Barton blasts winner for Burnley and puts Ibrox blues behind him
THE latest twist in Joey Barton’s rollercoaster career saw him take Burnley into the top half of the Premier League just five minutes into his emotional return to Turf Moor.
Barton had barely touched the ball after replacing Dean Marney when he struck a low free-kick after 78 minutes that brushed past team-mate Jeff Hendrick on the edge of the wall and nestled in the corner as Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster failed to get across in time.
The outpouring of emotion was immediate, with team-mates mobbing Barton, who punched the air for joy after a dire few months that have seen him kicked out of Rangers and hit by Football Association betting charges.
Manager Sean Dyche, who allowed Barton back into the club even though he walked away from them in the summer, said afterwards: ‘You can’t make it up. I just said to him I couldn’t write your story. Sublime finish. Of course, he’ll be telling everyone that anyway!
‘For someone who gets all kinds of stick, he brushes it off and focuses on his football. I felt it was appropriate for him to come back in to us. I’ve had no question marks about him before and I didn’t see why I would again. So far, he’s slotted in nicely once more.’
Barton, 34, helped Burnley to promotion last season before his ill-fated stint at Ibrox but had not played in the Premier League for 20 months when he was part of QPR’s relegated side.
But having re-signed for Burnley as a free agent on New Year’s Day, he impressed enough in the FA Cup at Sunderland last weekend to merit a place on the bench yesterday.
Dyche continued: ‘He was confused by being sub. He said: “Do I take my boots out with me, wear a warm-up top or what?” I said: “Oi, you get on with it”.’
When George Boyd was fouled by Saints’ Oriel Romeu, Barton moved everyone out of the way to take the free-kick that produced the win.
‘I never try to hit them into the top corner because the goalkeeper’s expecting that,’ said Barton, whose daisycutter did the trick for Burnley.