Barton and Ranger denied US visas

Soccer:Joey Barton and Nile Ranger will both miss Newcastle's pre-season trip to the United States after being refused entry visas.

The pair will instead travel to Holland with Peter Beardsley's reserve team squad and re-join their senior colleagues on their return to Tyneside.

Ranger's absence from the tour, which includes three friendlies, was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon following an announcement earlier that Barton's visa application had been rejected.

Barton, 28, was given a six-month jail sentence after admitting assault and affray in 2008. It has not been revealed why Rangers was denied permission to travel.

Barton said in a statement on Newcastle's official website: "Unfortunately, I was denied my visa due to my past.

"I regret not being able to travel with the club on this trip, but at the same time, I don't expect to be treated any differently or more favourably than anyone else in a similar situation.

"All I can do is continue to improve as a person, which is what I intend to do.

"Again, apologies to all the NUFC supporters - as well as the fast growing legions of football supporters in the United States who I was looking forward to meeting. I will see you in the future."

Meanwhile, sources on Tyneside have insisted that reports suggesting Chelsea have made contact with the Magpies over Ivory Coast midfielder Cheick Tiote are incorrect.

Tiote has been a major hit at St James' Park since making a €4 million switch from Dutch side FC Twente last summer, and he signed a new six-and-a-half-year contract in February with a series of clubs looking on jealously.

The denials, however, may do little to ease the fears of fans who saw Andy Carroll depart for Liverpool in January despite Pardew's repeated insistence that he was not for sale.