Joey Barton calling Ian Cheeseman on GMR, 06/07

[Prestwich_Blue]

Does anyone else remember this happening? I swear the audio used to be on YouTube.

It was after a defeat during the Pearce days. Barton rang up GMR and said he was unhappy with the squad. He said wasn't going to name names and then very obviously slagged off Samaras and Corradi for the next five minutes.

Like I said, I swear the audio used to be on YouTube but now I can't find it.

It wasn't a defeat actually. We'd just drawn 1-1 at Watford, which relegated them. I was at the game with (among others) Heidi Pickup, who was then MCIVTA editor. We were on the platform at Watford Junction when we got text messages and phone calls about this.

I'm pretty sure that Barton was put up to it by Paul Tyrrell, who was Press Officer at the time. Pearce was no more popular within the club than with the fans. CEO Mackintosh seemingly hated him and even John Wardle had run out of patience with him over him taking the England U-21 job when we were in a relegation fight.

Had we not won 2 of those 3 away games at Boro, Newcastle & Fulham, we'd have been relegated that season and the financial consequences would have probably been disastrous. Whether that was Mackintosh's prime concern or whether the two of them just hated each other is anyone's guess but I don't think there's any way Barton would have done that off his own bat.

Tyrrell was as subtle as a flying brick and I've no doubt this was done to pressure Wardle into sacking Pearce. I guess it worked but I doubt Pearce would have survived anyway.

 

[jimharri]

Ah, those were the days! I suppose it was nice that Barton "cared", but it was a bit rich, him calling others shit. The likes of Zidane weren't having nightmares about the possibility of facing Barton one day, were they?

 

[Brewster's millions]

I think you would be in a world of trouble if Barton was your solicitor!

He’s got lots of practical experience though.

 

[SamTheGuru]

Found it.

Spoke a lot of sense and really started to put it into action. By headbutting everyone to death.

 

[Jack74]

Ah, those were the days! I suppose it was nice that Barton "cared", but it was a bit rich, him calling others shit. The likes of Zidane weren't having nightmares about the possibility of facing Barton one day, were they?

Whatever you think of him as a person Barton was more than decent for us , I went to most games that season and the one before and genuinely don’t remember him having a bad game don’t get me wrong am not saying he was the greater player ever either but week in week out he tried his best, he was right about Freddie Mercury ,Corradi and Pearce .

 

[BlueTG]

I’d rather get relegated than have a **** like him in the team again.

 

[yeseye]

I think you would be in a world of trouble if Barton was your solicitor!

“Well you know er ,ur honare,

My client dint do dis do did eeee

Laaaaaa?”

 

[manimanc]

Ah Sir Joseph of Barton.

I always remember meeting keegan in Scotland a few years after he left us and him saying that if city are relying on Barton, which we probably was at the time, then they're in trouble. I got the impression keegan didn't really like Barton.

 

[Jack74]

I’d rather get relegated than have a **** like him in the team again.

You wouldn’t , not unless you are not a City fan

 

[jimharri]

Whatever you think of him as a person Barton was more than decent for us , I went to most games that season and the one before and genuinely don’t remember him having a bad game don’t get me wrong am not saying he was the greater player ever either but week in week out he tried his best, he was right about Freddie Mercury ,Corradi and Pearce .

Are you seriously suggesting that being decent for us at that time, made him a decent player? Fucking hell, Douglas Bader would have looked decent in that team.