Joey Barton has admitted he felt he owed former boss Kevin Keegan an apology following their time together at Newcastle United.
The former Manchester City midfielder was signed by Sam Allardyce in 2007, and worked with Keegan upon his return to the Magpies the following year.
It was during this brief stint that Barton served 74 days of a six-month prison sentence following an assault in Liverpool in December 2007.
Speaking on Alastair Campbell's and his daughter Grace's podcast 'Football, Feminism, & Everything In Between', Barton revealed his favourite manager from his playing career was Burnley boss Sean Dyche.
When asked about his time at United under Keegan, Barton said the club legend was not a "strong manager" and that he had always "seen the worst in him".
The current Fleetwood Town manager did not go into specifics regarding any issues between the pair, but stressed he felt he owed the former Magpies and England boss an apology for his conduct.
Barton said: "I was too young. I've met Kevin consequently and apologised
"What you find is when you're somebody who is constantly trying to try and improve as a person, you have to go back and challenge some of the things that you've said and done when you were younger.
"I think I've always seen the worst in him. I was a young player in the dressing room at the time, and he wasn't a strong manager.
"Let's make no bones about it. He was a fantastic football man, he probably had the most natural enthusiasm."
