Alan Pardew says 'mature' Joey Barton deserves Newcastle captaincy

• Midfielder will deputise for suspended captain Kevin Nolan
• Pardew: 'He deserves the chance to take on that responsibility'

Joey Barton has been named as Newcastle's stand-in captain.

The Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has backed controversial midfielder Joey Barton by handing him the club captaincy in place of the suspended Kevin Nolan.

Pardew, naming Barton as captain for the next two games starting at Aston Villa on Sunday, said the 28-year-old deserved the opportunity.

"The spotlight will be on him, that is for sure," he told the Newcastle Journal. "Everyone will be watching him to see how he handles it, but he deserves the chance to take on that responsibility – not just with his displays but also his behaviour.

"There is a maturity and a calmness about Joey and, apart from one mishap against Blackburn, he has kept his control.

"He was excellent again against Wolves last weekend and we hope that he can play as well this weekend against Aston Villa and in the game after that, because we will need him to."