Joey Barton!

17
Joey Barton!

Despite this (and other) sites’ understandable mockery and dubiety of the story some weeks ago, it does now seem that free agent Joey Barton is seriously on Mark Warburton’s horizon as a new recruit at Ibrox.

The 33-year old’s influence on English football over the past couple of decades falls into infamy and legend, but no one would deny his ability – he is one of those players who, if he had managed to wise up at a younger age, and mature on the pitch, would have been a regular for England – he is, and was, that good.

This season he won Burnley’s Player of the Year award, and was also named in the PFA Championship’s Team of the Year selection as well – to observe that the hard-tackling but refined midfielder had an outstanding term as Sean Dyche’s men won the Championship trophy in style is an understatement.

Ergo, for him to consider giving up a potential move to either a lower EPL club or a one-year extension at Turf Moor in exchange for a move to the backwater by comparison that is the Scottish Premiership is yet more evidence both of the lure of Rangers and the influence of the Three Musketeers that are David Weir, Frank McParland and of course Mark Warburton.

Naturally, nothing is signed yet – rumour and counter rumour dominate this story – at one point last night Barton was even touted with a move to Celtic, while Burnley supposedly offered him a two-year deal, all the while the former Man City anchor was supposedly running the treadmill at Murray Park.

But the truth is that he most definitely was at Murray Park, and was at Ibrox, and was escorted around by the universally respected Sir David of Weir – the fact Rangers are seriously in with a shout of signing a player of the quality of Joey Barton on top of already having attracted Liverpool’s Jordan Rossiter is a truly colossal turn of events.

It may still not happen, of course – things change very quickly in football, but to the individual who supposedly broke this story originally on the Follow Follow forum, I have to take my hat off and apologise for mocking the possibility it was true. He has also seemingly linked Liverpool’s Danny Ings with a loan move and Hibernian’s Jason Cummings (long-mooted for a switch to Ibrox) as joining Rossiter (and possibly Barton) so we will see how many of these happen.

But if Rangers do snap Barton up, it is the biggest statement of intent yet; the irony is with securing Rossiter, Warbs has already made a massive one as it is.

It does seem things are only going to get better.


polls

No posts to display

17 COMMENTS

  1. A good calm head to keep the young lads in check. Hope this happens. He is 33 and for me the "crazy" days are long behind him. Cracking footballer on his day and he has been on his day all season for burnley

    • He's supported our enemy so regardless how good he is i want rangers minded players i don't understand the amount of rangers fan's that are happy and getting excited about joey barton, leave him to sign another year at Burnley and get relegated to become a pundit, we are Glasgow rangers we have choice of who we can sign.

    • FFS man get a grip. Kenny Miller played for the manky mob but is still a Rangers hero and his goals are cheered to the rafters at ibrox.

      Hardly any English player grew up supporting a Scottish team, so nothing in this at all…

  2. Agreed! Happy to have him. A good player who has loads of experience to pass onto the younger players.

  3. Burnley's loss would be Rangers gain. A fantastic reader of the game, and loves to spread the ball around. A great asset to have at any club, especially when it comes to the old firm matches.

  4. Ibrox is looking like a kindergarten these days. Youngsters everywhere. If Kenny Miller wasn't doing such a good impression of Benjamin Button he'd be gone and the average age of the squad would be about fourteen.
    Seriously, it's good that the focus is on the younger players. They are our future. That said, Kenny, who is playing really well and Lee Wallace would probably appreciate another 'old head' in the squad.
    I've always liked Joey. Like most fans I like players with a bit of bite in their game. Hope he signs up. Rangers are headed for some really exciting times next season and the years ahead. Then of course, there is the small matter of a Scottish Cup final coming up.
    Happy days lads.

  5. I'm trying so hard not to get excited at the possibility of this happening. I thought the days of signing established players were long gone.

    With or without Joey Barton, we certainly seem to be on the right track.

  6. He's an eejit. So much for signing players of good character and having a harmonious squad!

    • He's a player believe me. Your the eejit. The magic hat knows what he's doing. Great player

  7. He's a great player and I know he can be crazy but as has been said before his mad days are behind him. Be a great buy for Rangers

  8. He will be cannon fodder for our refs,, easily wound up and wreckless in challenges,, i think there are better role models out there,, no doubt a big gamble for Rangers, but I'm liking the way Rangers are thinking about the calibre of player we are wanting to bring in,,, european class as well as domestic,, interesting times ahead,,,

  9. Being a pessimist, I wonder if he is trying to force Burnley's hand to match the Gers offer….

  10. Do we not forget Terry Hurlock, gets in there when it matters, give Broon something to think about, good for the kids .

  11. I'm not sure I want a guy who takes pleasure in kicking beggars cups all over the street(something of a party-piece of his).I'm no fan of ham n eggers myself but you CAN just walk by them.I trust Warbs though and he must be sure this type of behaviour is firmly in Bartons past.I can't see him introducing this guy into a good dressing room unless he's screwed the nut.Ability wise absolutely what we need and given our dearth of physicality he'll be a smash up here.Its a yes from me.

    • Well said mate. Warbs and Weir have earned my trust. If they say it's good enough. Then it's good enough end off.

Comments are closed.