It would be fair to say it’s not been the best fortnight in Joey Barton’s colourful career.
First he was part of the Rangers side that got thumped 5-1 by Celtic.
Then it emerged that he was involved in a Barton-esque row with his own team-mates and even his manager Mark Warburton – something which earned him a three week suspension from the club.
And now it has emerged he is being investigated for a breach of betting regulations.
Players, coaches, club officials and referees are banned from betting on football matches anywhere in the world, according to Scottish Football Association rules.
There are reports Barton placed a bet on the outcome of a Celtic match, but the SFA has said it cannot comment.
Meanwhile Barton’s book, No Nonsense, is coming out soon. Handy, in one way, in that he does not have to think about football for a while.
A Donald McRae interview with Barton, for The Guardian, will not do much for Barton’s relationship with players from his team and the rest of the Scottish Premiership. At one point, Barton explains how difficult it is to play at a level he has “clearly” not played at before. He says:
“It’s a much lower level and I’m trying to help people get to a higher level. They think me helping is me trying to say: ‘You’re not good enough.’
“It’s difficult.”
What makes it even more difficult is being part of an underperforming Rangers team that were thumped 5-1 by Celtic in their first real test since being promoted to the Premiership.
Barton was subbed off before the final whistle but it was noticeable that he went back onto the pitch at the end to shake the hands of Celtic’s players. That included Scott Brown, a man Barton said was not in his league. He comments:
“After we got pasted 5-1 the old me would have lamped someone. But I went round and shook everyone’s hand.”
Barton could well have been on the other side of that 5-1 result but, he reveals in his book, he turned down an advance from Celtic after he had started transfer talks with Rangers. Asked by McRae about Celtic making a move for him, Barton replies:
“I was never going to change my mind and let down Rangers. So I wonder how that will play out when people hear about it.”
They will certainly hear about it but it will not change how many Celtic fans now feel about Barton. He made his choice.
Some of those Celtic fans, that could have been supporting him, ended up calling police stations across Glasgow, on September 10, to report a missing person – one Joseph Barton.
Barton admits those antics do affect him.
“If you’re emotionally vulnerable it would do,” he says. “There are still days when stuff penetrates. I’m not a robot.”
