Joey Barton continued his taunts against female pundits by attacking ITV‘s punditry team for Crystal Palace‘s FA Cup third round clash against Everton – as he posted a vile message about Eni Aluko and commentator Lucy Ward.
The former Man City and Newcastle midfielder has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks for his controversial views on women working in men’s football – saying female pundits ‘shouldn’t be talking with any authority’ in the arena.
The outspoken 41-year-old – known for stubbing out a cigar in the eye of young team-mate at a Christmas party – has savaged female pundits such as Alex Scott and Bianca Westwood in social media tirades across the last month.
Now he has taken aim at Aluko and Ward – who were working on the 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park on Thursday evening, as he made a sick taunt about the pair and said ITV’s coverage reached ‘ a new low’.
Barton’s post on X, replying to ITV’s post of Aluko discussing Everton’s season, saw him begin by taking a swipe at the former Chelsea and England striker.
Joey Barton has attacked ITV’s FA Cup third-round punditry team in yet another taunt against female pundits in football
He savaged pundit Eni Aluko for working on Everton’s game against Palace – saying she ‘can’t even kick a ball properly’ before making a sick taunt towards her and broadcaster Lucy Ward
‘How is she even talking about men’s football. She can’t even kick a ball properly,’ the post read.
He added: ‘Your coverage of the game EFC last night, took it to a new low.
The final line of his post made a vile reference to two notorious serial killers as he said: ‘Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, the Fred and Rose West of football commentary.’
Barton’s post is the latest in a string of attacks on women working in football.
On Boxing Day Barton – who was jailed in 2008 for affray – took aim at Amazon Prime Video Sport for including former Liverpool goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis as a pundit for their 2-0 win over Burnley, saying her inclusion was ‘nonsense’ and ‘tokenism’.
It is not the first time he has taken aim at a goalkeeper.
He previously launched a tirade after Mary Earps won the Sports Personality of the Year Award, labelling her a ‘big sack of spuds’
He boasted that he would score ‘100 out of 100 penalties’ against Mary Earps after she won the Sports Personality of the Year Award earlier this month.
Barton also called it ‘dangerous’ for women to work at men’s clubs due to them ‘having full-blown affairs and costing people marriages’.
Barton even went on Piers Morgan Uncensored to double down on his comments, explaining that he did not want to be seen promoting sexism, but that he was against ‘unqualified opinions’.
‘I don’t want to see sexism in football, but if we don’t debate (the role of women in football broadcasting) properly, this is just going to rise and rise, and ruin the experience of watching elite-level men’s football,’ Barton said when asked by Morgan if the language of his social media posts had been deliberately inflammatory.
‘Everywhere you turn now, there’s an unqualified opinion pontificating about the sport I love, and it’s ruining my experience – to fuel this woke agenda, and it’s going to increase sexism massively, because it has to be a true meritocracy. We have to have people who are qualified to do those roles.’
The former Premier League footballer has also launched attacks against pundits such as Alex Scott in the past
Barton doubled down on his controversial views while making an appearance on Piers Morgan: Uncensored last month
‘There’s a lot of similarities between both sports, but the men’s game is played at a completely different speed, with a different skillset needed. For someone to stand there and say ‘I would have done this’, or ‘He’s made a mistake’ – who have no experience of that…
‘It’s not just one or two, it (football broadcasting has) been taken over.
‘I don’t want to come across as sexist, I’ve got a wonderful wife, wonderful daughter, grandmother.
‘We want it to be diverse and inclusive, but it’s got to be credible.’
It was Barton’s initial tweet that caused outrage, insisting he ‘couldn’t take a thing they say serious’ if it’s in the men’s arena.
‘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.’
Barton has previously thrown his support behind the #HERGAMETOO initiative – which aims to fight against sexism in sport
Barton’s posts come after he had previously thrown his support behind the #HERGAMETOO initiative – a campaign which aims to fight against sexism in sport.
Barton posed with a promotional card for the cause when he was Bristol Rovers manager.
Back in October, he also generated controversy after sharing his apparent backing for former Newcastle and England manager Kevin Keegan’s comments that he doesn’t enjoy female footballers talking about men’s football.
At a live event in Bristol, Keegan had said: ‘(I don’t like) listening to ladies talking about the England men’s team at the match because I don’t think it’s the same experience. I have a problem with that.’
In response to that, Barton had posted on X: ‘Kevin Keegan. Ballon D’or winner 1978. England manager. He’s bang on.’
