Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton faces legal action for allegedly ruining the career of a former Manchester City team-mate, lawyers said on Friday.

Barton, 25, stubbed a lit cigar in the face of trainee Jamie Tandy at City's Christmas party in 2004. No police action was taken at the time of the incident but the midfielder was fined by his former club.

Tandy, 23, is now pursuing a civil claim for damages against Barton because he believed he suffered a "major psychiatric deterioration" following the assault which he said ultimately forced him to quit football.

Matthew Clayton, of Manchester-based law firm Ralli, said: "Mr Tandy is a client of ours and we are in the process of launching civil proceedings.

"As a result of the assault by Joey Barton our client has suffered a major psychiatric deterioration in his health that has destroyed any chance he may have had of playing professional football at a high level.

"Understandably this is a high-profile case and at this stage we are unable to comment further."

Last month Barton was released from jail after serving 74 days of a six-month sentence for beating up a teenager in Liverpool city centre.

He is currently serving a suspended sentence for a separate assault on ex-Manchester City colleague Ousmane Dabo in a training ground bust-up.

AFP