In a typically-outspoken interview, Barton claims the players were not offered the usual bonuses afforded to Premier League players and they were treated instead like “subordinates at Sports Direct”. Anyone who follows the football odds won’t have been surprised to see Barton airing his views again.

“Newcastle, as a playing squad, were the only club in Premier League history not to sign a bonus sheet. It was unprecedented,” he said.

“We refused as a playing staff as they tried to railroad the players into signing a bonus sheet.

“In their opinion we were paid workforce. They thought we were Sports Direct and we should do what the subordinates at Sports Direct do, forgetting they were dealing with 20-odd egos, probably 10 self-sufficient men in a position to make a number of different judgements.

“Myself and the bigger name players at the time advised the playing staff because we were head of the playing committee not to sign the bonus sheet and that filtered back to boardroom level.

“It’s no coincidence that I was given away.”

Barton’s views are likely to be treated with disdain in the north-east as he continues to have a pop at the club which helped resurrect his career but he his steadfast in his view that he was let down with various promises going unfulfilled. The Premier League betting also suggests he has a big job on his hands in keeping his current side in the top flight.

Speaking to QPR podcast Open All R’s, he added: “They promised a number of different things and delivered on very few of them.

“At Newcastle I couldn’t take to the pitch and lie to the fans and be a part of it.

“You are doing it for yourself, the fans and the football club but if you fundamentally despise everything that the owners stand for it is very difficult.”

Barton, who in May 2008 was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for common assault and affray following an incident in Liverpool city centre, added: “I am a man of principles.”

The Hillsborough Disaster, in 1989, ended the lives of 96 Liverpool fans, and injured 766 others, when a ‘human crush’ developed on the terraces at the home of Sheffield Wednesday, Hillsborough. The incident, while widely publicised, even today, has never benefited from the release of official documents pertaining to the accident. “The truth about Hillsborough must come out”, Barton tweeted yesterday. Although many people interested in Premier League betting are not big fans of Barton, the petition will find favour with supporters everywhere.

Barton, has gained some renown on Twitter, for his outlandish statements, which include referring to the United States as a “fascist regime”, insulting Alan Shearer’s dress sense, and asking the “working class” to “unite”, and “take back what is ours”. While many people prefer just to follow the latest football odds, Barton’s Twitter feed has provided fans with a dubious form of entertainment.

Nevertheless, the midfielder has asked his 420,464 followers to sign an e-petition calling for the full disclosure of government literature relating to the Hillsborough accident. The petition has 46,799 signatures, as of 09:20 on Friday, including Piers Morgan and former Newcastle player, Michael Owen. However, Lady Gaga and Alan Sugar, two of the celebrities targeted by Barton, have yet to add their signatures to the e-petition.

Barton’s crusade has been applauded by fans in Liverpool. “Thank you for all you’re doing”, said Graeme Hammond, a Twitter user who lost his brother at Hillsborough, two decades ago.

Joey expressed his regret that his misaligned past is now affecting his current life. He apologised to Newcastle fans as well as a growing fan base in the US. He will now travel to Holland with the reserve team who are due to play Hollandia, FC Utrecht and Almere City.

For more football news see here. Let’s hope we see Joey back with the first team asap.

He had previously been refused bail, but the decision was overturned. He is due back in court on January 16th charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray after an incident in Liverpool’s Church Street.

The 25-year-old was arrested with his 19-year-old brother Andrew and Nadine Wilson, 27, from Huyton, Merseyside.

The footballer, who appeared before magistrates via videolink, has been held since 27 December and has missed Newcastle’s defeats at Chelsea and at home to Manchester City.

He was arrested in Liverpool in the early hours of Thursday and charged with common assault and affray. He was already on bail for two other alleged offences.

Magistrate Carol Myers told Liverpool Magistrates’ Court there was a risk of Barton offending again, adding: “I also have to consider the safety of the public – you lashed out indiscriminately.”

The 25-year-old has pleaded not guilty to a charge of actual bodily harm and now faces a trial, which is expected to start in June 2008.

If found guilty, he could face a sentence of up to five years in jail but he said: “I can go home and sleep at night and know I’ve done what I thought was right

Sky News breakfast host Holmes used the unacceptable C-word to describe Barton in the October edition of lads mag Maxim, causing some upset at his Newcastle club, who alerted Barton to the outburst.

Manchester United supporter Holmes, whose Five Live Saturday morning sports programme starts again in a fortnight, went on to say: “What is Joey Barton about. He’s an absolute animal, He’s the type of guy who’d eat his own young, he’d start a fight in an empty room. He’s an irritant.”

But Barton, recovering from a pre-season injury that has delayed his Premiership debut, shrugged off the attack from Holmes, whom he has never met. He said only that it would make it interesting when their paths eventually cross.

A friend of Barton’s said: “It’s pathetic. Holmes takes himself very seriously as a presenter but he is trying to show off for the benefit of the magazine who are doing the interviewing. He’s just trying to be outrageous for their sake.

“Joey hardly knows who he is. He mixes him up with the astrologer Russell Grant.”

Barton was due to answer bail today but was rebailed until August 2 while police make further inquiries.

The 24-year-old, capped once for England, was first arrested in May while a player for his previous club Manchester City.

It is alleged he attacked his then team mate Dabo, 30, during a training session at the club’s training complex in Carrington, south Manchester.

Barton was arrested, spoken to by police and bailed while they made further inquiries to find out what happened.

The player was suspended by Manchester City after the incident, and sold by the club to Newcastle last month in a £5.8million deal.