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NEWCASTLE midfielder Joey Barton could face a 15-match ban for his attack on former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo after the FA charged him with violent conduct.
Bosses at St James's Park fear the midfielder could be forced to miss almost one third of the Premiership season if the FA gets tough on the troubled star.
And Barton, who was released from prison on Monday for a separate assault, could also be hit with a fine of more than £75,000 for the training ground assault on Dabo, who was left unconscious.
Barton, the one-time England international, has been hit by the FA charge following his release from prison 74 days into a six-month sentence for a separate 'drunken and vicious' assault.
Newcastle, who have faced widespread condemnation for their decision to stand by Barton, contested the announcement from Soho Square.
In a statement the club said they would seek clarification from the FA 'as to why the decision has been reached now, given the incident occurred nearly 15 months ago. Joey will be seeking a personal hearing'.
They will be told that the FA did not feel they were in a position to consider charges in relation to the incident until Barton's court case had been heard and his prison term had ended.
Barton was jailed after he was caught on CCTV in Liverpool knocking an unnamed victim to the ground, before straddling him and punching him up to 20 times.
At the time of that assault Barton was on bail for the attack on Dabo. While serving time in Strangeways, he pleaded guilty to the Dabo attack. He was given a suspended, four-month jail sentence and 200 hours of unpaid community work.
Barton has two weeks to respond to the FA charge.
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