Sep 28, 2013 08:21 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Joey Barton, the controversial QPR midfielder has resumed his education. Barton, 31, has enrolled in a philosophy degree program at Roehampton University.

"Off to my first lecture this afternoon. Eyes peeled, ears open, brain engaged," Barton posted on Twitter Thursday to his 2.3 million followers on the social networking site.

Harry Redknapp, QPR manager, is happy with Barton's decision to focus on academics for a while. Redknapp described the move as 'great.'

"Good luck to him," Redknapp told the Independent. "If it's going to help him in the future, with whatever he wants to do with his life, great. I'd rather he'd been studying than doing something else. It sounds a good idea. If it makes him happy, keeps him being a good person. He's not been a problem, he's been great here this year."

Barton was motivated to take up the course following the death of sports Councillor Peter Kay, co-founder of the Sporting Chance clinic earlier in September. Kay helped Barton solve his issues during the early years of his career.

Many of his fans hope that this classroom discipline will also improve with his on-field behavior. He has already received seven red cards in his career.

According to the Daily Mail UK, in 2008, the former Manchester City and Newcastle United player was charged with 'Common Assault and Affray' and was sent to prison for six months. He was accused of punching a man 20 times in a 'boozy late-night attack' near a McDonald's outlet in Liverpool City Center. Barton served 77 days prison term before being released 28 July 2008.

In another incident, 1 July 2008 Barton received four months suspension after admitting 'Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm' on former teammate Ousmane Dabo during a training ground argument in May 2007.

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit