Celtic fans were quick to put Joey Barton right as the former Burnley ace tried to ‘photo-shop’ the last stages of his career.
In the summer of 2016 the former Strangeways inmate signed a two year contract with the new Rangers club founded in 2012 by Charles Green.
During a summer of hype Barton was shouting the odds about what he was going to do with putting Scott Brown in his place one of the main promises.
“I went out at the top level playing against Manchester United and Paul Pogba on the TV. It’s not a bad way to end your career.”
Joey Barton has no regrets about retiring from playing to step into management.
Interview here: https://t.co/ER2U3lme9D pic.twitter.com/5MpUSMfTdE
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) November 16, 2018
This is the moment he retired. pic.twitter.com/okKahf8Ud5
— ????Orchardbhoy? (@mmcc72) November 16, 2018
Ended it in Scott Brown’s back pocket
— Stu C (@stucrook) November 16, 2018
Joey is the most deluded man to ever lace up a pair of boots. He went running back to England with his tail between his legs after giving it the big I am up in Scotland and then failing miserably! pic.twitter.com/Lf62xoDTs0
— Henky7 (@ArdMhachaBhoy7) November 17, 2018
Get that baw for us @Joey7Barton ???????? pic.twitter.com/zFaaR1XT2u
— @BrendansBhoy2018 (@BrendansBhoy18) November 17, 2018
Glad he was involved in this absolute trouncing that day, laughed out of the game up here!! pic.twitter.com/D3ZnGdKPAP
— John Forrest (@johnforrest6) November 17, 2018
Ended like this.. pic.twitter.com/g5G2z9T9dy
— eddie clarke (@eddieclarke2) November 17, 2018
This is the moment he was retired. You could tell he was desperate to win the drop ball and couldn’t. pic.twitter.com/2Sj4pChtjF
— Bryan Boyle (@Boju85) November 17, 2018
You went out after the utmost humiliation in Scotland. You said you’d ‘boss it’ but you were put firmly in your place by the majestic midfield masterclass of Scott Brown.
You realised then you’d made a massive balls up and sloped back down the road embarrassed and washed up— Éire Go Brách CSC (@EireGoBrachCSC) November 18, 2018
Unbelievably average player with an over inflated ego. Still, he can look back in Rangers career with fondness @Joey7Barton
— FM77 (@Flymusic77) November 17, 2018
All of his favourite media outlets bought into the story alongside the claim that he had signed at Ibrox as the Championship Player of the Year. Barton was the Burnley Player of the Year, without his overbearing presence Sean Dyche’s side survived for the first time in the EPL.
As Burnley went from strength to strength Barton’s career went down the plug-hole, ended on a sunny day in Glasgow’s east end as he got to share a pitch with Brown and ten fully motivated team-mates.
The ‘Championship Player of the Year’ didn’t get a look in, he left the pitch a broken ego. A few days later he engineered a bust up on the training ground and was never seen again in Scottish football.
Barton was hit by an 18 month playing ban by the FA for betting on football matches, in Scotland a similar offence brought a one match ban.
Barton is now managing Fleetwood Town, sitting in 12th place in League One with six wins, six draws and six defeats from their first 18 matches of the season.
