JOEY BARTON is the new Bristol Rovers manager.
The former midfielder, 38, replaces Paul Tisdale at the Memorial Stadium on a contract until 2023.
Joey Barton is back in management after taking the Bristol Rovers jobCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Barton spent two-and-a-half years as Fleetwood boss between June 2018 and his ugly departure last month.
He won 51 of his 128 games in charge with the Cod Army.
Now the one-cap England international is tasked with keeping Rovers in League One.
The Gas are currently 18th in the table, one of three teams on 27 points and just two clear of the relegation zone.
Barton has been joined by assistant manager Clint Hill and first-team coach Andy Mangan.
They will take charge of their first game when Wigan travel to the Mem tomorrow night.
Speaking about Barton’s appointment, Bristol Rovers president Wael Al Qadi said, “We are delighted to welcome Joey to Bristol Rovers and look forward to working closely with him to progress our football club forward.
“Joey’s experience in the game is matched by his passion for coaching and delivering results, which made him a standout candidate for the role.
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“He’s got a good knowledge of the league already thanks to his spell at Fleetwood and has shown his credentials at delivering results and getting the best out of the players he works with.
“We are confident that he will be able to continue the ongoing development of the younger players coming through the ranks at the club and speaking to him, I know his ambitions align with what we want to achieve as a football club.
“I want to wish Joey, the staff and the players the very best of luck for the coming games, as we look to cement our safety in Sky Bet League One and build for the future.”
Barton was axed by Fleetwood on January 4 following a fall-out with striker Ched Evans.
SunSport revealed Barton let the forward join Preston after alleged disciplinary breaches despite chairman Andy Pilley remaining a fan.
The former Newcastle man also revealed the ‘disconnect’ with the League One side’s owner that led to him leaving Highbury.
Speaking on Robbie Fowler’s podcast, Barton felt Pilley wanted to dictate transfers and admitted the pair didn’t speak for ten days before his sacking.
In the same interview, he lifted the lid on the training ground fight with Ousmane Dabo at Manchester City – and offered the Frenchman a shot at ‘revenge’ in a charity match.
Barton, who has served time in prison and also landed himself in hot water for stubbing a cigar out in a youth team player’s eye, was hit with a six-match ban by the Football Association in 2008 for assaulting his then Etihad team-mate on May 1, 2007.
He was also given a four-month suspended sentence after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm after Dabo was left with cuts and bruises as well as a detached retina.
Joey Barton reveals he left Fleetwood after bust-up with chairman
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
