Just like the 67 days he spent inside Strangeways Prison in 2008, yesterday’s 90 minutes at Celtic Park brought a rare brush with reality to the life of Joseph Anthony Barton.
The keyboard warrior and relegation specialist hasn’t been slow to open his gob with his comments in inverse proportion to his ability on the park.
Despite his rumoured pay-packet of £30,000 a week the ageing midfielder barely got a look in as Celtic handed Sevco a beating and Barton a lesson in humility.
Forced to play deeper and deeper, apparently to offer protection to his own defenders, Barton barely got near Scott Brown with the ‘head-to-head’ between the two players a non event.
The morning after the drubbing Barton tweeted.
No excuses. Nowhere near good enough for our football club yesterday.
— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) September 11, 2016
Brown’s ability has been questioned regularly over the last six months, Tuesday against Barca will be a real test, but yesterday against newly promoted opponents he mastered the little that was put his way.
After the rout Brown asked about his ‘battle with Barton’ and told Sky Sports: “Easy, yeah it was fine, there was no battle whatsoever.
“I think the scoreline talks for itself, it was pretty much men against boys at the end of the day.
“We’re pushing on now, we’re fitter and sharper than we’ve been in recent seasons. We come here and win, week in, week out and we’re trying to make this place a fortress.”
Having been brought in to rouse the rabble and sell season tickets Barton now has to produce something on the park.
With his weekly wage packet more will be expected, any more hide and seek performances like yesterday and he might find the people starting to ask angry questions of their highest earner.
CLICK HERE for Sutton’s Demolition Derby verdict
CLICK HERE for five iconic 5-1 images
CLICK HERE for Rod Stewart leads the huddle.
