Photo: Flickr
Footballer-turned-gob-almighty Joey Barton has been doing his outrage farming routine again. This week, he made more headlines after comparing two female football pundits to Fred and Rose West – and it’s left some high-profile figures to speculate about his well-being.
After getting sacked from his job at third-tier Bristol Rovers, Barton has decided to make a name for himself on X/Twitter. He’s always had a knack for drawing attention to himself, and now he’s reaching millions with his controversial views on women in football.
He’s also hit out at affirmative action and Black Lives Matter during his latest rant, endearing himself to right-wing figures along the way. Though Barton professes to have no strong affinity with the right, he’s ended up supporting many of their preferred positions.
His descent into digital chaos has surprised many. With a promotion from League Two on his CV and hundreds of Premier League games under his belt, Barton was far from fading into obscurity. But this is the path he’s chosen, and it’s brought him to this point.
Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward were both selected for ITV’s coverage of the FA Cup Third Round tie between Crystal Palace and Everton on Thursday. When Aluko forgot one player’s name, Barton pounced – comparing the duo to the murderous West couple.
ITV have since issued a statement, calling his response ‘vindictive and contemptible’. The whole affair has sparked a wide-ranging debate, and even Jeremy Vine has got involved – openly questioning if Joey Barton is suffering ‘from a brain injury’.
Barton has since issued a typically crass response, dipping into anti-vaccine rhetoric while accusing Vine of ‘gaslighting’ him. For now, the saga continues. While he’s got people’s attention, Barton will continue to bang the drum for whatever cause this may be.
