JOEY BARTON claims he paid backroom staff out of his own pocket and even offered to fund the wages of goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler at Fleetwood.
The former Man City and Newcastle midfielder narrowly missed out on promotion in the League One play-offs last season.
Joey Barton claims he paid some of his Fleetwood backroom staff out of his own pocketCredit: Rex Features
He also says he offered to pay goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler’s wages to keep him at the clubCredit: PA:Press Association
But a transfer embargo and several departures made a top six push even more difficult this term, and after a disagreement with the chairman over Ched Evans and new signings, he left the club last month.
Barton, 38, has recently appeared on Robbie Fowler’s podcast to discuss his rollercoaster and controversial career, including his infamous training ground bust-up with former City team-mate Ousmane Dabo.
And he used the opportunity to thank Fleetwood owner Andy Pilley for taking ‘a chance’ and giving him his first opportunity as manager.
He described how and why their relationship then began to break down over the last couple of months of his reign at Highbury.
The club were limited in the transfer market after accepting an EFL loan, which meant they had to pay it back in full before they could do any further business in the market.
And that was just one of the reasons that led to his departure, with Barton saying: “What happened was he (Pilley) went into a transfer embargo due to coronavirus.
“He took out an £800,000 loan from the EFL that they were going to pay back. The Premier League rescue package only ended up coming in at half of the loan.
“Whilst I was there they were under a transfer embargo and a few were coming to the end of their cycle.
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“Ched Evans, I’d just had enough of him. I just felt he wasn’t performing on the pitch and I wanted to improve it in that position.
“When I went to speak to him (Pilley) about it he told me about the embargo, which was a lot later than I thought I should have found out about it.
“I wanted a couple of bodies in and I thought we could be there or thereabouts. He wanted to bring some of the younger players in.”
Barton then claimed he was that desperate to succeed he even paid staff out of his own pocket – and wanted to pay his goalkeeper’s wages as well to keep him at the club.
However, that is not allowed under rules governing third party ownership.
The one-cap England international said: “He wanted to get promoted using the younger players and he wanted to put Alex Cairns back in goal.
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“He’d cost us in the play-offs and I felt the team had lost confidence in Al.
“I brought a number one in (Joel Coleman) and he injured his hamstring. I brought a number two in (Jayson Leutwiler) and he ended up being number one.
“He told me he wasn’t going to renew Jayson Leutwiler’s contract and he’d done superbly. I said I’d pay him out of my own money.
“I was paying for staff. I was paying for stuff for some of the lads myself because I wanted Fleetwood to win.
“I didn’t take money home really – I was just paying other members of staff who I felt I needed.
“I offered to pay for Leuts. He (Pilley) said no and I knew at that point he wanted to dictate the team.”
SunSport has approached Fleetwood for comment.
Joey Barton reveals he left Fleetwood after bust-up with chairman
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
