JOEY Barton is putting his 'bad boy' image behind him, because he is happy at Burnley.

The midfielder has often courted controversy in the game, lashing out at Manchester City's Carlos Tevez and getting sent-off for Queens Park Rangers on the last day of the 2011/12 season.

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And last season he apologised to QPR team-mates and fans after receiving his ninth career red card for an incident with Hull City's Tom Huddlestone.

But 33-year-old looks to have turned over a new leaf this season, notably when he didn't react to a cynical off-the-ball trip by Blackburn Rovers' Grant Hanley in last month's East Lancashire derby.

Despite his better disciplinary record, Barton insists it isn't something he has particularly focused on improving.

"I think people understand why things happen," he said.

"Moments of violence or idiocy don't happen in isolated instances, it tends to be a building process, certainly with me.

"You build into it.

"So if your life's in a great place someone gives you a bit of stick or someone cuts you up in the car when you're driving home, you let it go because you can't really be bothered arguing.

"Fast forward that to having had a rubbish day at work, then someone cuts you up all of a sudden you're out of your car and trying to get him out of his car, because you haven't dealt with what's gone on.

"That was the same for me. Every instance in my life you when you look at it and try to analyse it there's a reoccurring theme in it, which for me was getting myself involved in stuff I didn't really have to get involved in, and the frustration of that either not going how it was meant to go or somebody not listening and all of a sudden a snowball effect.

"The Tevez incident at Manchester City, for example, that is the tip of the iceberg, the reaction. The match that sets everything off. But there was a backlog to that.

"One day I intend to write book about it so I'd better keep my powder dry."

The Huyton-born midfielder has been booked twice in nine appearances for the Clarets this season, and he has previously spoken of his enjoyment of the Turf Moor regime led by Sean Dyche.

And that is playing a part in his renaissance with referees this term.

"If you're happy, life's good," said Barton, who was booked 24 times and sent off twice in 67 games over his final two years at Loftus Road.

"You come to work, you get on with everyone, no dramas anywhere and you're in with a good group of men. Life's easy.

"When you're in with a bunch of bad apples, and I've been in with a few before, it's difficult.

He added: "You take great solace in the fact that if you can get through certain situations, as human beings we're adaptable, that's one of our great traits and you find a way of doing things.

"Then you come here and you realise it's so much easier if everyone pulls in the same direction, at all levels of the football club.

"The places I've been to that hasn't always been the way. There are multiple cases. It's nice to be through it and nice to be out of it. It's great to be here and I'm really thankful to be here."