
Purchases = Money spent on Players, Sold = Money received from Players sold.
Net = Purchased minus Sold , This gives an indication of new investment on players . The per season column gives an average of the money spend per season since 1992.
What’s fascinating is not just seeing who spent what, but who spent wisely. Blackpool and Portsmouth both in a world of pain.
Arsenal’s figures underline what an amazing job Arsene Wenger is actually doing. For all the criticism, top routinely finish top four and yet be so passive in the transfer market is pretty impressive.
Whereas West Ham have been trading like lunatics – to no good purpose.
This table represents the clubs net spend per season from Season 2003/04 to date.
This Season saw the begining of very wealthy club ownership with Roman Abramovich’s purchase of Chelsea .
Purchases = Money spent on Players, Sold = Money received from Players sold. Net = Purchased minus Sold , This gives an indication of new investment on players .
The per season column gives an average of the money spend per season since 1992.
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As we approach the Christmas period, it’s fair to say that 2010 has not been kind to Liverpool fans. We had a mediocre 2009-10 season; Rafa Benitez was sacked which, for a large number of Reds fans, was the years lowest point. Then the announcement of Roy Hodgson as his replacement was greeted, largely, with bemusement. The second half of 2010 has staggered from pillar to post, like a middle-aged drunk trying to find his way home in the dark. In plainest terms: the year can’t end soon enough. So, as 2011 steam-rolls toward us, here are a few things I’m hoping the club – belatedly, in some cases – gets for Christmas.
New Manager – I welcome all criticism for this, as I have been loud and open in my opinion of Roy from the start; writing a number of articles in the past 4-5 months surrounding his performance, methods and suitability for the job. In contrast, I have equally given praise where it’s due. We were asked to judge him after 10 games, he’s had nearly 30. An overall record of 12 wins; 7 draws and 8 defeats is incredibly average and can’t mask a league record of 6 wins; 4 draws and 7 defeats. By comparison, our league form is – to quote Tom Werner – ‘unacceptable’. Call me a typical fan; call it a knee-jerk reaction but the man has to go.
Players – Paul Konchesky anyone? Christian Poulsen? Brad Jones?? (I know – who?). Apart from the re-signing of Fabio Aurelio and the great form of Raul Meireles, we have had a dearth of good signings this year. While the jury will remain out on Joe Cole for some time, there are a number of players and positions that need to be addressed and we can only hope that Santa (or perhaps, John Henry) sends a few crackers our way in January. If he has any plans to start reform in the playing squad he should start at left back. My initial anger at the signing of such a low-quality player has since been replaced by pity. I now actually feel sorry for Konchesky, in the same way you had to feel for Djimi Traore; it isn’t his fault he’s out of his depth, he didn’t sign himself and he doesn’t pick himself every week. He just happens to vaguely resemble a deer in headlights. As such (and unless Aurelio suddenly finds some kind of miracle injury cure), we first need a new left back.
Second, we need goalkeeping cover. After the odd game in ‘unimportant’ early-season games, Brad Jones has clearly been found out – he’s tosh. The fact that Reina has played in pretty much every league, cup and European game this season says a lot. We let a perfectly good back up go in Cavalieri – for buttons – and used those buttons to pay for Jones. They often say you get what you pay for and unfortunately we paid far too much for a below average keeper. This needs to be addressed; Pepe needs at least the illusion of competition.
Finally, in terms of players, we need better attacking options. They should come in the form of an actual, real-life wide player, not a converted forward or ‘left-midfielder’; somebody who can actually take a man on and provide proper width. (As I have done already, I’ll avoid speculation and suggestions as to who this could be, as without prior knowledge of the transfer budget there’s no way of knowing which bracket we’re working in.) Along with a wide-player, we desperately need an experienced, proven striker; one who can contribute an extra 12-15 goals per season and who can bear the brunt of being the attacking focal point in Torres‘ absence. Because as good as Ngog is becoming, he is not ready for that responsibility yet. And besides: we need more options from the bench!
New Stadium/Refurbishment – This is the least important in the short-term but our future relies on it. While we don’t necessarily need any news on it right now, if the end of the year/start of 2011 was to bring some definitive news regarding what the plan was, Reds fans could rest easy in the knowledge that plans were at least being made up. If however, there were dates, plans, time-frames and more that would just be the icing on the cake.
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There are other issues, I’m sure, for Liverpool and its fans at the moment but I would hazard a guess that these 3 are foremost in 99% of fans minds and as we head toward next year, we can only hope that we will start to get answers to certain questions and solutions to these problems. Roll on 2011.
Written By David Tryer at the excellent Live4Liverpool website
After the delights (or despair) of a double gameweek, there is now only two weeks to go until the end of the season, that lonely time of the year for Fantasy Football lovers. Nevertheless, there are certainly a few players who looking likely to produce points at this important time of the season.
Nikica Jelavic loves a good pair. In three of his last four games, the Croatian forward has bagged a brace as Everton have surged ahead of Liverpool. The last time the Toffees finished above the Reds was back in 2005 and with Jelavic leading their attack in the second half of the season; they look likely to repeat that feat. This weekend, the striker will play Wolves – a popular activity for any self-respecting forward. They haven’t kept a clean sheet since their first home game of the season against Fulham, so the likelihood of Jelavic scoring is high.
Then again, there’s always the PFA Player of the Season. Robin van Persie’s form has tailed off towards the end of the season but he’s still had an outstanding campaign. That said the two goals in his last eight games make him a slightly less tantalising option than he once was. What makes the Dutch striker appealing is the game at the weekend. So Norwich haven’t disgraced themselves in the Premier League this season but they’ve lost four of their last five away games. Perhaps we could see a final Emirates flourish from van Persie who has 15 goals in North London.
Another man who’s been prolific with a London club is Fulham’s Clint Dempsey. The American is enjoying his best season to date in England, scoring 16 goals in the Premier League. Dempsey has also not gone more than three games without scoring over the course of this season – a record which even van Persie cannot match. The attacking midfielder plays goal-shy Sunderland on Sunday and with Fulham usually strong at home it’s not difficult to envision Dempsey scoring once again.
However, Rafael van der Vaart also looks a great choice this weekend. He has 11 goals and six assists in this season. His performances particularly in the double gameweek were exciting. Against Blackburn and Bolton, van der Vaart grabbed two goals and an assist. This weekend, he faces another team in the relegation mix – Aston Villa. Alex McCleish’s side have been slowly drawn into the battle for the drop but with Spurs pushing for a Champions League place, van der Vaart warrants serious consideration ahead of this weekend’s fixtures.
The Captain – Rafael van der Vaart – After a fantastic double gameweek, why not back the Dutch attacking midfielder against Aston Villa too?
The Vice Captain – Robin van Persie – To complete our Double Dutch selection, Robin van Persie is also good value against Norwich.
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Luka Modric’s desire to leave White Hart Lane and move to London rivals Chelsea has left Spurs in a bit of a spin. Modric’s dream of Champions League football next season has prompted the Stamford Bridge side to make a failed bid for the Croatian midfielder.
But on Wednesday evening Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy announced that despite the heavy speculation surrounding his future, wantaway Modric would not be sold for any price. Spurs’ desire to hold onto their star midfielder means that Harry Redknapp may have to deal with a possibly unhappy player next season but can any big money deals change Modric’s mind and assure him of the club’s ambition?
Spurs could still cash in and let one of their top performers move to a rival or the more likely approach will be to continue to reject any approach for Modric and try and keep a player who wants to move happy. Both options are risky for Tottenham’s immediate future but a third option could be to spend big and prove to Modric that Spurs are serious about challenging for honours next season in an effort to keep him at the club and happy.
Tottenham have rarely been shy in the transfer market before with signings in previous years including Rafael Van der Vaart, Steven Pienaar and Sandro. The capture of Brad Friedel from Aston Villa started off Spurs’ summer spending but Harry may now have to look further afield to convince Modric of Tottenham’s intentions next season.
Their hunt for a consistent striker continues (with Barcelona’s Bojan Krkic, Leandro Damiao of Internacional and Villarreal’s Giuseppe Rossi are just a few of the latest names linked). But will any of these actually convince Modric that Spurs is a good place to be next season? To seriously challenge for a top four spot (whilst juggling Europa League and domestic cup commitments) will require some big signings and I would doubt that only a new striker would cut it.
Harry’s first step (whilst still trying to keep a firm grip on Modric and ward off any further Chelsea interest) is to get rid of players surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane. There are too many players (Robbie Keane, David Bentley, Niko Kranjcar etc..) on Spurs’ books but not in Harry’s first team plans. Buying players that will impress Modric will not come cheap so Tottenham will need any available funds and wages to attract the big names.
But should Spurs’ be held to ransom over Modric’s future and buy players to support him when he doesn’t really want to stay anymore? Bowing to player pressure is probably the riskiest move of them all. If Modric is demanding a move away from the club then why should Spurs be forced to spend big just to keep one player happy? Also keeping an unhappy star at the club could backfire on Tottenham as wantaway players often see their form drop if they have one eye on the exit door.
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Modric’s desire for guaranteed Champions League football at a club in the hunt for silverware and possibly on the brink of a revival under new manager Andre Villas-Boas is unfortunately not something that Tottenham can offer for the immediate future. And however many star names they can bring in, there is still no guarantee that this strategy will work for Tottenham in future years in a very tough league.
The theory that no one player is bigger than any club has prompted some massive transfers over the years (most recently Fernando Torres from Liverpool to Chelsea) and the same idea can easily be applied to Modric and Spurs.
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But whatever Redknapp’s next move is concerning Modric, the playmaker’s flirtation with Chelsea has given Harry a massive headache. Giving in to player pressure is a massive risk but if Modric is still at the club come the start of next season and Spurs have a couple of new star names to join him, maybe it will all be worth it at White Hart Lane.
This year’s Premier League must be the toughest to predict in years, and of course this week will be no different. While Manchester United’s home game against Blackburn appears to be a home banker, the other top clubs face potential banana skins.
Arsenal kick-off the weekend with a tricky tie at Aston Villa knowing that they can ill-afford to drop more points. However, Arsene Wenger will be heartened to know that Chelsea and Manchester City both face tough away days at Newcastle and Stoke respectively. Tottenham’s game against Liverpool at White Hart Lane on Sunday also promises to be an interesting affair.
Bolton are a team creeping towards the top four and they’ll fancy themselves in a home game against Blackpool on Saturday afternoon.
With so many unpredictable matches picking your fantasy football team could be tough, but here are my 11Kicks week 14 picks to give you a helping hand. It’s not often that I ignore Chelsea players, but this is a weekend where Carlo Ancelotti’s men don’t seem to offer many good options. I’ve chosen a 3-5-2 formation because I think that midfielders give you the best chance to score big every week:
Tim Howard
Everton are still looking a little dodgy at the moment, but they will take heart from coming behind twice to take a point from Sunderland. Everton and West Brom both have 16 points so according to the league it should be a close game, but in reality the Baggies are on a slippery slope so Everton will hope to take a clean sheet from this one.
Nemanja Vidic
As I said, Manchester United’s home game against Blackburn appears to be one of the easier games to call so Vidic seems like a good shout. Despite their good little run of form, Blackburn seem lacking in the striker department so United look good to keep things tight this weekend.
Richard Dunne
Clean-sheets have been few and far between for Villa so far this year, as anyone who has had Dunne in their team all season will be able to testify. However, a home game against a struggling Arsenal team is a perfect time for them to break this duck. Even if they don’t, the memory of Younes Kaboul finding a gap in Arsenal’s defence last week could bode well for Dunne.
Brede Hangeland
Birmingham have shown that their strength this year is in stopping goals rather than scoring them, which bodes well for Hangeland’s Fulham. It appears to be a decent match-up for the men from Craven Cottage so for that reason I’ve chosen Hangeland.
Gareth Bale
You don’t need me to tell you how good he is, so I won’t. Tottenham didn’t exactly have to run themselves into the ground to beat Werder Bremen in midweek so presumably they’ll be fresh on Sunday afternoon. Liverpool will be tough so Spurs will need a real match winner and with Van der Vaart doubtful, Bale could be the man.
Continued on Page TWO
Tim Cahill
Cahill is on the scoring run of his life and it doesn’t seem like Everton can go a game without him scoring so for that reason Cahill is my captain this week. West Brom are in dreadful form, Cahill isn’t. Simple as that.
Chung-Yong Lee
The great thing about changing your team every week is that you can jump on the bandwagon of any player who’s experiencing a purple patch, and Bolton’s Lee is one of those players. A few weeks ago he was well off the radar, but after his good showings against Wolves and Newcastle I expect another at home against Blackpool.
Stewart Downing
Arsenal’s back five to look shaky to say the least so it makes sense that Villa’s biggest attacking threat this season will be looking to have a profitable day. With a goal and two assists in his last three games Downing is hoping to impress this season to get his name back into England reckoning.
Kevin Nolan
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Nolan and Carroll have been Newcastle’s most important players this season and despite Chelsea’s slump, Newcastle will need big performances to take three points. Nolan has a very impressive seven league goals this season and Chelsea seem to be inconsistent at the back of late.
Kevin Davies
Davies is experiencing one of his most productive seasons in the Premier League. With six goals to date he is only one goal behind his tally for the entirety of last season, and even though Blackpool have accrued more points in away games this season I think Bolton will win convincingly.
Frederic Piquionne
Despite only winning one game this year, on more than one occasion West Ham have proved that they can be tough to beat. The Hammers, and Piquionne especially, were pretty bad last week at Liverpool, but Wigan at home is a totally different proposition and Piquionne could guide West Ham to their second win of the season.
Whilst it was sunshine and roses for Borussia Dortmund this weekend as they clinched the Bundesliga, elsewhere, the relegation battle moved a step closer to a decisive climax. The fight for survival has at times matched the entertainment the title race has provided; such have been the schizophrenic performances of clubs this season. Perhaps this isn’t unexpected considering five of the bottom six teams have all had a managerial change at some point this season.
Surprisingly enough, the two clubs who occupied the automatic relegation spots at the end of 2011 will probably both survive. Augsburg need three points to be absolutely certain of survival after a draw against Schalke, the result a testament to the progress made by coach Jos Luhukay and his players in the second half of the season.
Luhukay is the only man at a bottom six club not to have been sacked and that stability looks to have helped Augsburg. After all, the club’s board must realise the job he’s done is remarkable. Drawing 1-1 against Schalke is by no means a shabby result either as Sebastian Langkamp’s opener for the home side was cancelled out by another goal from the Bundesliga’s second top scorer Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
That said, Schalke didn’t come away with anything when they played against the other team facing automatic relegation at the half way stage – Freiburg. They’re now assured of top flight football next season i after a goalless draw at Hannover.
Christian Streich replaced Marcus Sorg after a disappointing hinrunde (first half of the season). Streich and his squad were jubilant at the final whistle as the South Westerners moved seven points clear of Cologne with just two games remaining. Their result in itself was impressive, after all Hannover are the only club in the Bundesliga not to have lost at home this season.
There will only be one more visitor to the AWD-Arena and they won’t be returning next season as Kaiserslautern have been relegated to the 2. Bundesliga. This arrived on Saturday despite their first league victory in 21 games, a case of too little, too late.
If they were going to beat any team in division, it was going to be Hertha Berlin who were beaten 2-1 by the bottom side. The only spectacular element of Otto Rehhagel’s return to coaching has been in how badly the side from the capital have continued to perform. Yet again, Hertha were insipid at the Olympiastadion as they spurned a glorious chance to climb above Cologne and into the relegation play-off spot.
Cologne were the last club in the bottom six to dismiss their coach as Stale Solbakken was sacked prior to their game against Gladbach. They secured perhaps the shock result of the weekend in holding a Stuttgart side who would be in third had the season started in January. The Billy Goats actually had the better of the game on Saturday but were unable to eke out a win. After a close-range effort from Slawomir Peszko, Cacau slid home an equaliser to leave Cologne facing a nervy end to the season.
The only other side with relegation worries is Hamburg but they’re five points ahead of Cologne who still have to face Bayern Munich. In this particular instance, it’s hard to see the Billy Goats or Hertha (for whom it’s virtually impossible) escaping from the bottom three.
They must try to be philosophical if they are relegated. Eintracht Frankfurt, who were relegated last season, have bounced back immediately and are an example of how relegation offers a chance to regroup. With the way both teams have been playing, it’s also difficult to predict a win for either Cologne or Hertha in their final two games, hence why Augsburg and Hamburg look safe above the floundering pair.
However, judging by the entertainment offered in the Bundesliga basement battle, it would be surprising if it were to fizzle out meekly. So expect an upset or two then in the closing weeks of the season – German football is never as predictable as the irritating stereotype suggests.
For more on the Bundesliga, why not follow @archiert1 on Twitter
Matchday 32 Results:
Mainz 0-0 Wolfsburg
Cologne 1-1 Stuttgart
Hertha Berlin 1-2 Kaiserslautern
Hoffenheim 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Nuremberg 1-1 Hamburg
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Real Madrid have appealed to UEFA over a five-match European ban handed down to manager Jose Mourinho.The Portuguese boss drew the ire of officials with an ill-tempered display during Real’s 2-0 loss to Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals in April.
He was sent to the stands for criticising the red card show to Real midfielder Pepe during the match, and later accused UEFA of a conspiracy to favour Barcelona in his post-match press conference.
“It’s clear that against Barcelona you have no chance,” Mourinho said after game.
“Guardiola is a fantastic coach, but he has won one Champions League which I would be ashamed to win after the scandal at Stamford Bridge and this year, if he wins it again, it will be after the scandal at the Bernabeu.”
“I hope that one day he will win a clean Champions League, with no incidents behind it.”
A statement on UEFA’s website confirmed Real have appealed the suspension.
“Real Madrid have appealed against the disciplinary verdict handed down to Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho by the UEFA control and disciplinary body on May 6,” the statement said.
“The appeal follows the sending by UEFA of the reasoned decision on June 6. The date of the hearing will be communicated in due course.”
It isn’t any secret that Roy Hodgson will be extremely interested in strengthening his Liverpool squad when the January transfer window commences. With the new ownership having publicly declared their approval of Hodgson, he now has the comfort of knowledge that will allow him to plan for the acquisition of new players. The January transfer window is notoriously flooded by clubs looking to add to their squad due to poor performances, injuries or such like and this saturation of the market can lead to the ‘panic buying’ mentality. This mentality is often employed by managers when under extreme pressure which is brought on by demands for instantaneous success. Will Hodgson succumbed to this pressure or will he manage to buy the players he deems necessary?
Hodgson as quoted in the Daily Star says of this matter: “I’m prepared to accept that a number of players we’re looking to sign do make five or six – but I don’t wish to specify positions other than one is obviously a front player.” With fans still undecided or declaring their reservations against the current Liverpool manager, there is obviously the desire to go out and spend your woes away by signing players to satiate the fans. What can’t be warned against enough is the dangerous avenue of signing players merely in a state of panic. To ward off those negative comments and forms of derision emanating from loyal fans isn’t a motivating factor that should be condoned.
Hopefully though Hodgson won’t succumb to this, for he is a fastidious manager and one that is eager to prove that the beginning doesn’t determine the way in which things are to proceed. With the mandate at Liverpool being one of success, there is a tendency, as with the majority of clubs, that with the instigation of a new manager must follow a period of improvement and if not imminent there is little time afforded to rectify the situation. This is why Hodgson will be desperate to acquire signings of superior quality that can assist him in the resurrection of Liverpool, but if these signings are hard to come by then Hodgson has already sealed his fate by issuing statements as highlighted above.
He further adds: “In January we should be really looking to solve one or two situations. We are desperately short of players. Front players. Having three front players at the club, and that’s if you include Ryan Babel, is nowhere near good enough.” The pressure gravitates towards Hodgson at an accelerated rate and will continue to do so until score lines end favourably, even then the fans will expect signings of a high caliber in order to compete for the Premiership in the coming years. For if Fernando Torres becomes injured and knowing his luck it is more than likely, Hodgson will effectively have to hand his future over to David N’Gog until January and if forwards aren’t forthcoming, he may have to settle for a ‘panic buy’.
With declarations such as these Hodgson could easily be seen to make rash signings when the all too competitive and despised transfer window opens. Liverpool are in desperate need of some fresh faces, as when Steven Gerrard and Torres aren’t producing creatively there are few who may hold the torch to lighten their burden. But will the influx of players require an outflow and if so who would it be? I hope for Hodgson’s sake that the players of quality are easily attainable and not mediocre players brought from a sense of agitation. If successful fans will think themselves felicitous in having had Hodgson to see through a period of uncertainty and change, even if the beginning was a little more worrying than they would have enjoyed.
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Swindon’s 2-0 defeat to Crewe on Saturday was just the second league defeat this year.
Crewe hot-shot, Nick Powell’s 12th league goal of the campaign opened the scoring for The Railwaymen in the 29th Minute. After the break Swindon could not capitalise on any chances that where offered, and subsequently went two goals behind in the 65th minute when Westwood finished a neat move with a six-yard effort from an angle. With the introduction of new on-loan signing Lee Holmes in the 46th minute, many of the Swindon fans were hoping for a comeback, but this was not in the script as The Robins slumped to their 9th loss of the season.
Swindon Town’s manager Paolo Di Canio was understandably upset after Saturdays result: “Some of my players lost some humility, passion, and desire. I don’t want to burn what we have built. I have to discover why.”
This loss has dented Swindon’s lead at the top of League 2 to just 4 points but crucially they have a game in hand over their nearest rivals Torquay. Coincidently Torquay are the visitors to The County Ground on Tuesday night. This game is vital for both sides, Swindon are pushing for (forbidden P word) and want to extend their lead at the top, while Torquay will be boosted by their 4-1 victory over Burton on Saturday. 13 out of 15 points in the last 5 games for Torquay has catapulted them into 2nd place in the league and inflamed their desire for automatic promotion. A bumper crowd of over 9,000 is expected at the County Ground and a fantastic atmosphere will prevail.
The weekend…
Excited about the weekend is probably an understatement. Travelling down (From my hometown Grimsby) will occur on Saturday morning with 2 other Swindon fans (both converted after seeing Town play J). We will be staying in East London and driving over to Wembley in good time on Sunday morning to soak up the atmosphere around the stadium before we enter the illustrious Wembley Stadium. I am expecting around 30,000 Robins to be making the trip to the capital to hopefully see Swindon lift the Johnston’s Paint Trophy for the first time. As this would be Paolo’s first trophy as a manager I do not know how he will react but I am sure that it will be worth documenting in the future.
A trip down memory lane…
26th December 2004
Peterborough 0 Swindon Town 2
Attendance: 4,212 (601 Away Fans)
Goals From: Sammy Igoe (54’) & Super ‘Sam’ Parkin (85’)
Why I Remember The Match: On the way to the game, my Grandad bought me my SatNav as a late Christmas Present, which I still use, although some of the roads have slightly altered now.
Beyond football…
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On a side note my thoughts are with Fabrice Muamba and his family at this tough time. Football rivalry aside, fans have pulled together fantastically and I hope that on behalf of all Swindon fans, Fabrice makes a full recovery. A talented 23-year-old who appeared at the 2011 European Under-21 Championship in Denmark for England Under-21’s, for whom he made 33 appearances.
A mention also for Liam Kelly, the Kilmarnock midfielder’s joy of winning the Scottish League Cup Final turned to tragedy as he found out his father, Jack Kelly has suffered a heart attack at the game. Thoughts and prayers are with Liam and his family.
By Swindon Town blogger Craig Kendall. You can follow him on Twitter @engoism.
Newcastle United have decided against offering Joey Barton a new deal and have parted company with Sol Campbell and striker Shefki Kuqi.Barton’s agent revealed the 28-year-old had not been offered a new contract at St James Park and will leave on a free transfer at the end of his current deal, which runs until the end of next season.
The combative midfielder had been a key part of Newcastle’s survival in their first season back in the English Premier League and manager Alan Pardew was keen to retain him long term.
But Barton’s agent Willie McKay said his client will be moving on.
“I had a meeting with Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias and club secretary Lee Charnley and they have indicated Joey will not be offered a new contract,” McKay told Sky Sports.
“Joey will continue to be a Newcastle player next season and then he will leave on a free transfer at the end of his contract. He would have loved to have extended his stay at Newcastle, but unfortunately it is not to be.”
“Joey has loved his time at Newcastle and nothing will change his commitment for the club next season. Obviously we will be monitoring the situation next January to try and find a new club for Joey as he can speak to clubs from abroad in January.”
Barton joined Newcastle from Manchester City for 5.8 million pounds in 2007 under Sam Allardyce, in what was seen as a risk following his training-ground altercation with Ousmane Dabo at Eastlands.
Barton also spent time in prison for an assault on a man in Liverpool, but when he was released he established himself as an integral part of the Newcastle squad.
Meanwhile, veteran defender Sol Campbell, 36, has left Newcastle after being limited to eight first-team appearances this season through injury.
“Sol’s gone and good luck to him,” Pardew said. “Sol’s been an icon of the game but he didn’t feature too much here.”
The Tyneside club have also parted ways with out-of-contract Finnish striker Shefki Kuqi after the 34-year-old went goalless from his six appearances last term.