London (AFP) – Fleetwood manager Joey Barton has “emphatically” denied all allegations made against him as investigations continue into a reported tunnel brawl following Saturday’s defeat at Barnsley.
South Yorkshire Police are investigating an incident in the tunnel at Oakwell and have bailed a man who was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated offences.
“With regards to the alleged incident on Saturday following our game against Barnsley, I emphatically deny all the allegations made,” Barton posted on Twitter.
“Given this matter has not been formally closed, it would be inappropriate for me to make any further comment.”
Barnsley announced on Tuesday that they had lodged formal complaints with both the English Football League and the Football Association over the alleged incident.
After the match, which Barnsley won 4-2, Barnsley striker Cauley Woodrow tweeted that Barton allegedly confronted opposition manager Daniel Stendel.
Woodrow, whose tweet was later deleted, claimed the incident left German coach Stendel with “blood pouring from his face”.
Barton was then captured on TV being prevented by a police officer from leaving the stadium car park.
The 36-year-old’s playing career was also chequered by violent incidents.
In May 2008, he was jailed for six months over a late-night attack on a man and a teenage boy in the centre of his home city of Liverpool.
In July that year he was given a four-month suspended jail term for attacking his Manchester City team-mate, Ousmane Dabo, in training.
His playing career ended when he was banned for 18 months by the Football Association in 2017 after he was investigated for placing 1,260 bets on football matches between 2006 and 2016.
