New Birmingham City signing Lee Bowyer has slammed former club Newcastle United over the way they treated him after his infamous bust-up with Kieron Dyer.
"They hung me out to dry," Bowyer told the Daily Express. "The club tried to get Dyer off the ban because we were in the FA Cup semi-final, so they said, 'Look, hold your hands up and we might be able to get Kieron off'.
"So I took the blame. So then I got fined six weeks' wages, Kieron got nothing. I got a six-game ban, Kieron got what? Did he get a ban?
" They said I can't really get off, but they might be able to get Kieron off. I said it was both of us, not just me, but if it looks worse on my part then I'll do that. People don't know what goes on behind closed doors. I tried to do the right thing."
When he is asked about Barton, Bowyer does not want to get involved.
"I never did anything like he has done. He has been to prison twice, no? I'm not going to talk about Joey Barton because I don't think it's my place to. I don't know him personally, only what I've heard from other players."
