straight to your inboxAfter unsuccessful youth spells with Everton and Liverpool, Joey Barton would make his breakthrough at Manchester City under the watchful eye of Kevin Keegan. Barton's 'debut’ certainly didn’t go to plan, though. City were two goals down away at Middlesbrough in 2003 when Nicolas Anelka pulled one back, and Keegan made the decision to summon 18-year-old Barton from the substitutes bench. However, Barton had lost his shirt and, with the rules outlining he needed to wear his registered number, Keegan had no choice but to leave the youngster on the bench. While Barton would then have to wait five months to make his full senior debut with City, that unusual incident was an early warning sign of the trail of destruction.
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