Author Description

After Joey Barton was sentenced to six months in jail for assault in 2008, there were many who said he should be kicked out of football altogether, and that there was no place for someone like him in the game. But, having come from a tough background on the streets of Merseyside to pursue his dream of being a professional footballer, Barton was never going to give up. He emerged from prison determined to prove the doubters wrong, and when his first child was born it left a profound effect on him. He appeared to be a changed man, and even found himself invited onto BBC's Question Time. In an era of bland, media-schooled personalities, Barton is anything but. Outspoken, opinionated and brutally honest, he now reveals the truth about his family background, and what really happened in the controversial incidents that have dogged his career. He explains what it is like to be a professional footballer in the modern era, and provides compelling insights into team-mates, opponents and managers alike that will shock, entertain and surprise people. He knows he has made mistakes along the way, but they are not always the ones you would expect. This is a stunning and powerful memoir - the sports book of the year.