Profile: Joey Barton, footballer

Oh no, he's not in trouble again, is he?

Not really, no. It's his past transgressions which have come back to haunt Joey Barton. The Newcastle United footballer has been denied a visa to enter the United States, where his club is playing a series of matches.

Why would the authorities refuse him a visa?

Barton was convicted of assault and was given a six-month jail sentence in 2008, after becoming involved in a fight in Liverpool and was giving a suspended sentence for beating up a former team-mate while playing for Manchester City. US visa regulations are relatively strict when it comes to criminal records.

Sounds brutal, so he's a bad lad, then?

He has a reputation for getting into trouble with the law and for being a combative player. He once stubbed a cigar out in the face of a youth player at Manchester City. However, Barton has also shown signs of maturing over the past two seasons, even captaining his club on occasion. There have also been calls for England manager Fabio Capello to include him in the national team.

So, what will happen to him now, then?

While Barton's team-mates warm up for the new season in the US, he himself will join the reserve squad, which has three games scheduled in the Netherlands.

Kevin Rawlinson