Explainers

JOEY Barton is very active on social media, regularly making the headlines since early December 2023 for voicing his opinions about women commentating on men’s football.But what exactly has Barton said, and who has reacted to his incendiary comments?
Joey Barton has made repeated claims that women should not commentate on men’s footballCredit: PA:Empics Sport
What has Joey Barton said?
Former Manchester City and Newcastle star Joey Barton has repeatedly taken to his keyboard to complain about female players talking about men’s football.
Barton has repeatedly responded to men taking issue with his comments by calling them “eunuchs”.
He’s also posted images of children’s dolls such as Action Man without any genitalia to emphasise his point.
Here’s what Barton’s been saying…

On December 6, 2023 Barton started the controversy by tweeting: “Women shouldn’t be talking with any kind of authority in the men’s game. Come on. Let’s be serious.
“It’s a completely different game. If you don’t accept that. We will always see things differently.
“The women’s game is thriving. Fantastic to see.
“I cannot take a thing they say serious in the men’s arena.”
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His tirade on X, formerly Twitter, included saying that women commentating on men’s football was the same as him “talking about knitting or netball”.
Barton, 41, defended his comments on Piers Morgan Uncensored on TalkTV — slamming former England and Arsenal footballer Alex Scott.
During her footy career she won eight league titles, three WSL Cups, seven FA Cups, the Champions League once, and two Community Shields.
When quizzed about her commentating he said, “she hasn’t played in it”. 
“One is 200 years old and one is about 40 years old… it’s the same rules but football is about a lot more than rules… The games are at two different speeds,” he said in his rant.
Barton said it was the same as him commentating on Formula One just because he can drive a car.
He then took to X once again to call out Bianca Westwood and Laura Woods for a debate on his new Common Sense podcast, after the pair both shared their views on his remarks.
The former midfielder wrote: “Both of you follow me. And not the other way around. So, Why the silence?
“Do you both have something to hide?
“You can come and debate. Just make sure you’re ready.
“I’ll take your silence as a sign you know it’s not for you. Screaming from the rooftops yesterday. Tumbleweeds blowing across the vast expanse today. Says it all…”
Neither Woods nor Westwood responded to Barton’s taunt — so he increased his efforts by questioning why they chose to remain silent.
He added: “Laura Woods and Bianca Westwood won’t come on the show. They’re not brave enough. Lots to say yesterday?
“You should have kept your heads down. Something to hide girls?
“Cat got your tongue today!”
On December 7, 2023 Barton tweeted: “The Women’s game is absolutely thriving. Great to see. It’s a fantastic sport in its own right.
“Really entertaining. Good to watch. Technically and tactically not that much difference.
“Physically. Complete different planet. Until you have experienced that. You cannot say what you would have done in said position at said time. No.
“It’s got a great England team (that wins stuff!) it’s got its own Premier League. It’s got its own Champions League.
“Please for the love of God, go and commentate on that!
“You can say what you want. You will be qualified to. You have actual experience of what is taking place.
“The eunuch’s might not agree. But somebody had to say something. Hate it having to be me…”
On December 8, 2023 he wrote:” If any top male players, ex-players think I’m wrong. That Women are overkill and under qualified in the Men’s punditry and commentary space.
“The floor is open to you all as well.
“As I said, anywhere, anytime and any place.
“Send me Location. 
“2 hours. No edit. 
“Gloves off. Conkers out.”
On December 16, 2023 Barton continued his social media tirade by slamming Football Focus.
Barton said: “36 minutes. Football Focus turned off. Sorry, it’s just terrible.
“Drivel and nonsense served with a side of boring. No wonder it’s getting canned.
“Well done to all involved. Another flagship destroyed by The Tokens.”
He next took aim at SPOTY winner Mary Earps.
On December 20, 2023 Barton tweeted: “So the best sports person this year is… A Women Goalie. Lost in a couple of finals this year. Not won a sausage.
“So popular that Nike didn’t even sell a replica jersey before tournament.
“You telling me all those who jumped on that bandwagon, haven’t voted in the BBC nonsense?
“Good luck to Mary. Hope she makes a few quid.”
Joey then added: “To win before Ronnie O’Sullivan and Frankie Dettori…? Well, that’s just madness to me.
“Both almost genius like in their respective fields. They’ve lost to a big sack of spuds that plays in goal for a girls team.”
On December 26, 2023 he tweeted: “Is this women pundit (Finnis-Brown) an international goalie.
“She’s at least a foot shorter than Tortoise head and McManaman…
“I’d Chip her on her line.
“Why is she talking about the men’s game???
“Please stop this nonsense”
On December 31, 2023, Barton reposted a tweet from Amazon Prime managing director for sport Alex Green, along with the comment: “Well done Alex.
“Can you now remove the terribly under qualified, tone deaf, tokenistic women currently all over your broadcasts.
“They’re ruining the experience for most of us.”
On Jan 1, 2024 Barton posted: “How can we not call this out for what it is?
“Women who are under qualified, under prepared and over opinionated.
“It’s ruining the experience for millions of Football addicts, like myself.”
On January 5, 2024 Barton compared two female commentators to serial killers.
He called  pundits Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward “the Fred and Rose West of football”.
Speaking about Aluko, Barton tweeted: “How is she even talking about Men’s football. She can’t even kick a ball properly.
“Your coverage of the game EFC last night, took it to a new low.
“Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, the Fred and Rose West of football commentary.”
And on January 7, 2024 Barton alleged women use “pillow talk” and their “sexuality to get an advantage”.
He posted: “We all know whose marriages you have violated. What info you got from the pillow talk to get ahead…
“I also, don’t blame you using your sexuality to get an advantage. It’s a big tool and everyone should use all there tools wisely in the game of life.”
He added: “Don’t take me for a fool. Lawyer up. Sue me. Get me cancelled. Pressure my employer’s, my sponsors.
“I’ve got plenty to fight you back with. I’ve deeper pockets than most.”
Who has reacted to Joey Barton’s comments?
TNT Sports presenter Laura Woods slammed Barton’s comments in a Twitter post.
She said: “Usually avoid these conversations as I don’t like adding more oxygen.
“But throwing young vloggers to the wolves is wrong.
“I started my career vlogging and I’ve always got on with Joey. He also sent me a lovely good luck message for TNT in June.
“Does that make him a eunuch too?
“Joey’s entitled to his opinion. If he feels that strongly about women in the men’s game he could ask for a private conversation with the broadcasters & state his case.
“These tweets only encourage a pile on for the women getting on with their jobs. Or was that the intention?”
Barton’s outburst triggered ex-Sky Sports veteran Bianca Westwood to ask him: “Who is qualified to speak on football then?”
Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored show on TalkTV on December 6, 2023 Bianca added: “I’ve been watching football for 40 years, my first game at West Ham was before Joey was even born.
“I’ve been watching hours and hours of football. I worked behind the scenes at Sky for 10 years before I was even given a shot on camera, watching my male colleagues who maybe weren’t as good as I was, getting chances I was never given.
“I don’t really understand what we need to know, how long we need to work behind the scenes before we are allowed on camera. To be a pundit, the laws are the same.”
She then drew on Chelsea women manager and ITV pundit Emma Hayes and Lioness boss Sarina Wiegman, asking Barton: “Are you saying they can’t offer an insight?”
In an Instagram story posted on December 7, 2023 Alex Scott and an unknown colleague can be heard laughing about Barton’s comments.
In the clip, Scott asks: “Who are you interviewing?”
The colleague replies: “I’m interviewing you actually.”
Scott says: “Oh are you? What are we talking about, Joey Barton?”
The quick-witted joke made Scott’s colleague burst out laughing.
On December 8, 2023 Scott then spoke out on X while sharing an article in which she opens up about her charity work.
She wrote: “Only thing I want to give oxygen to today on this platform & raise my voice to right now is this article below and how I’m so honoured to have spent the day yesterday with Refuge Charity who continue to do such incredible vital work for women & children.”
On December 16, 2023 presenter Dan Walker defended Scott, posting: “Hi Joey. Hope you’re ok. One of my Christmas wishes is that people with a big platform on here wouldn’t use it to drag others down.
“Alex WAS a great pro and IS a top television presenter — and a lovely person.
“Women who love football already have too many hurdles to climb over and too many doors slammed in their face. You have a big voice… use it to encourage.”
On January 5, 2024 ITV Sport hit back at Barton comparing its pundits to serial killers, with a spokesperson saying: “For Joey Barton, an ex-professional player with a significant social media presence, to target two of our pundits, Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, with such vindictive remarks based on gender and to involve the names of serial killers in doing so is clearly contemptible and shameful on his part.
“Football is for everyone.”
Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville supported ITV’s statement, posting: “Well done ITV. It’s gone too far this and mentioning serial killers is quite simply incredible.
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“I come from a family that has fought these issues for years and I’ve witnessed it first hand.
“All this does is just discourage and it’s not the way forward. It’s bloody hard work for Women to succeed in sport and media as it is without this stuff.” More