Controversial ex-Rangers midfielder Joey Barton has bitten back at suggestions he was an Ibrox “flop” as he promises to exact revenge on Old Firm fans.
The Bristol Rovers manager had a peak Banter Years stint at Ibrox in 2016, when he talked a good game but never delivered after moving to Rangers from Burnley under Mark Warburton.
With Joey Barton mouthing off about Scott Brown and being the best player in the Premiership, Celtic wound up going the season unbeaten and the ex-Man City star eventually stormed out of Ibrox.
Following a training ground bust-up with bluenose midfielder Andy Halliday, Joey Barton was shown his jotters by Rangers before returning to the Premier League and Burnley down south.
Joey Barton namedrops Hearts as he pledges Rangers revenge
It remains one of the most controversial and ill-fated stints in Scottish football with – rather uniquely – Scottish football unified in a distaste with regards the arrogance shown Joey Barton up north.
But far from eat humble pie, the outspoken former Newcastle United star claims he wants to prove both Rangers and Celtic fans wrong by taking charge of Hearts, Hibs or Aberdeen.
“Every time I read a Scottish paper it’s a case of ‘Flop Barton’,” Barton told the Scottish Sun.
“It’s the only blot on my copybook as a player.
“Maybe there’s only one thing for it and that means I’ll have to go back to Scotland and take charge of Hibs, Aberdeen or Hearts — and ram it down the Old Firm’s throats.
“You know what you’ve done and I don’t need anyone to tell me that I was a brilliant player.
“The only exception is with Rangers.
“My time at Ibrox is the only black mark I’ve got in my copybook as a player. I can’t count myself successful as a Rangers player because I fell out with the manager there and wasn’t allowed enough time to prove myself.
“But look at what’s happened to Mark Warburton since we went our separate ways. It’s been a case of sacked, sacked, sacked. Now he’s a first-team coach at West Ham and look what’s happened to David Moyes since he arrived.
“But if the powers-that-be had got rid of Warburton and stuck by me, they would have won their 55th title a lot sooner than they did under Steven Gerrard. But Rangers made a bed for themselves with Warburton and they had to lie in it.”
Whatever helps you sleep at night Joey Barton, Rangers fans got used to not taking anything you say seriously a long time ago.
And God help Hearts – currently without a manager following the sacking of Robbie Neilson – if they employed the unpredictable ex-Marseille star in their top job.
