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      ‘You need to appease clubs’ – Scots Fifa referee who moved to England stunned whistlers turn ‘blind eye’ to simulation

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      BOBBY MADDEN has lifted the lid on the power English clubs hold over referees.The former Fifa whistler retired in the summer after a season taking charge of games down south.
      Bobby Madden quit the game in Scotland to go and further his career in EnglandCredit: Kenny Ramsay
      Madden had achieved all he’d set out to as an official in Scotland and wanted a fresh challenge in EFL League One.
      But he hung up his whistle for several reasons, including being stunned at how the observer marking system is weighted in the clubs’ favour.
      Madden, 45, said: “There were challenges and a different mentality in how they manage situations from an FA and PGMOL point of view.
      “The clubs pay them, so they have control over officials.

      “One of the frustrations which didn’t affect me directly is the clubs have 40 per cent of the mark that’s given to a referee.
      “Essentially you need to appease the clubs to get on, so anyone going into that system needs to referee with that in mind.
      “It’s difficult when you’ve refereed to a level with an observer system then you have a club system like that. It’s difficult for the referees.
      “There were good referees in League One and Two, but would they turn a blind eye to obvious simulation or clear dissent or foul or abusive language? I saw it happen.
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      “I think that’s one of the challenges they have.
      “Each club has 20 per cent of their mark.
      “In Scotland it’s one observer and you receive one mark and it’s the same with Uefa.
      “In England the assessor only has 20 per cent. They also go to a panel and review it, so it was a new system.
      “The clubs and players and managers know they are marking you.
      “I’ve heard comments like, ‘Just remember who’s marking you’. The clubs know they have that power.
      “It’s a challenging environment for referees coming through.
      “I didn’t change my tactics, though. I just managed games the way I always have.
      “I was probably known for not showing that many yellow cards and I tried to follow that, but it’s probably a more difficult arena to do that in.”
      Madden was also disappointed by the quality of the game down south, despite its bold claims, and the lack of respect shown by players towards officials compared to Scotland.
      He said: “In England the football and the teams are very well organised. The surfaces and facilities are good.
      “But I was disappointed with the football.
      “League One there compares to the bottom three or four in our Premiership and League Two compares to the Championship.
      “But England are very good at marketing their leagues, so people believe it’s high level.
      “Of course it’s very well organised, but the level of football probably wasn’t what I expected.
      “I was still fortunate to referee some decent games in League One.
      “In Scotland teams play against each other four times a season or whatever, so there’s a lot of repetition and it’s the same with referees.
      “You’ll referee each team five or six times a year. Take that over ten years and you are in a lot of contact with the same people so you build up a relationship.
      “They might not agree with your decisions and players will use foul language and I’ll use the same type back.
      “In England that level of respect isn’t there because of their approach, but it was maybe because I was a new face that they didn’t know.
      “They’re also in that arena where they’re very well paid, they have a fantastic environment and there’s maybe a degree of entitlement.
      “I did find a lot of players difficult to deal with and they didn’t like to be challenged.
      Read More on The Sun
      “In Scotland I liked the banter and to give a bit back and have that relationship.”
      Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page More

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      Frank Lampard tipped to seal stunning return to management as Chelsea legend emerges as frontrunner for vacant role

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      AFTER almost six months without a job, Frank Lampard could be set for a return to management.The former Chelsea and England ace has been linked with the vacant managerial position at League One side Oxford United.
      Frank Lampard is reportedly one of the favourites to take over at League One side Oxford UnitedCredit: Getty
      Paddy McCarthy, currently Roy Hodgson’s assistant at Crystal Palace, is also said to be in the runningCredit: Alamy
      Lampard is reportedly one of the two favourites for the job, along with Crystal Palace assistant Paddy McCarthy, as per The Portsmouth News.
      The U’s have been without a boss since Liam Manning left earlier this week to take over Championship side Bristol City.
      Manning’s appointment came despite Lampard having been backed by the bookies for the position.
      Following the departure of Manning and his assistant Chris Hogg, Oxford CEO Tim Williams said in a statement: “I am hugely disappointed to be losing Liam and Chris at this stage of the season, particularly given the support they had been given. 
      Read More on Football
      “However, we have already begun the process of securing the best possible candidate to replace Liam.
      “This is a fantastic club with great training facilities and an exciting future – I have no doubt we will have huge interest in the role.”
      Oxford currently sit second in League One having won ten of their fifteen games this season.
      Should Lampard make his way to Kassam Stadium, it would mark his first foray into League One in any capacity.
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      Lampard’s experiences outside of the Premier League are limited.
      As a youngster, he was loaned by West Ham to Swansea City, who then played in the old Second Division.
      Fast forward to 2018, and Lampard kicked off his managerial career with Derby County.
      During his sole season in the Championship, Lampard guided the Rams to the play-off final where they ultimately lost 2-1 to Aston Villa.
      In the years since he has had two stints in charge of Chelsea and one with Everton.
      Lampard’s last job was as Chelsea’s caretaker this springCredit: Getty More

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      We live by historic stadium but it’s like we’re in shadow of ‘giant Ikea’ as it’s expanded… they can’t even fill it now

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      FURIOUS locals living next to a historic stadium say it’s like they’re in the shadow of a “giant Ikea” as it’s expanded.Neighbours have complained Bristol Rovers – who recently sacked as manager ex-England and Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton – can’t fill their ground even before a big capacity boost on the way.
      Neighbours have compared Bristol Rovers’ new stand to furniture firm IkeaCredit: Marc Giddings
      The League One football club have begun work to demolish a temporary stand and replace it with a new stand increasing capacity by more than 3,000 to 12,500.
      Local residents say they have been left in the dark about new development at the Memorial Stadium, in Bristol’s Horfield district.
      Susan Smith, who has lived near the club’s south stand for seven years, said: “We only found out it was happening at 6am one day when demolition work started.
      “The parking is awful on a matchday as it is – the way people leave their cars is dangerous.
      Read More On Bristol Rovers
      “Then there is the noise level and the amount of litter left on the street is disgusting.
      “It’s not like Rovers need the extra space – it’s not exactly a full house every week.”
      Another homeowner fears the new stand could block almost half the light coming through her windows.
      She said: “During the building process there has been extreme noise and disruption as well as a massive invasion of privacy.
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      “Something like this takes an enormous emotional toll – this is where we live, it is our home and we are living this every day.
      “One of the things that has been levelled at residents is, ‘You chose to buy a house next to a football stadium’.
      “But we’re not saying don’t play football there or even don’t build a stand, we just want them to consider how badly this impacts us.”
      The proposed new stand would be 44ft high and clad in bright blue metal panels – prompting comparisons with Swedish furniture giant Ikea.
      One local said: “It’s like living next to Ikea – it’s all I can see out of my windows and I don’t go in my garden any more.
      “It’s affected my quality of life.”
      Bristol Rovers moved to the ground in 1996, initially as tenants of Bristol Rugby Club – now Bristol Bears – before securing ownership of the stadium.
      The site of their former home, the Eastville Stadium, is now an Ikea.
      The current application is the second submitted by the club.
      ‘NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH FANS’
      Hundreds of people have written in to tell council planners they support the proposals for a new stand.
      Almost 250 letters of support were received by council planners in the first week after Rovers’ new planning application was submitted.
      There have been 47 letters of objection sent in.
      Bristol Live reported the club decided to build the new stand at the same time as applying for permission due to shortages and constraints in the construction industry.
      That was reportedly felt to be the only way to accommodate extra fans in the new stand during the current football season.
      Bristol City Council has indicated there was nothing illegal about that so long as the work was within the scope of the application.
      If planning permission is refused, they could take enforcement action to make the club pull down the new stand.
      The capacity increase has been welcomed by some supporters and local businesses.
      Sahil Wali, owner of the Bristol Fryer chippy near the stadium, said: “Matchdays are always our best days.
      “I’ve been here 12 years and have never had problems with the fans.
      “If the stadium gets bigger, that’s great for us and other businesses.”
      Rovers fans have also written to the council saying the works should be approved.
      One said: “This will help the football club get back to the capacity they had pre-Covid.
      “By doing this it will support the local businesses that the Bristol Rovers fans frequent when watching the game.
      “It is not making it larger in the sense of footfall, rather than returning back to previous available headcount.
      Read More on The Sun
      “The added traffic would have been the same pre-Covid so no detriment or new experience to the residents who moved next to a football stadium that has been there over 100 years.”
      The Sun has contacted Bristol Rovers for comment.
      The new terraces is taking shape during a wait for planning approvalCredit: Marc Giddings
      Local resident Susan Smith is concerned about parking, traffic and noiseCredit: Marc Giddings
      Chip shop owner Sahil Wall is looking forward to more fans coming alongCredit: Marc Giddings
      The new stand adds more than 3,000 seats to the Memorial StadiumCredit: Marc Giddings
      The ground has been home to Bristol Rovers since 1996Credit: Marc Giddings
      The club has put in a second bid for council permissionCredit: Marc Giddings
      Neighbours have raised worries about a loss of light into their homesCredit: Marc Giddings
      The stadium is in the Horfield district of BristolCredit: Marc Giddings More

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      Ex-EFL boss bags share of £1m postcode lottery despite coaching team for one of world’s richest men 7,000 miles away

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      A FORMER English Football League boss has bagged a share of a £1million postcode lottery despite a coaching a team for one of the world’s richest men 7,000 miles away.Adrian Pennock has pocketed £83,333 along with other members of his Kent postcode including his son, after hitting the People’s Postcode Lottery jackpot.
      Ex-Gillingham and Forest Green Rovers boss Adrian Pennock has hit the jackpotCredit: Alamy
      But he is no stranger to riches already – having worked in football for the Crown Prince of Brunei, Al-Muhtadee Billah.
      The prince is first in line to the Brunei throne and is heir to a fortune estimated at £20billion.
      Pennock was managing then-non-league Barrow when he was recruited to take charge of DPMM who play in the Singapore Premier League – going on to lead them to a championship title.
      He got the surprise call from a representative of the Crown Prince, who owns the now-professional club and played in goal for them when they started out as a college team.
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      Pennock, 52, has been in charge of DPMM since 2019, leading them to back-to-back league triumphs.
      The Ipswich-born coach played professionally for Norwich City, Bournemouth and Gillingham where he remains a club legend after captaining the Gills to a Second Division promotion play-off triumph at Wembley in 2000.
      He later spent time as manager of Forest Green Rovers and then League One club Gillingham in 2017, before moving on to Barrow in Cumbria the following year.
      He retains a base in Gillingham’s home county of Kent and his ME7 3TG postcode in Hempstead was named winner of one of the latest weekly Millionaire Street draws.
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      He shares the £1million prize with nine neighbouring families who include his Ashley, a dad-of-two who works as a secondary school teacher.
      Ashley made the call to tell his dad the good news, KentOnline reported.
      He said: “To win as a family, I can’t believe it – to share this experience with them when they’re getting the same thing, it is just amazing.”
      Ashley’s mum Tania said: “This is incredible for me and Adrian, but I’m so made up for my son and his wife.
      “We’ve been sharing the anticipation together for the past week. It’s been such fun.”
      Kent has already been dubbed “one of Britain’s luckiest counties” after three locals scooped £3million in Lotto prizes in just a fortnight.
      And separately, in another People’s Postcode Lottery draw, neighbours in the town of Deal were shared another £1million.
      One of them, pregnant mum Tamsin Burling, told of her close call which meant she almost missed out on her £83,000 windfall.
      Other locals welcomed the news though told of one aspect leaving them feeling “gutted”.
      Read More on The Sun
      Elsewhere, a quirk meant one lucky punter from Runcorn in Cheshire could keep an entire People’s Postcode Lottery jackpot to himself.
      Meanwhile, coaches and players at a grass-roots football club in south London have told of their good work – backed by Lottery funding.
      Adrian Pennock’s son Ashley and mum Tania have also shared the £1million prizeCredit: People’s Postcode Lottery
      Pennock has gone on to coaching success in SingaporeCredit: Rex Features More

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      I’m an ex-Arsenal wonderkid who was sold to Barcelona but now I’m forging my career in League One

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      FORMER Arsenal academy star Marcus McGuane is beginning to showcase his talent for Oxford in League One.The midfielder, 24, spent 12 years with the Gunners between 2005 and 2018 after signing for the club at the age of just six.
      Marcus McGuane was voted Oxford’s Player of the Month for SeptemberCredit: Rex
      He spent two years playing for Barcelona BCredit: Getty – Contributor
      He was a part of the academy that also housed the likes of Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock.
      And he then featured twice for Arsenal’s first team in the 2017/18 campaign – both in the Europa League.
      But he was then sold as a teenager to Barcelona where he spent two seasons, featuring 26 times for their reserve side.
      During that time, he joined Dutch side Telstar on loan – who were being coached by former Arsenal academy manager Andries Jonker.
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      Explaining McGuane’s situation, Jonker said: “Marcus said ‘I’m not enjoying football anymore, I need to rediscover it. You can help me’.
      “I heard he moved to Barcelona. I’ve been there. It is very, very difficult to come through. On one hand, I was proud of him. On the other, I thought, ‘Is this the right thing to do?’
      “He decided he wanted to come back to me and enjoy football again.”
      After one goal and three assists in 13 games for Telstar, McGuane left Barcelona in 2020 without playing a game for their senior side as he joined Nottingham Forest.
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      Six months later he was farmed out on loan to Oxford for the 2020/21 campaign.
      He played 21 times across that season and impressed enough to secure a permanent move to the third-tier club.
      McGuane has contributed one goal and eight assists since his Oxford debut.
      And he recently won the club’s September Player of the Month award.
      Oxford sit second in League One and look set to compete for promotion to the Championship this season. More

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      Joey Barton is a playground bully who shouldn’t get back in the game after Bristol Rovers sacking

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      GOOD riddance to Joey Barton after he was finally sacked by Bristol Rovers.The gobby former Manchester City and Newcastle star is a nasty piece of work that is toxic for football.
      Joey Barton has finally been sent packing by Bristol Rovers
      Steve Evans was branded a ‘fat man’ and a ‘weeble’ by Joey Barton
      In an era where the English game is more welcoming and inclusive than it has ever been, Barton is a dinosaur that should be put out to grass.
      When he branded Stevenage boss Steve Evans “a fat man” and “weeble” after their 1-1 draw on Tuesday night, it was the latest in a long list of diatribe he has spouted through the years.
      Like the vast majority of people, I remember back in my school days how bullies would cruelly target someone because of their weight. 
      Evans has personally brushed the whole thing off because as the Scot told me over the weekend he has “no interest in Barton or what he stands for.”
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      However, imagine how children who are being picked on at school because of their size reading those Barton comments might feel — or adults who have mental health issues caused by obesity.
      Also picture a youngster who is misguided enough to hold Barton up as a role model thinking it’s OK to target someone because of their appearance.
      To have a manager poking fun at someone for being “fat” flies in the face of all the work, support and campaigns that have been launched across the EFL to help tackle the growing UK obesity problem — not to mention all their mental health initiatives.
      Bristol Rovers themselves support the flagship EFL project called Fit Fans, which is a free 12-week course aimed at men and women in the 36-65 age bracket, in which participants receive nutrition, wellbeing and health advice alongside a fitness programme, which has yielded great results.
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      Barton’s comments fly in the face of all the work EFL clubs such as Bristol Rovers do in the community to tackle obesity
      I wonder what these Rovers fans trying to lose weight made of their former manager’s comments?
      Barton is that classic playground bully. 
      Just look at how he treated 24-year-old Rovers midfielder Luke Thomas last month after a 2-0 defeat at Peterborough for example.
      Joey Barton is that classic playground bullyJustin Allen
      Barton hung his player out to dry after he continued to play on despite feeling his hamstring — holding him responsible for conceding the second goal before going into a post-match media rant.
      During his lengthy monologue, he branded Thomas: “One idiotic young boy, I can’t even call him a man.”
      He said: “Two minutes into the second-half his side is compromised because he can’t run, he feels the hamstring.”
      That is rich coming from a man whose own poor decision making during his playing career “compromised” his team-mates goodness knows how many times.
      At QPR he famously got sent-off for elbowing  Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez with the score 1-1 in their final game of the 2011-12 season in which they needed a point to guarantee Premier League survival.
      Barton let his QPR team-mates down by getting sent-off in a vital game at Manchester City after lashing out at Carlos Tevez
      Barton just could not control his emotions during a clash with Tevez
      The 10 men were left to battle for the final 35 minutes and even moved 2-1 in front before Eden Dzeko and Sergio Aguero scored in injury-time to clinch City’s first league title since 1968.
      QPR were spared relegation because Bolton could only draw 2-2 against Stoke.
      He compromised his team in 2015 when he was sent off for QPR after throwing a punch at Hull’s Tom Huddlestone.
      Barton let Newcastle down when he got sent off for taking out Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso in 2009 — ruling him out of the team’s final three games which saw the Toon go down to the Championship by a single point.
      I wonder how Sean Dyche felt at Burnley after he gave Barton a chance late in his career only for the player to get suspended for six months by the FA for gambling.
      And while branding Thomas, aged 24, as an “idiotic young boy”, Barton seems to forget he was a violent young thug who, aged 22, stubbed a cigar in young Manchester City player Jamie Tandy’s eye. 
      Jamie Tandy’s eye was badly damaged after Joey Barton hit him with a lit cigar
      Then, only a few years later, he had a fight with Ousmane Dabo — causing head injuries to his team-mate including a detached retina.
      But not only is Barton a bully and a hypocrite, he is sexist too.
      Let’s not forget this man went on BBC Question Time and described 2014 European election winners UKIP to one of their female MEPs as the best of “four really ugly girls” in comparison to the three main political parties at the time. 
      And that misogynistic side of Barton reared its head again earlier this month when he claimed former Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan was “bang on” for saying he doesn’t “like listening to ladies talking about the England men’s team”.
      Joey Barton made sexist comments on Question Time in 2014
      Joey Barton shown the red card during his stint as Fleetwood boss
      I’m surprised Joey didn’t go the whole hog and demand these women should remain at home  getting dinner on the table for the men after the match.
      I wonder how he will one day explain this to his nine-year-old daughter? God forbid, if she ever wants to become a football pundit or presenter! That would send him into a spin.
      Barton has been given so many chances down the years but never seems to learn from the errors of his ways.
      His toxicity takes football back to the dark old days and frankly no club chairman should entertain recruiting this man ever again.
      It is time to show Barton the red card once and for all.
      Lay off the Roo boos
      YOU have to feel for Wayne Rooney being booed and having verbal abuse aimed towards him at Birmingham.
      The new Blues boss has lost all three of his matches so far since taking over from John Eustace, who had the team flying.
      Wayne Rooney has lost all three of his games in charge of Birmingham
      That decision to sack Eustace with the team sixth after 11 games was bonkers to the extreme.
      Rooney has been brought in to bring about a style change at St Andrew’s.
      The new American owners want the team to play more on the front foot, building from the back and playing through the lines.
      And the England and Manchester United legend needs time to be able to implement that.
      But the buck must stop with the owners, not Rooney. It’s madness to want to go in a new direction while results are going well on the pitch.
      A huge change like that should only happen during the close season.
      They took over the club in July with the new campaign just weeks away from starting and should have stuck with Eustace all the while the results were going well. It’s a no-brainer. Who knows where it might have taken them this season.
      They should have waited until May to bring about the change they desired.
      Rooney has a big job on his hands winning the fans over. But, frankly, it should be the owners getting the flak, not him.
      Mowbray loves a bit of (Red) Leicester
      TONY MOWBRAY loves everything about Leicester … especially the cheese.
      The Sunderland boss was waxing lyrical about the Championship leaders after his side lost 1-0 at the King Power on Tuesday.
      Read More on The Sun
      But while he was predicting that the Foxes would be running away with promotion this season, he was clearly distracted by the huge lumps of Red Leicester sitting on a food counter yards away inside the press room.
      Mowbray picked up a cardboard takeaway box before filling it with enough cheese, along with slices of ham, pickled onion and Piccalilli, to tuck into for the journey back to the north east. More

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      Former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley ‘exploring return to football’ with EFL strugglers as fans fume ‘God help them’

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      MIKE ASHLEY is interested in buying League One strugglers Reading, according to reports.The Royals fell to the bottom of the third tier after surrendering a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Portsmouth yesterday.
      Mike Ashley is interested in a return to footballCredit: Barcroft Media
      The former Newcastle owner is reportedly in talks with ReadingCredit: Getty
      Reading were slapped with a four-point deduction earlier this season for financial issues.
      Their owner Dai Yongge was subsequently charged with misconduct by the EFL.
      The Royals confirmed that their owner was “seeking sources of stable external investment for the football club, with the aim of mitigating the risk of cashflow complications arising in future”.
      According to Sky Sports, former Newcastle owner Ashley is “exploring an investment” in the League One side.
      Read More Football Stories
      It’s not yet clear whether Ashley would want to buy a full or partial stake in the club.
      A pair of Frasers Group helicopters, owned by Ashley, landed in the Madejski Stadium car park earlier today.
      Meetings are understood to have taken place between Ashley representatives and senior Reading chiefs.
      Last year, Ashley bought Coventry’s CBS Arena from cash-strapped rugby club Wasps.
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      He is believed to be keen on returning to sport in a bigger capacity.
      Ashley owned Newcastle between 2007 and 2021.
      The 59-year-old became an unpopular figure in the Toon, and eventually sold to the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
      Many fans have been left concerned by Ashley’s potential involvement at Reading.
      One wrote on social media: “God help them if he does.”
      While a second tweeted: “They’ve gone through enough.”
      A third dramatically posted: “RIP Reading.”
      And a fourth added: “Say goodbye to any hope of getting back the club you once knew. Reading. It’s poor form all the way if this happens.” More

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      Joey Barton SACKED by Bristol Rovers just weeks after fans slammed ex-Man City star for ‘throwing own player under bus’

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      JOEY BARTON has been sacked by League One outfit Bristol Rovers.His exit comes just weeks after fans slammed the ex-Manchester City star for “throwing his own player under the bus.”
      Joey Barton has been sacked by League One side Bristol RoversCredit: Alamy
      Barton’s sacking comes after he called Steve Evans a ‘fat man’Credit: PA
      The decision also follows Barton’s jibes at Steve Evans in which he called the Stevenage manager a “fat man” and a “weeble” after the 1-1 draw on Tuesday.
      A Rovers statement confirmed: “Bristol Rovers Football Club can confirm that today the club has relieved First Team Manager Joey Barton of his duties.
      “Everyone at the club would like to thank Joey for all his efforts and wish him well in the future.
      “In the interim, Andy Mangan will lead the team supported by Glenn Whelan, Danny Ventre and Anssi Jaakkola who will remain in post.”
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Rovers are 16th in League One after just four wins from their opening 14 matches.
      Their last victory came against Port Vale at the start of October.
      Since then, they suffered away defeats at Oxford and Burton.
      And Barton’s last result was a 1-1 draw with Stevenage.
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      The former Man City midfielder, 41, had been in charge of Rovers since February 2021.
      But following last month’s defeat to Peterborough, he was slammed by supporters after aiming a brutal rant at one of his own players.
      Barton tore into Luke Thomas for playing on while carrying an injury.
      He said: “We had a mountain to climb due to Luke Thomas’ decision to play on in the second-half. I’ve never known anything like it.
      “He reported he was a bit stiff one minute before we are going back out, having had 13 minutes to speak to the physios.
      “He was told to go out and test it. But two minutes into the second-half his side is compromised because he can’t run, he feels the hamstring.
      “In his infinite wisdom, I don’t know why he presses the ball and doesn’t sit on the pitch so the ref can stop the game and we can get the sub on.
      “In the midst of that chaotic spell of two minutes, we are compromised from within and they score the second goal.
      “I wish I could fine him and I’ll be speaking to the CEO about that because it’s a ludicrous decision, he shouldn’t get paid this week for what he’s done because he has put us 2-0 down.
      One idiotic young boy, I can’t even call him a manJoey Barton
      “It’s frustrating, we have got to be better than that. You come to a good place like Peterborough, you can’t play with ten men, especially in wide areas because they will punish you.”
      Asked if it was a mistake caused by the 24-year-old’s inexperience, Barton snapped back, continuing: “When does the young man stop?
      “How many times can we put his lethargy in moments down to being young? At some point the penny has got to drop.
      “If you are injured, fine, come off the pitch, nobody has got a problem with that.
      “Going back out and making stupid decisions just compromises your team-mates and all our hard work is undone because of a decision by one of our players.
      “I’m so frustrated with him, we have given him enormous backing at this club and he lets himself down with stupidity.”
      In another interview he called Thomas “one idiotic young boy – I can’t even call him a man.”

      Fans were not happy over Barton’s words, with one saying: “This is horrible. Thomas had been amazing this season and I’m sure Rovers fans won’t be holding this against him.”
      Another added: “Very poor, been one of if not the best player for us these season. Not a fan of that.”
      Read More on The Sun
      A third commented: “Joey Barton throwing arguably our best player this season under the bus is a disgrace. Guy has worked hard every game this season and deserves credit, not criticism.”
      More raged: “You can be the best manager in the world, but if you throw your players under the bus like this the dressing room very quickly turns on you. A manager throwing excuses instead of looking at himself.” More