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Joey Barton back at Burnley and in the last-chance saloon | Barry Glendenning

The midfielder’s move to Rangers did not work out, to put it mildly, and it will be intriguing to see how he fares on his return to the English top flightThe announcement that Joey Barton is to be re-signed by Burnley in January heralds the beginning of a new chapter in the colourful life of a footballer whose most significant contributions since leaving the club for Rangers last summer have come in literary, rather than football form.Towards the end of No Nonsense: The Autobiography, his interesting collaboration with the journalist Michael Calvin, Barton announced his intention to win the Scottish Premiership with Rangers, a bold but commendable claim that has been rendered ludicrous by his fractious and protracted departure from...

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Fault lies on both sides in Joey Barton’s messy divorce from Rangers | Ewan Murray

Barton joins the group of the worst Scottish football signings in the modern era but the Old Firm club knew they were recruiting a high-maintenance playerApparently, everyone knew this would happen except that, in reality, they did not. There were no grand pronouncements that Joey Barton and Rangers would be consigned to a messy divorce before Christmas carols were on the agenda. After eight appearances, one yellow card and a training ground rumpus, the Barton and Rangers alliance is no more. Life around Joey was never dull.There is a sadness attached to this. Barton should have enhanced the Scottish football scene, on and off the field. He has the talent and character for both aspects. Instead, you missed his turning...

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