Bump - Joey Barton Denied US Visa!

Good job to, taken out of the comfort of pro football zone and treated as he should be.

At least he can chill in a nice "cafe" where he is going.

i guess this shows pre-season aint all plane sailing......

Guardian/Louise Taylor

Newcastle's Joey Barton pays for his past with US visa rejection

• Midfielder will not join tour but will wear armband in friendly
• Alan Pardew: 'Joey is still suffering from past misdemeanours'

The United States is not prepared to grant Joey Barton a visa for Newcastle United's forthcoming tour but Alan Pardew's faith in the club's sometimes troubled talent is such that he has handed the midfielder the captain's armband for Friday's friendly at Darlington.

Barton, along with his team-mate Nile Ranger, misses Newcastle's pre-season visit to the US after being refused a visa. Although Ranger, a striker, is close to being sold to a Championship club, both players are scheduled instead to join Peter Beardsley's reserve squad for a trip to the Netherlands next week.

Barton's application was turned down due to his having served a prison sentence for assault and affray in 2008, while Ranger's rejection was the result of his having served time in a young offenders institution at the age of 15 after taking part in a street robbery.

Ironically Barton travelled to the US as recently as last month when he enjoyed a holiday in Los Angeles along with his team-mate Danny Simpson. However, the stipulations for granting leisure- and work-related visas in the US vary considerably. Newcastle declined to comment on the apparent anomaly, saying that Barton's holiday was "not a club issue".

"Joey is still suffering from past misdemeanours," said Pardew whose new regular captain, Fabricio Coloccini, will not be involved at Darlington. "But he has put his life back on track and long may that continue. Joey will lead the team on Friday."

Newcastle's manager remains relaxed about Barton's exclusion from the transatlantic jaunt. "I have no problems with integrating Joey into the team before the start of the season," he said. "There is no problem at all; he will go to Holland with the development group and do his work there."

Barton, who has one year remaining on his St James' Park contract after failing to agree an extension, seemed sanguine. "Unfortunately I was denied my visa due to my past," he said. "I regret not being able to travel with the club on this trip, but at the same time, I don't expect to be treated any differently or more favourably than anyone else in a similar situation. All I can do is continue to improve as a person, which is what I intend to do.

"Again, apologies to all the NUFC supporters – as well as the fast growing legions of football supporters in the United States I was looking forward to meeting. I will see you in the future." He later added, via Twitter: "They told me am not allowed in until I have five years without any trouble. Three years down, two years to go ..."

Typically, Barton failed to resist making a hallmark spiky comment, again via Twitter: "Total hypocrisy considering what they [the US] get up to but rules are rules." To emphasise that he was not making a big deal of the matter, though, he subsequently tweeted: "I can't be bothered dwelling on negatives. This is my last post on the visa situation."

Newcastle, who fly on Sunday, will play three games in the US, against Sporting Kansas, Orlando City and Columbus Crew.

Meanwhile Barton and, possibly Ranger, are pencilled in to feature in the reserve fixtures against Hollandia, FC Utrecht and Almere City.

www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/13/joey-barton-newcastle-visa-rejection