Joey Barton Bailed After Nightclub Clash

Footballer Joey Barton has been arrested on suspicion of affray after an altercation outside a nightclub in Liverpool. The Queens Park Rangers midfielder was allegedly involved in a fight in the early hours of Monday morning near Garlands nightclub. Two men, aged 21 and from the Old Swan area of the city, were arrested on suspicion of a public order offence at around 5.30am at the scene. Barton and a 20-year-old man were arrested later. All four have been bailed pending further enquiries. A spokesman for Merseyside Police said on Monday: "Following an altercation in Eberle Street, Liverpool city centre, in the early hours... four men have been arrested on suspicion of affray. "Two 21-year-old men were arrested at the scene in the early hours of this morning and another two men, a 20-year-old from the Liverpool area and 29-year-old from the Widnes area, were arrested this afternoon." Barton, who has become well known for his opinionated Twitter outbursts, last night indicated he was going on holiday today. He tweeted: "Looking forward to Portugal now tomo. Bit of rest and lots of golf..." Barton has been involved in incidents both on and off the pitch and has been convicted twice on charges of violence. The footballer was given a 12-match ban and fined £75,000 after being sent off on the final day of the season for elbowing Carlos Tevez in the face in a game against Manchester City. Immediately after the sending off, Barton kicked Sergio Aguero in the back of the knee and tried to headbutt Vincent Kompany. When Barton played for Manchester City he was fined £60,000 for stubbing out a lit cigar in a fellow player's eye during a Christmas party. He was sold by the club after putting his teammate Ousmane Dabo in hospital after attacking him at Manchester City's training ground in 2007, for which he received a four-month suspended sentence for assault. He served 77 days of a six-month sentence for common assault and affray in 2008 for an incident in Liverpool city centre in which he punched a man repeatedly until the man lost consciousness. He then attacked a 16-year-old, leaving the teenager with broken teeth.