“If there is a role that Alan wants, and is right - that’s the key - then I would love to have him back here. I will definitely be speaking to him,” he said.

Allardyce said: “I am disappointed to be leaving Newcastle but I wish the club all the best for the future.”

First team coach Nigel Pearson take over for Saturday’s Premier League match with Manchester United.

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.”

It was Newcastle’s second win on the trot, despite below par performance.

The 25-year-old has said his comments were meant to rally the team and fans for their weekend fixture at Blackburn - a match they lost 3-1 - and was not meant to offend them.

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

“I have not yet seen the famous crowd I was expecting to hear get behind us,” said Barton.

“Unless there’s a massive change, it’s going to be the same for this manager, the next manager and whoever comes in after that,” he predicted.

“Sam’s a good manager. He’s getting the brunt of the criticism but doesn’t deserve it. Not many managers can turn a club round in five minutes.”

It was a poor display by Newcastle and they were lucky to score at all. Barton had little part in the game, but Allardyce will be looking for him to come back strong after his injury. Newcastle have had a good start to the season and were predicted to win against Reading who had conceded 21 goals in 10 premier league matches. However Newcastle had a very bad day defensively.

In a remarkable twist the pair will go head-to-head - in a reserve game - for the first time since their alleged training ground brawl last May that ended Barton’s City career and left Dabo in hospital - and pressing assault charges, says the Mirror.

Frenchman Dabo was bitter about the bust-up with Barton and has decided to pull no punches in response, with a court case due in the next few weeks.

It is unusual for such adversaries to meet in the run-up to a legal showdown and all eyes will be watching them on the field - but the pair are determined to play.

Barton wants to be fit in a hurry while Dabo is keen to show he is ready for selection or, more likely, a sale in the next transfer window.