Joey Barton has once again stoked the flames of his infamous rivalry with Celtic legend Scott Brown, declaring the former Hoops captain “gets zero respect” in a fresh tirade on social media.
Barton, who joined Rangers in 2016 with bold claims of dominating Scottish football, saw his short-lived spell in Glasgow end in embarrassment after just eight appearances. His final game—a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Celtic—became the defining moment of his ill-fated time at Ibrox.
Prior to that match, Barton had brazenly dismissed Brown’s abilities, claiming the Celtic skipper wasn’t on his level. “He’s nowhere near the player I am,” Barton once said. “He can’t get near me.” But Brown had the last laugh, bossing the midfield and helping lead Celtic to their biggest derby win in over a decade. After the game, Brown cheekily described the match as “men against boys.”
Despite his bruised ego and reputation, Barton has now taken another swing at Brown, this time accusing him of lacking the courage to test himself in England. Posting on X, he wrote: “Scott Brown never came to England. The big league. Stayed in the footballing backwater. The retirement home all his career. He gets zero respect. At least Barry Ferguson came and gave it a go.”
Brown, who spent his entire playing career in Scotland and won a staggering 22 major trophies with Celtic, did eventually venture south of the border—only as a manager. He took charge of Fleetwood Town, where he faced Barton’s Bristol Rovers in two fixtures, losing one and drawing the other.
Now managing Ayr United in the Scottish Championship, Brown is chasing promotion to the Premiership in his debut season in charge, proving he’s not done making headlines of his own.
Barton, meanwhile, remains a polarising figure off the pitch. Just last month, he was given a 12-week suspended sentence for assaulting his wife, further adding to his controversial legacy.