JOEY Barton has been banned from all football activity for 18 months with immediate affect after he admitted an FA misconduct charge in relation to betting.

The Burnley midfielder faced a personal hearing over the charges at Wembley last Friday after it was alleged that between 26 March 2006 and 13 May 2016, he placed 1,260 bets on the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of, or occurrence in, football matches or competitions in breach of FA Rule E8.

Following the hearing, the 34-year-old was also fined £30,000 and warned as to his future conduct.

Burnley have said Barton plans to appeal the decision and he is due to make a statement on the situation this afternoon.