Joey Barton: 'Football Association are against me'

Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton has launched a verbal attack on the Football Association by accusing the English governing body of having a "vendetta" against him.

The 30-year-old, who is currently on a season-long loan at Ligue 1 outfit Marseille from Loftus Road, has claimed that the FA have not counted one of his suspended matches in his 12-game ban, which he picked up at the end of last season in the Premier League, due to timing issues.

Barton tweeted: "So my 12 match ban is now a 13 match ban. You gotta love the English FA? Well, no actually you don't!

"Ban has been extended as when I signed for Marseille on Friday 31st, the English FA where closed over the weekend and couldn't be bothered registering me until the 3/4th. So the game L'OM vs Rennes couldn't count as one of my games suspended.

"Its so ludicrous a decision, it's like they have some hidden agenda/vendetta against me? Oh, sh*t yeah I forgot, they actually do."

Meanwhile, the former Newcastle United player has recently claimed that he would be content to stay at the French outfit on a permanent basis.