The ultimate encouragement for a player to come out, would probably be that there were sufficient other gay peers for it not to be such an issue, or at least enough to be able to offer support. As it stands, that day seems a long way off. If the Premier League is to wait for its own Jason Collins, it may be waiting a very long time.

This season could well prove to be a fascinating crux in players behaving badly. As the stakes in terms of money are raised ever higher, poor disciplined players are going to become greater and greater risks, and with this inevitable stamp down (excuse the pun) on bad challenges, it could be that players turn to Twitter to vent their frustrations rather than seeking out retribution Roy Keane style.

Joey Barton's claims that a deal is in place for him to stay at Marseille have been denied by the club's president Vincent Labrune. Barton, current...

Joey Barton was gagged by Marseille on Wednesday night after angering club chiefs by labelling Paris St Germain defender Thiago Silva an "overweight l...

Best known for on-pitch violence, stubbing a cigar out in a teammate's eye and doing time in prison, Joey Barton did his best Michael Brown impression...

David Beckham started his first Paris St Germain match in the Coupe de France on Wednesday night, and again the Ligue 1 leaders defeated Marseille 2-0...

Joey Barton was sent off for the first time this season as Marseille lost their seventh Ligue 1 match at home to Nancy. Barton was shown two yellow...

Joey Barton and Dietmar Hamann livened up Twitter on Monday night with a bitter and lengthy feud. With no Gary Neville to engage the Twitteratti on...

After the glory of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year it is now time to focus on 2012's villains, when the darker side of sport had just as great ...

Joey Barton's move across the channel from Queens Park Rangers to Marseille drew the odd 'an idiot abroad' joke however the Scouser, who has veered in...

Joey Barton has not been in Marseille for two months and is yet to play a domestic match for the Ligue 1 club, but he courted controversy in a friendl...

Joey Barton has described the four-match ban given to John Terry by the FA as a "shambles." Barton tweeted his thoughts about the ban and £220,000...

This desperation for fame is flooding football, as if the money they earn isn't enough, so many sport stars crave front page stories. Clearly it's not for the pounds and not necessarily for the women, these guys have more money and women then they can handle.

Joey Barton finally made his debut for Marseille but was substituted with the French side 2-0 down against Fenerbahçe in their opening Europa League ...

Joey Barton's miserable summer looks set to continue after the Queens Park Rangers midfielder took to Twitter to reveal it is unlikely he will join Fr...

Joey Barton, the disgraced Queens Park Rangers midfielder, is the subject of interest from French club Marseille. Barton was stripped of the Rs cap...

Joey Barton has been stripped of the Queens Park Rangers captaincy and fined six weeks' wages by the Premier League club. The 29-year-old will also...

Premier League footballer Joey Barton has been arrested after a fight outside a nightclub. The Queens Park Rangers midfielder, 29, was involved in ...

Joey Barton's behaviour in the incident which led to him being banned for 12 matches cannot be excused, according to players union boss Gordon Taylor....