They grew up just a few streets apart and have remained together through thick and thin.
Georgia McNeil has loyally stood by football firebrand Joey Barton – even after she accused him of drunkenly attacking her in their home.
Many were horrified after Georgia, 38, begged police not to pursue a prosecution against her husband in the aftermath of the incident.
But it seems the devoted mother of their four children can’t walk away from her childhood sweetheart who she met before he found fame and fortune – and became one of the most controversial and divisive figures of the beautiful game.
And it would appear that while Barton has become infamous after a series of verbal and physical scraps both on and off the pitch, Georgia has been the one constant in his life.
It’s thought Georgia was in her late teens when she first met Barton who had been rejected by Everton and Liverpool before being thrown a lifeline by Manchester City.
Both had grown up in working class families in the football-loving Merseyside city.
By his own account, Barton, 42, had a troubled up-bringing – coming from ‘a broken home’.
Barton is pictured with his wife, Georgia, who he has been convicted of assaulting
The couple (pictured in 2022) eventually tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at the Aynhoe Park country estate in Banbury, Oxfordshire in June 2019
Barton started his career at Manchester City and said that he got into a fight with Tandy and his brother after scorching his team-mate’s eyelid
Violence had certainly been part of Barton’s life since a young age growing up on a tough council estate in the Huyton district of Liverpool.
In his autobiography Barton told that at aged four he underwent surgery and spent 10 days in hospital after being savaged by an Alsatian.
He told how his roofer father Joseph senior borrowed a friend’s van then tracked the dog down before running it over at high speed and reversing over the injured animal to make sure it was dead.
Barton – whose brother Michael was handed a life sentence for murder in 2005 – went on to live with his father at his grandmother’s home after his parents split up.
He said of his childhood: ‘My dad brought me up to survive on a council estate. Where I grew up, the challenge is just staying alive every day.
‘You’re ducking and diving, making sure that you make it to school without getting stabbed and you get home without getting stabbed. It’s a jungle out there.’
It’s not clear when Georgia, who has worked as a stylist, first came into Barton’s life but she shared his humble beginnings.
Her parents Anthony, 65, and Denise, 64, run a firm which manufactures industrial paint and they now live in a dockside former warehouse in the city.
Georgia was dubbed ‘the bravest WAG in Britain’ after she moved in with Barton, just weeks after he was released from jail for a vicious street attack.
Their relationship was first publicly revealed in 2007 after Barton transferred from Manchester City to Newcastle and the couple set up home together in Jesmond.
His time in Manchester came to an abrupt end after a training ground assault on teammate Ousmane Dabo which led to him being handed a four-month suspended sentence.
Georgia has repeatedly attempted to portray volatile and violent Barton as the perfect husband. The pair are seen kissing each other in a picture from Georgia’s social media
Barton was seen outside court in January accompanied by his wife Georgia Barton (left)
Georgia was dubbed ‘the bravest WAG in Britain’ after she moved in with Barton, just weeks after he was released from jail for a vicious street attack
Georgia stood by Barton when he was jailed for six months after he punched one man 20 times before an attack which left a teenage boy with broken teeth in Liverpool city centre on December 27, 2007.
Barton – who made just one appearance for England – admitted he had a problem with alcohol and told how he ‘despised’ the man he became in drink and vowed to be ‘a far more responsible individual’ through ‘total abstinence’.
Barton served 74 days of his prison term before being released on July 28, 2008.
In August that year former Manchester City youth team player Jamie Tandy pursued a civil claim against Barton who he accused of stubbing out a lit cigar in his eye.
After he was freed from jail one friend of Barton said at the time: ‘He’s besotted. Georgia was there for him when he came out of jail and he told her he’s turned over a new leaf.
‘She wants to get his life back on track.’
But a friend of Georgia’s appeared more doubtful saying: ‘She wants her head looking at shacking up with that thug. Blokes like him never change.
‘Georgia thinks she will live a WAG’s life happily ever after. Her friends hope that she’s right but a few can’t help thinking she’s going to be let down.’
Barton went on to play for Queens Park Rangers, Marseille, Burnley and Rangers in Scotland before finishing his career at Burnley.
While Barton had a troubled upbringing, Georgia appears to have come from a loving family who she has remained close to ever since.
Perhaps her relationship with her family has helped provide some stability in Barton’s life too.
As Barton’s career took him to different cities around the country, Georgia’s family regularly visited them at their various homes and attended matches.
Barton, 42, and Georgia, 38, are understood to have been childhood sweethearts after growing up together in Liverpool. The pair are pictured together on holiday
In this image of the couple together posted in June 2023, Georgia wrote: ‘Four years married today – 16 years together. We’ve got four perfect kids, a great life and loads to look forward to. Wouldn’t want to be doing it with anyone else. Love you.’
Georgia often posts loving messages on Instagram highlighting the positive influence her parents have had in her life.
She has described her father as ‘the best dad in the world who would literally do anything for me’ while she has told how she loves her ‘fabulous’ mum ‘immesurably’.
Members of her family were present on the fateful night when Barton’s violent attack on Georgia led to him being sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for two years.
Westminster Magistrates Court heard Barton threatened to fight Georgia’s father and brother on the night of the attack at the couple’s home in south west London in June 2021,
The court heard how Georgia made a tearful 999 call minutes after the attack saying her husband ‘just hit me in the house’.
And later that evening she was filmed on police body-worn cameras telling officers she had been ‘pushed down and kicked about’ as her children slept upstairs.
Barton was accused of kicking Georgia in the head and leaving her with a ‘golf ball-sized’ lump on her forehead.
Barton had initially been due to face trial for his attack on Georgia in 2022 after pleading not guilty to assault by beating but the case was halted when Georgia retracted her initial claims.
But the High Court ruled last year that the trial could go ahead and that the previous decision to drop the case was ‘wrong in principle’.
It came despite Georgia giving evidence in her husband’s defence.
When she appeared in court to defend her husband, Georgia insisted: ‘I’m not a victim. I’ve never been a victim.’
In a bid to stop the trial she added: ‘Life is great with Joseph.’
Barton also slammed the BBC ‘s Sport Personality of the Year award after Mary Earps won the public vote in 2023
Barton singled out rising BBC star Alex Scott saying: ‘She hasn’t played in it (the men’s game)…One is 200 years old and one is about 40 years old… It’s the same rules but football is about a lot more than rules… The games are at two different speeds.’ (Pictured right: Eni Aluko)
Barton is seen during an appearance on the BBC’s Question Time in 2014 when he was forced to apologise after describing UKIP as the best of ‘four really ugly girls’
A magistrate this week branded her later account of the incident ‘unbelievable’.
While Barton may be a loudmouth in his social media rants which have included attacks on women commentators and pundits, he rarely speaks about his family life.
However in the fallout of the incident he said of his wife: ‘Me and my missus very, very rarely argue. She’s been a real strength in my life. I feel really safe when I am with her.’
Barton insisted he had not attacked Georgia and in his account of what happened he said: ‘There’s been a disagreement, there’s been raised voices, it’s kicked off in the house, drink-related, but we were fine within 24, 48 hours afterwards.’
He added: ‘I was deeply embarrassed. When I picked up the kids from school I was thinking these mums and dads are thinking I’ve been beating my missus up, especially with my narrative.
‘If you knew my background, you’d think, ‘He’s a violent man.’ It couldn’t be further from the truth.’
Through their long-relationship Georgia has portrayed life with the volatile former football and their four children as nothing more than idyllic.
She regularly posts happy family pictures on Instagram as she enjoys days out and exotic holidays with Barton and their four children Cassius, 12, Pieta, 10, Penn, six, and two-year-old Etienne.
In one image of the couple together posted in June 2023, Georgia wrote: ‘Four years married today – 16 years together. We’ve got four perfect kids, a great life and loads to look forward to. Wouldn’t want to be doing it with anyone else. Love you.’
After many years together the couple eventually married in a lavish ceremony at the Aynhoe Park country estate in Banbury, Oxfordshire in June 2019.
Joey Bradford, who was then the manager of Bristol Rovers having a heated discussion with manager of Bradford City, Mark Hughes
Zlatan Ibrahimovic of PSG argues with Joey Barton of OM during the French Cup match in 2013
Georgia posted a series of pictures of the wedding day telling followers how she was ‘on cloud nine’.
The occasion coincided with Pieta’s fifth birthday.
Even in the days after the assault, Georgia posted a loving message to her husband celebrating Father’s Day.
She wrote: ‘The kids absolutely adore you. Thank you for everything you do for them.’
The contrast between the image that Georgia portrays of Barton, his own vitriolic outbursts and political posturing on his social media accounts couldn’t be more stark.
Because on top of his history of violence, Barton has been a toxic figure in the media and on social media for over a decade.
During an appearance on the BBC’s Question Time in 2014 he was forced to apologise after describing UKIP as the best of ‘four really ugly girls’ during a heated debate.
Barton’s pent up anger appeared to reach new levels in his frequent rants on podcasts and social media which landed him in hot water when he began targeting women commentators and pundits commenting on men’s matches.
When Lionesses hero Mary Earps won BBC Sports Personality of the Year, in 2023 , Barton posted: ‘Sports Personality of the Year! More f****** nonsense.
‘Well done to all involved….So the best sports person this year is… a Women Goalie. Lost in a couple of finals this year. Not won a sausage. So popular that Nike didn’t even sell a replica jersey before the tournament.’
He then added: ‘I’d score 100 out of 100 penalties against Mary Earps. Any day of the week. Twice on a f****** Sunday.’
He followed the tirade with an appearance on Piers Morgan’s TalkTV show on which he claimed that the use of female pundits and presenters in men’s football was part of a ‘woke agenda’.
Barton singled out rising BBC star Alex Scott saying: ‘She hasn’t played in it (the men’s game)…One is 200 years old and one is about 40 years old… It’s the same rules but football is about a lot more than rules… The games are at two different speeds.’
Then, in January 2024, Barton targeted two female commentators, ITV’s Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, with abusive remarks adding that women ‘aren’t qualified’ to talk about the game.
After he was convicted of attacking Georgia last week he wrote on X that he would appeal the court decision, saying was ‘disappointed’ with the ruling
He later claimed that making such sexist comments was his duty to his grandfather and ‘thousands of men like him’ who fought in the First World War.
Last December Barton appeared at the High Court in London in a libel case brought by Aluko.
Her lawyer told the court that the ‘natural and ordinary meaning’ of posts by Barton about Aluko had suggested she was dishonest and hypocritical. Barton’s lawyer contested this. The case is ongoing.
Barton appears to remain angry. After he was convicted of attacking Georgia last week he wrote on X that he would appeal the court decision, saying was ‘disappointed’ with the ruling.
He also launched a social media attack aimed at the chief magistrate, Paul Goldspring, who had just handed down his sentence.
It came after a follower wrote that Mr Goldspring had convicted Barton of ‘a crime his own wife says didn’t happen’, and added that he ‘also allowed Huw Edwards to walk free for having child abuse images and was disciplined for describing Hamas as a ‘worthy cause’.’
Barton responded: ‘If you don’t get a jury of your peers in this country, you don’t get a fair trial. Even then with this politicalisation of the judiciary system, you’re up against it.
‘And we all laugh at Russia and North Korea. Britain is no longer a country of law. The game is bent.’
Meanwhile, Georgia has insisted she just wants to move on with her life.