What price loyalty?

JOEY Barton's transfer from City to Newcastle has hit a
delay over a £300,000 "loyalty" pay-off.The midfielder would be due the money
from the Blues if he was sold on without putting in a transfer
request.
Barton has not put in a transfer request - but City
insist they will only allow him to complete his move to St James' Park if he
does.The 24-year-old England international has been on his way out of Eastlands
ever since an alleged training ground incident involving Ousmane Dabo in April,
which sparked a police investigation.
City allowed Barton to speak to Newcastle and West Ham
under the terms of his contract, which allowed him to have talks with any club
who put in a minimum offer of £5.5m for the player. Despite that, City are
adamant that they never listed him, and that they have not granted him
permission to leave Eastlands.

-MEN.

It strikes as amazing that Barton can seemingly demand a 'loyalty' bonus after having engineered a transfer to a side where he admitted he felt 'wanted' - not to mention a doubling of his salary.

The 'loyalty' payment is something that a player that is entitled to if he is effectively sold against his wishes - in effect not having submitted a transfer request to the club. It is therefore a difficult situation with Barton as it appears that after the Dabo incident it was more or less mutually agreed that Barton would be allowed to leave.

For me what strikes as not right about Barton's actions is whilst there could be an argument he is 'entitled' to the money, after the loyalty (not to mention the overwhelming support) the club has shown him over the past couple of years throughout his various midemeanours.

Checking out some of the message boards the opinion is strong that the club should dig in over this and refuse to make the payment.

I agree entirely and if Barton and Newcastle are that desperate to make a deal, then surely they can come to sort of arrangement between themselves.