Barnsley manager Daniel Stendel gives detectives account of Joey Barton tunnel fracas

Joey Barton
Joey Barton is yet to be contacted by police over the incident Credit: Getty Images

Barnsley manager Daniel Stendel on Monday gave detectives his account of a tunnel fracas in which Fleetwood Town's Joey Barton is alleged to have assaulted him.

The Fleetwood boss has yet to be contacted by South Yorkshire Police and he will take training as usual on Tuesday with the backing of his club.

It is not yet known whether Stendel - who required emergency dental treatment after the row outside the changing rooms after Barnsley's 4-2 win at Oakwell on Sunday - wishes to press charges.

South Yorkshire Police said on Monday afternoon in a statement that their investigation is ongoing.  A police spokesman said: "South Yorkshire Police is continuing to investigate reports of an assault at Barnsley Football Club on the afternoon of Saturday April 13. No arrests have been made at this time and enquiries remain ongoing."  

Stendel is understood to have damaged two teeth after knocking his head into a metal support at the side of the tunnel. The Football Association is also seeking statements from those involved.

Fleetwood are in no immediate rush to discipline Barton, with club sources casting doubt on the veracity of at least some of the allegations. One told Telegraph Sport that "80 per cent" of claims were inaccurate and that the truth will "come out in the wash".

The brawl first came to light after Barnsley's victory at Oakwell on Saturday when the car Barton was travelling in was stopped by police. Cauley Woodrow, the Barnsley striker, had claimed in a later deleted tweet that Stendel had been left with blood pouring from his face. Officers on the scene briefly spoke to Barton before letting him go.

Immediately after the game Woodrow had taken to social media to describe his "disgust" at the events following the match.

"Firstly ... to have a manager that can physically assault another manager in the tunnel is disgusting, causing our manager to have blood pouring from his face!!" he wrote on Twitter. "People like you don't deserve a place in the game of football you are foul." He later deleted his posts.

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