Rangers ‘significant’ response to Joey Barton tirade applauded amid Women’s team controversy
The Rangers response to the comments from Joey Barton following a Women’s team controversy is “significant”, according to Heather Dewar.
Writing on the Daily Mail website on Wednesday (27 March), the journalist slammed the ex-footballer for shaming 17-year-old Partick Thistle Women’s keeper Eva Easdon and for sending an “extremely offensive” comment to Gers Women captain Nicola Docherty after she stood up for the teenager.
After the Light Blues released a statement on Tuesday (26 March) condemning their former midfielder’s online tirade, Dewar praised the club for its response as she called upon more organisations to take on a similar approach.
“Importantly, Rangers, one of Barton’s former clubs, made their feelings known,” said Dewar. “This was significant. In my mind, more organisations should now be doing likewise. We talk often about the need for ‘male allies’ when it comes to women in sport – and many are already taking this in hand.
“Yes, it’s hard sometimes to rise above the parapet and put yourself in the firing line of knuckle-dragging sexists, to say ‘enough is enough’ and to show the courage of one’s convictions when it comes to stamping out online abuse on social media.
“But isn’t it about time that more clubs, football authorities and campaign groups did so?”
Rangers right to call Joey Barton comments out
It was completely and utterly unacceptable for Barton to first of all publicly shame a young goalkeeper and then double down on his comments by sending yet more offensive remarks to Docherty.
Rangers were right to call this out as the former midfielder has gone way too far with some of his opinions over the past few months.
This could potentially be the start of more organisations pushing back against the Englishman in support of players, pundits and the women’s game overall.
If Barton doesn’t want to be associated with women’s football, then just change the channel and don’t watch it. The obsession is unhealthy.
He went way too far by abusing a teenage girl and it’s about time the footballing world stood up and told him how wrong he was and continues to be with his comments.
In other Rangers news, Neil Lennon has labelled a situation as “unacceptable” after what happened to the Gers.
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