Joey Barton facing 'financial ruin' of £1m after being denied bail for GBH charge

The scale of Barton's financial exposure has hit the headlines in recent weeks. He was ordered to pay £339,000 plus legal costs to former England international Eni Aluko this month after comparing her to serial killer Rose West in social media posts, a verdict that added significantly to an already eye-watering bill. That came on top of a libel case brought by BBC Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine, who sued Barton over posts on X falsely labelling him a "nonce" and a "paedo defender".

Vine confirmed last summer that Barton had covered his legal costs after losing that case, stating that the battle had cost the former midfielder "by his account, £600,000". A source close to the situation has revealed the severity of the situation, saying: "Barton faces serious trouble and that's only been made worse by the fact he's been involved with so many court cases. Each one costs thousands of pounds in legal fees and if you lose, it's even worse."

Beyond the courtroom, Barton's financial picture looks just as bad. His image rights firm, Joey Barton Promotions Limited, has racked up debts of £76,273. Paperwork connected to Resolve Energy, an energy management consultancy he co-owns with Andrew Taylor, shows its directors owe a total of £1.8million in unpaid loans. Barton was also hit by HMRC after investing in four film schemes later deemed to be tax-avoidance arrangements, set up by the controversial firm Ingenious. It is a far cry from his playing days, when the former Manchester City and Newcastle midfielder was earning £45,000 a week.

The most pressing issue now is the GBH charge. Barton was denied bail after being charged in connection with an alleged attack at a golf club in Liverpool. He is currently being held on remand, while co-defendant Gary O'Grady, 50, has been granted bail. The charge arrives while Barton is already appealing his convictions in both the Vine and Aluko cases, as well as a suspended sentence for assaulting his wife Georgia, 38, in south-west London.

Barton built a career out of controversy on the pitch as much as off it, but the sheer volume of legal battles he has found himself embroiled in since retiring has been incredible. The financial consequences are now impossible to ignore for the ex-midfielder, with legal costs continuing to rack up, business debts mounting and a remand cell rather than a bail address to return to, Barton may finally reassess his controversial lifestyle.