Pardew, Barton, Barnetta, doors, bridge building and more!

In an attempt to try and clear up everything that was said earlier I thought I'd try and cram it all into one handy article which will hopefully see us through the night.

I say hopefully see us through the night as I'm having a night off of 'blog duty so I can celebrate my birthday. I had hoped to keep it quiet although realistically as so many people know of me on Facebook it was never going to happen, so thank-you for the birthday messages everyone!

Back to the football, and Alan Pardew gave his first interview since the whole Twittergate II thingy involving Joey Barton at the weekend. We all know how it ended up as it's been extensively covered from the start of the week with the net result being that Barton looked to be on his way out of St James' Park.

However it's not all doom and gloom and it's perhaps as not as cut and dried as many have though as Alan Pardew offered Joey a way back into his thoughts, but only if the midfielder can sort his head out and get back on board with the club.

"I've never closed the door on anyone and I'm not closing the door on Joey," Pardew said in his pre-match press conference ahead of the weekend game against Fiorentina.

"He trained with the development team today and, who knows, he may train with the first-team soon."

He continued: "Joey is a great player and you want great players in your team. It's very important as a football club that you are all pulling in the same direction - at this moment of time Joey is not pulling in the same direction."

"That's not to say that can't change in a short period of time."

Pardew then went on to reiterate the club stance on Twitter and now claims that Newcastle are following the same guidelines as Manchester United players now have to follow. In short, tweet away but cut out any comments that have anything to do with the club. Fair enough.

Ironically as Pardew was talking Joey Barton was back on Twitter asking for the phone number of Isambard Kingdom Brunel - the world famous Victorian bridge-builder and engineer. Perhaps there is a chance of reconciliation yet?

Alan Pardew also took the chance to respond to the agent of Tranquillo Barnetta who has described Newcastle's wage offer as "insulting" and hinted that the Swiss international earned more at his current club even though Swiss press claim that the player is only on £26,000-a-week which is quite a way lower than the £40,000-a-week Newcastle have apparently offered.

"In terms of those comments (from McIntosh) I'm not even going to go there. To say £40,000 is a derisory offer - that's ridiculous."

I agree with Pardew on that and I think there was enough anger and venom in the quotes from his agent to suggest that he is just a little peeved that he has been left out of the deal. Diddums. We'll wait and see on that one.

Meanwhile Pardew is aware of interest in Jose Enrique but claims that there have been no concrete offers thus far. He also claims that we are ready to react to the situation should ant interest firm up and that we are still active in the transfer market.

"Enrique is still here and will play on Saturday," he added. "I don't see an issue that he won't start. I know there's interest in Jose, but no concrete interest. We are poised to react to that. We also need to bring some players into this club."

So that just about sums up everything that was said earlier. Feel free to pick it apart and debate it but play nicely as I'm off out for a few sherbets now.

Howay the lads!