After his decision to plead guilty to the FA charge handed down following the Everton game, it was unsurprising that Joey Barton walked away without a ban and just a £2,000 fine for his misdemeanour.

I don't think there was any danger (or any real precedent) that he would receive a ban for it and the FA hearing was surely no more than a formality to rubber stamp the punishment and show that the powers that be were acting upon it.

A reflective Barton commented afterwards:

"I have had a fair hearing and would like to thank the FA for that. The backing I have received from the Sporting Chance charity, the PFA and Manchester City Football Club has been exceptional and I would like to thank them for that".

What with the Barton charge, precedeed by the hearings for Ben Thatcher and Ousmane Dabo the club must be hoping the well trodden path to the FA headquarters this season are not repeated again.