Newcastle United boss Kevin Keegan is ready to give jailed midfielder Joey Barton another chance.

"People have opinions, and you must respect that, but mine is to give him another chance and back him," Keegan told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek.

"There are a lot of things he needs to put right - but I think he can do it."

KK added: "It's well documented he's had his problems, but I knew of them.

"He's served his sentence, he's been punished for what he did wrong.

"I told him as long as from now on he did things right and started to rebuild the confidence of people around him, I would stick by him.

"The Joey Barton that we had in the last couple of months of the season was a much-changed character."