Joey Barton reportedly arrested on suspicion of assault at Merseyside golf club

Joey Barton has allegedly been arrested in connection with a serious assault near Liverpool. 

The former footballer turned right-wing podcaster, 43, was reportedly one of two men arrested on suspicion of wounding after reports of an attack on a man near Huyton and Prescot Golf Club.

Joey Barton allegedly arrested after incident at Merseyside golf club 

When emergency services arrived at the scene at around 9:00pm on Sunday evening, Merseyside Police officers found a man with injuries to his ribs and face.
The man was taken to hospital for further treatment. 

Two men, aged 50 and 43, were arrested on suspicion of section 18 wounding. 

According to sources close to the Liverpool Echo, one of those men was Barton, who was born in Huyton.

A police cordon was put in place around the Fairway area of the Knowsley town on Sunday. 

In a statement, Merseyside Police said: “We can confirm that two people have been arrested following reports of an assault in Huyton on Sunday 8 March. At around 9pm, emergency services were called to Fairway to reports of a man having been assaulted near to Huyton and Prescot Golf Club.

“The victim was taken to hospital for assessment of injuries to his face and ribs. A 50-year-old man and a 43-year-old man have both been arrested on suspicion of s18 wounding.

“They are both currently in custody where they will be questioned by detectives. Enquiries are ongoing into the incident.”

Joey Barton has attracted controversy throughout his career

Barton, who is a former England international, enjoyed a long football career, playing for teams such as Manchester City, Queens Park Rangers, Rangers, and Newcastle United. 

He made 269 appearances in the Premier League. 

Since leaving his playing career behind, he has moved into management, taking charge at clubs such as Bristol City and Fleetwood Town. 

However, he has not worked in football for several years, instead starting a podcast on which he is known for his controversial views on everything from cyclists to women’s football. 

He has a history that includes assaults on teammate Ousmane Dabo during a training session, an assault in Liverpool city centre in 2008 for which he spent time in prison, and a civil claim that settled out of court after allegations that Barton stubbed a cigar out on the eye of Manchester City youth player Jamie Tandy. 

In March 2025, Barton was found guilty of an assault against a woman and given a 12-week suspended sentence. 

He has also been investigated in connection with offences under the Communications Act, and faced legal action from TV presenter Jeremy Vine and former footballers and pundits Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward.