Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan will welcome midfielder Joey Barton back to the Premier League club when he is released from prison.
"My view is to give him another chance and back him. He has served his sentence, he's been punished for what he did wrong," Keegan told BBC Radio on Sunday.
"The world is littered with people who deserve a second chance, got that chance and took it with both hands. I said I would stick by him and I intend to do that," Keegan said.
Barton is due to be released shortly after serving a six-month sentence for beating up a teenager last year.
He was also convicted this month of another assault and handed a suspended four-month sentence for knocking out former Manchester City team mate Ousmane Dabo during a training session in May last year.
Barton, who has one England cap, joined Newcastle United for 5.8 million pounds last July after the Dabo incident effectively ended his career with Manchester City.
Keegan also expects England striker Michael Owen to sign a new contract with the club.
"Hopefully, that will be sorted out within the next two or three weeks," he said.
-
Is a 'quiet revival' really taking place? Shock new study findings suggest Christianity may be in retreat
-
Bibles burnt as Hindu extremists launch brutal assault on Indian church
-
Was Michael Jackson searching for salvation before the end?
-
London resident threatens to sue council over trans display
-
Tears and prayers for Christian camp girls swept away by Texas floods
-
EU takes aim at 'extremist' anti-LGBT Christians
Most Popular
News
'Being Church in a time of conflict' - Church of England confronts global threats
Members of the Church of England’s General Synod arrived in York yesterday for five days of deliberation and discussion.
What does true freedom look like?
In today’s world, “freedom” is often defined as the ability to act, speak, or think however we want. But Scripture offers a radically different, and far deeper, understanding of freedom.
NHS urged to engage meaningfully with faith groups
Engagement should be more than "tokenistic", says FaithAction.
Community-led school in South Sudan brings 'spring of hope' during humanitarian crisis
Fourteen years after gaining independence, a community-driven initiative is igniting hope for a better future through education in South Sudan.