JOEY Barton: role model, ambassador, figurehead.

Following his recent incarceration at Her Majesty's pleasure, that was the rather lofty ambition Joey Barton outlined for himself.

He wanted to set an example for the nation's youth, to be a guiding light for youngsters.

He wanted to become everything that, during the most recent years of his career, he had most definitely not been.

He admitted that he had 'messed up' and wanted to become 'a shining beacon to kids who had been in trouble.'

All very good...

But fast-forward just a few weeks and, it appears, his noble sentiments have quickly been forgotten.

At least, that is, unless he believes getting involved in more on-field shenanigans, live on television, is the correct behaviour for the nation's youth to follow.

In all honesty, Barton may argue that he has become a victim of Jonathan Ross syndrome; that he is faced by a national media with an agenda.

But, while there are doubtless numerous newspapers who would love to pen hundreds of column inches about bad boy Barton's downfall, he can hardly claim that he has not brought it upon himself.

As if his previous CV did not read badly enough in the first place, Barton has hardly managed to keep his nose clean for long.

In comparison to his previous form – which includes stubbing a cigar into a youth team player's eye, assaulting a man outside a McDonald's restaurant and battering a teammate on the training ground – his set to with Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor was fairly tame.

But given that Barton only returned to action a few weeks ago after serving six games of a 12-match ban for that training-ground attack on Ousmane Dabo, his then Manchester City teammate, his timing is hardly impressive.

The final six games of that ban were suspended, on the condition that they would be enforced if he found himself the subject of any further disciplinary action.

Had referee Steve Bennett spotted the clear shove in the face that Barton administered to Agbonlahor, that would surely have been the only possible outcome.

But Barton could only issue a flimsy denial, saying: "It was all about nothing and people are making a mountain out of a molehill.

"With the referee, linesmen and their assistant around and all the television cameras, you know you can't raise your hands these days and at no stage have I done that. I'm going home with a clear conscience."

A clear conscience and an unreliable memory, if the clear photo and video evidence of Barton doing exactly that – pushing his hand into the Villa man's face – is anything to go by.

But are we expecting too much from Barton?

He dug himself a hole by publicly pledging that he wanted to become this saint-like figure, this 'shining beacon' at a time when he already had a significant amount on his plate.

As well as coping with intense public scrutiny – albeit brought about by his own scandalous misbehaviour – Barton is also facing what should be a private battle to overcome alcoholism, in public.

He is also trying to revive his career, as well as his public image that was, quite rightly, sullied through his miscreant behaviour.

In some corners, it has been suggested that the likes of Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Jamie Carragher, Frank Lampard and John Terry are more fitting role models. Probably so.

Terry might have had the odd moment he has not been proud of, after supping a shandy or two, but he, like the rest of them, seems to generally happily manage being in the intense glare of the public eye without making a complete fool of himself, behaving in a manner that society deems to be acceptable.

But, closer to home, it is a shame that, while the likes of Barton will doubtless continue to find himself in the headlines for every wrong move he makes, the character and decency of footballers on a lower rung of the ladder will continue to go unnoticed.

Julian Bennett is another footballer who some might consider to have come from humble beginnings, following a childhood in the surroundings of one of the less salubrious areas of Nottingham.

But scan the inner pages of the Evening Post and, on a fairly regular basis, you will spot him handing out awards at junior sport clubs or attending community events.

He is a man who is proud of his background, not hampered by it.

You can say the same of Kelvin Wilson, Andrew Cole, Jermaine Jenas, Leon Best, David McGoldrick, Wes Morgan and Lewis McGugan.

Perhaps if you are searching for role models, it would be best to avoid the front pages of national newspapers and instead cast an eye over the small print in the neighbourhood news sections of this one.