Pedersen praises Joey.

Posted on November 16th, 2010 | 61 Comments |

Joey is forgiven.
Joey is forgiven.
Morten Gamst Pedersen has revealed that he has received a personal phone call from Joey Barton apologising for the punching incident last Wednesday evening.

The well documented incident has been a talking point since it occurred, as Joey was caught clearly punching Pedersen in the stomach during Newcastle’s home loss to Blackburn.

Pedersen said he was happy to accept Barton’s apology and now wants to put it behind him. He spoke about his conversation with Joey;

“I couldn’t answer the phone at that moment but he left a nice message on my answering machine and I called him up the minute we had finished our team meeting.”

“Joey shows that there is more to him than what came out on the pitch the other day, and I really appreciate it. It’s not everyone who has the courage to call to apologise after such an episode, but Joey did without hesitation.”

“Both me and Joey are professional and fully agree to put this behind us, and that we can laugh about the whole thing next time we meet.”

Great reaction by Morten Gamst. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone could adopt that attitude on the matter. You don’t need me to tell you how much negative press this has got Joey over the past week.

It seems as if it’s water under the bridge now and Morten Gamst will have no problems shaking hands and sharing a joke with Joey when the pair meet again.

Toonsy quite correctly pointed out that Joey has been composed this season despite being a blatant target for the opposition, Wolves away being the best example.

I have a friend that described Joey as ‘scum’ after the incident. He claims Barton should quit football over the incident which I find very extreme. Though Joey still has obvious anger issues, on the whole he is certainly dealing with them a lot better these days. He’s in wonderful form, and long may it continue.

If we want to talk about ‘scum’ in football how about we look at the Celtic fans with their distasteful banners? That is scum.

I won’t get into Joey’s past all over again because we all know it and he’s no angel. I won’t even defend his actions against Blackburn because they were unnecessary. I will say that I hope people will take a leaf from Pedersen’s book and get over it and this admission from Pederson should act to draw a line underneath the whole affair.

Joey, for me, has been our player of the season thus far and it will be great having him back after his suspension.

Howay the lad!

NUFCBlog Author: MarkToon MarkToon has written 10 articles on this blog.

Related Posts:

Posted on by MarkToon in category: Interviews and Joey Barton and MarkToon and NUFC gossip and speculation and Thoughts and reflections , with tags: ,
Comment on this post

61 Responses

  1. Hands up to the guy, took some courage to do that. He admitted he still has anger problems but is trying his best to curb them. I agree he has been in brilliant form this season

  5. Just a shame Dejong couldn’t do the same when he put HBA out of action for six months…. I bet he’s still not apologised for that tackle.. :( maybe it should have been him that JB thumped in the stomach & not MGP.. lol ;)

  6. Pedersen, or whoever was winding up Joey will be right back at it when the clubs meet again. I’ve noticed lots off attempts to step on Joey’s feet when the occasion presents itself. Seeing how Joey had some delicate and career threatening surgery on his foot, I can see how he might be a bit rankled at such behavior. But he can expect no protection from anyone refereeing or form the FA, so he will just have to suck it up, or avoid the contact, as I am sure he knows.

    Howay Joey, the club and most of its fans appreciate you.

  13. Johno it was a section of Celtic fans showing banners against buying poppys. Disgusting if you ask me.

    Anyway fair play to Joey for making amends over the incident. He’s shown a maturity this season that we’ve lacked from him since his move here, and both fans and himself can see the boost in his on-pitch performances. Thankfully, after an initially haunting thought that Mr Barton could be falling back into his shortcomings of his past and let his anger cloud his judgement, it seems that the 27 year old is finally displaying the professionalism required of a player at the toon now. Something you could definitely say Hughton has had a hand in creating – the standard of loyalty and professionalism has been raised by beyond refreshing heights from the not so olden days of high wage earning dossers, such as Cacapa and Viduka who hadn’t a monkeys in the world about pulling on our shirt.

    So yes, it’s a right shame that such a key, in-form player for us has to suffer a 3 week ban – but you also have to consider any positives along with it. Of course, I mean the chance now for fringe players such as Guthrie, Vuckic and Routledge to stake a claim in the side. All 3 of those players will undoubtedly be made aware by Hughton that as soon as Barton is available again, if those players haven’t grabbed their chance with both hands – then Joey will quite easily be accepted back in to show them how it’s done as he has done this season. I would like to think Guthrie’s range of passing could be harnessed in a better position than right wing, however, as he’s lacked pace and positioning to really offer a threat on the wing so far. Could Vuckic end up on our wing ahead of Routledge? I really couldn’t tell, this is the beauty of having depth and talent in a squad – something else you have to credit Hughton to.

    Well, much apologies about the geet long post! Just seems to be my way of venting on here :) ha ha, love to just let out all the opinion that’s been building up as i’ve been catching up with all things NUFC.

  16. nah my mates a villa fan, i think hes’s bitter over the 6-0 hammering to be honest!!
    i have sat and argued with him over joey barton several times.
    his best friend actually works at villa as a fitness coach, he looks a bit like steawart downing…he says habib beye is a knob and when routledge was at the villa wayne borrowed a magazine off him on an away trip and never got it back! so there you have it villa fans equal bitter!

  17. Not excusing Barton but if the “punch” had happened anywhere but the football field Pederson wouldnt have flinched, it was a nothing punch, then again the way they dive and roll round the floor over nothing is a complete disgrace – refs are to scared to do owt about it and rarely give a yellow to the diver so from their perspective its worth a try.

    Joey needs to suck it up I’m afraid, he’s going to get even more of this when he comes back as players will now think he’ll snap and therefore is a prime candidate for getting sent off

  19. agreed- he’ll be targeted even more now. lets hope we see the joey we saw against wolves in the future rather than the blackburn version.

  20. 4411 – In fairness, the ref only didn;t see it as he was booking a Blackburn player for diving at the time…..

  21. Joey coulda made himself useful on saturday night in light of his suspension though… he woulda given haye a better fight than harrison :)

  22. I think Barton would last about 2.5 seconds with Haye. Audrey Harrison on the other hand, well he’s always been cack.

  23. Ive got a horrible feeling C.H might play Best against Bolton. Xisco and Best just played for the reserves and it was defender Matthew Grieve who scored the only goal of the game and S.Taylor who went closest from a corner.

    Good that their playing reserve games, not good that we might have to actually use them soon. :(

  24. DJG if Carroll plays tomorrow then he will play saturday as well leaving no room for Best because we will start 5 across the midfield . He might get a place on the bench though .

  25. is it just me or does pederson seems like he wants to join the toon with the way he’s handled this. Maybe it’s just so rare to see that kind of class from footballers. Well on him.

  26. Completely off topic, but looking for personal anecdotes or experience.
    My wife has been pushing for a trip to England and finally agreed to throw in a trip to see Newcaslte play, we’re shooting for the Wolves game April 2nd. I contacted the box office via email, and they say that I can only buy tickets 2-3 weeks in advance. Now, i am not a “member” or STH, so I don’t expect I’ll get any advance privileges when trying to buy. But, for any other non-STH folks out there, is that your experience as well, you can only get the tickets 2-3 weeks in advance of the fixture?
    If this is true, it’s going to really kill the planning we are doing…oh well.
    Cheers.

  27. NorCal ToonFan

    What happens is, for home games, there is a period where only members can buy and then everyone can buy them a few weeks before the game. That sounds about right. For home games this season you will be able to buy some tickets just before the game because the ground doesn’t sell out anymore. You would be better off ringing the box office and ordering some when they first become available 2-3 weeks before the game, check the official website for this. Then you can ask them to hold them for you at the collection point as obviously you don’t want them posted out of the country.

  28. DJG – Thanks. I couldn’t remember how I ordered the tickets the only other time I’ve ever been (6 years ago now I think). So I wasn’t sure if that was right. Ok, so, we should just plan our trip, and if we get tickets hooray, if not…boo. Oh, and yes, I would pick them up there, I’d likely lose/forget them otherwise.
    Thanks again.

  29. NorCal ToonFan

    For the Wolves home game if you ring the box office 2 weeks before the game you will definately get the seats together that you need 100%. In the last two home games the ground was about 7,000-12,000 people off capacity. If it’s your first time in 6 years you want to get some nice seats in the East Stand or somewhere, don’t get put in some corner. :)

  30. norcal – shouldn’t be a problem getting home tickets against wolves, think Sunderland is our only sellout this season for obvious reasons – then again if we’re challenging for title come April you might struggle ;)

  32. Cheers all. It will be for 4 tickets. The time we went we sat in the stands directly across from the NEWCASTLE UNITED lettering. We had near midway seats, so it was excellent viewing. I am hoping for the same…though I will take what we can get. I am bringing my twin, 5-year-old, girls to their first Toon match…if it all works out. It’ll be a lot of fun for me to take them there.

  33. NorCal…just keep checking online mate,some of the up and coming home games arer going on public sale 3 weeks before and some over a month before, iif as 4411 says we’re challenging for the title :lol: you’d need a member to get them early as season ticket holders don’t get ant priority for extra home tickets for some bizarre reason.

  34. Great reaction by Morten Gamst.Would’nt it be great if everyone could adopt this attitude.

    Yes would’nt it toonsy!But in our world there are not so many happie endings and not so many reasonable people.This might sound crazy but I feel kind of relived after Bartons outburst.I found all the talk about the great transformation rather naive.Having worked a lifetime with such negative mental stuff as a therapist,pluss having to learn to live with my own demonds,have taught me that changeing is a slow an ardous process.Barton have also realized this and I admire his honesty.What the rest of the world think of him is out of his control.We can only clean up our own shit and Barton has done that.Ride on lad!

  35. Pederson is a tit just like the rest of the smug tossers, they came with a game plan to disrupt and stop the game which included winding the opposition up, they achieved that but just leave it alone will you.
    Its all an act FFS, Barton was hook line and sinker and Pedersons theatrics were worse than when Bellamy lifted his hand to Materazzi in the Milan game, he didnt manage to get Barton sent off but got him a three game ban so job done and shut your gob.

  36. ‘as season ticket holders don’t get ant priority for extra home tickets for some bizarre reason.’

    Why is that bizarre Richie? I thought the whole point was that they get priority on away games. Don’t be greedy now. :lol:

  38. DJG…have to disagree mate cos if I want extra tickets then I obviously want them to be sat as close to me as possible I think I should at least get the opportunity to do that……that said when I had a mate come up from down south,they were onsale to members I just kept logging on with my season ticket number and trying to buy it, kept knocking me back but eventually it accepted it…don’t ask me how but thats the second time I’ve done it. :-)

  39. Ah right so members actually have priority over STH, I didn’t know that. There’s still tickets available for Baggies away like and thats now on the general sale period so doesn’t really matter does it if your quick.

  40. Bolton will be my last away one this year like, and found a boozer in Madrid where Toon fans go apparently, to watch the Wigan away game over the New Year :-)

  45. RICHIETOON cheers mate,aye brother has the big fellow brought on by owr much sun,so you know the type,liveing on a island not all its cracked up to be if ye divnt watch,fingers crossed

  46. Aye mate thats what us whiteys from blighty need to watch oot for.Hope he gets thru it ok mate. Ya bought the young un his french hoose yet?

  47. if anyone is interested young johan edmundson from are reserves is playing against scotland tonyt on sky sports 1

  48. i havent got a problem with using best or xisco i think both players havent had a proper chance n had a raw deal from the fans for nothing really, i for one certainly wont be complaining if either of them start banging in the goals

  49. kna mate hes sticking with malta,liked some french ones,but ackward travel less sun only aboot 2/3 hours to malta at anytime of year from n/cle,wish we had done it sooner now like,they have new law now must spend 100000euro min on house,unless your a local,there trying to keep out the wrong people out if you get my meaning :)we should try it here eh :)

  52. NorCal – Don’t sit in the East Stand mate. It’s full of moaning tossbags…

    Make it special and sit in the world famous Gallowgate :)

  53. Aye in the Gallowgate there’s just one moaning tossbag who looks remarkably like Buster Bloodvessel :lol:

  55. Total change of tack lads, can anyone explain to me why you never seem to see indirect free kicks any more. Cant remember the last one.

  57. RICHIETOON,son is still ganning m8 when he gets sorted,,its 4bed hes looking at,me and mrs will gan for 10mths of year,keep this place for him,thats the plan like,is/was some nice places for 50grand,no imigrant or property/dev can buy them now,local buyers only.

    might try and marry him off to local, cheap hoose lol

  58. Thats the way to do it Ice, my aunt and uncle sold their house and they bugger off to Portugal from end of October to March then they have one of those log cabins on a caravan site in Scotland where they stay during the summer…alreet for some.

  59. To be fair we have to put up with this 5hit most weeks..hoofball merchants when we get beat and dirty scoundrels when we win. Barton isn’t half as bad as made out and I think him personally phoning Pedersen says a lot about where he is right now so a good thing. And as for Pedersen being a tit..he’s a sound guy..who’ll stop to chat to you in the street etc. The real tits are the jumped up John Terry’s etc who couldn’t give two 5hits about football fans or the world cup cos they’re too busy thinking about charging foreigners £10k to watch them 5hagging their best mates granny (I think I’ve got this story right!!)

  61. I had a pal that use to fight every wk/end with our mates everytime he got drunk. he then apoligised on a monday until it was too late and people couldnt be arsed with an apoligy after a hiding.. hes now a billy-no-mates and still has anger problems…