Joey Barton faces an anxious wait to see if his managerial career is over and whether he is heading for another spell in jail.
The self-styled intellectual allowed his old self to surface at Barnsley yesterday after watching his side crash to a 4-2 defeat that kills off their hopes of a play-off place.
What happened after the final whistle is now being investigated by the Yorkshire Police but the signs are ominous for Barton in his first job in management.
Sky Sports captured Barton trying to escape the scene of the crime with The Sun providing some very detailed accounts of what went on.
JOEY BARTON faces a police probe after being accused of a vicious HEADBUTT on Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel.
Witnesses claim the German lost two teeth as Fleetwood chief Barton also PUNCHED him in a tunnel brawl after the League One game at Oakwell yesterday, which Barnsley won 4-2.
Two sources told SunSport the flashpoint was sparked after the bosses exchanged words when Fleetwood player Harry Souttar was sent off in the 65th minute.
At the final whistle, Barton is alleged to have chased after Stendel down the tunnel, provoking the German into telling his rival he was “just a f***ing scally”.
Barton is then said to have launched a violent attack, first headbutting the Barnsley chief, then punching him and grabbing him by the throat as stunned players and coaching staff looked on.
Police stopped Joey Barton from leaving Oakwell as they investigate an alleged assault by the Fleetwood manager on Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 13, 2019
Barton served a 67 day jail sentence in 2008 but has stayed on the straight and narrow since emerging from HMP Strangeways where he was a highly popular in-mate.
In 2016 he moved to Ibrox on a two year contract that had supporters buying season tickets in their droves on the back of promises to put Scott Brown on his backside.
A 5-1 defeat from Celtic in September 2016 turned out to be Barton’s last appearance in Scottish football, his return to Burnley was short lived with a 12 month FA ban for betting bringing his playing career to an end.