The footballer Joey Barton could be released from jail within days despite admitting in court yesterday how he rained punches on an unconscious teammate.

Barton, 25, currently serving a six-month sentence for a drunken street brawl in Liverpool, appeared before a judge in Manchester for a “snarling” attack on the former Manchester City player Ousmane Dabo.

The Newcastle United midfielder changed his plea to guilty at the last moment after Judge Khokhar Mushtaq, sitting at Minshull Crown Court, Manchester, indicated that he would receive a suspended sentence if he did so.

Barton, looking relaxed, listened as the prosecution described the violent confrontation at City’s Carrington training ground in May last year.

Richard Varden, for the prosecution, said Barton lost his temper during a practice match, squared up to Mr Dabo, 31, a French international, and then delivered a punch to the temple causing his victim to fall backwards dazed. As he did so, Barton clung to him, punching him a further four or five times.

It was, he said, an “explosive combination of football and violence”.

Mr Varden described how the two men, who had a history of animosity, had been playing on opposite sides. It became clear that a “degree of unpleasantness” resulted in a number of heavy challenges by both men. Mr Dabo, who now plays for Lazio, felt that Barton was trying to make a physical point.

At the end of the match Barton marched up to confront Mr Dabo face-to-face. Barton was shouting at Mr Dabo to “f*** off, telling him he was “s***e”. “He was, in the words of Mr Dabo, snarling at him,” Mr Varden said.

Mr Dabo attempted to push away the former England international and, as he did so, felt a punch to his right temple so painful that he began to lose consciousness. Teammates described seeing Barton hitting out with a flurry of blows, with blood pouring from the victim’s head, ear and nose.

Sylvain Distin, the former Manchester City captain, who now plays for Portsmouth, told police later that Barton continued punching the dazed player two or three times.

His victim had not put up any opposition.

Other teammates, including Paul Dickov, who was himself struck in the melée, and Stuart Pearce, the manager, recalled Barton standing over his victim as he delivered the final blows.

Joe Hart, the club goalkeeper, described how Barton appeared to be holding up Mr Dabo and was able to punch him four or five times before other players intervened.

Mr Dabo, who suffered trauma to his left eye, feared for a while that his eyesight was permanently damged and that it would bring his professional career to a close.

The player, who watched proceedings from the public gallery, described in a victim impact statement how he suffered pain and had to miss several matches. It came at a difficult time for him, when he was trying to establish himself at the club. Mr Dabo said: “He has made no apology.”

Barton, who has admitted having a drink problem, has been in Walton prison, Merseyside, serving his sentence for the street brawl in Liverpool, committed while on bail for the assault on Ousmane Dabo.

It emerged through the player’s defence team that Barton had become eligible this week for early release with an electronic tag.

Judge Mushtaq said that he had been impressed by the player’s commitment to treatment at Sporting Chance, the Hampshire clinic set up by Tony Adams, the former Arsenal and England defender, where Barton is being treated for anger management and drink problems. He said: “Should he comply with and continue with Sporting Chance, I do not see this happening again.”

Barton, who is likely to be allowed home within days, waved at his family in the public gallery before heading for the cells. He will stay overnight at Strangeways prison before being sentenced today. Mr Dabo refused to comment after the hearing.

Barton, who earns £60,000 a week playing for Newcastle United, has been resisting attempts by the club to cut his wages.

Times Recommends

• Oh no, Darling: you've failed
• BBC survives dogfight over Kennel Club expose
• Where the Rosetta belongs can’t be set in stone