Joey Barton has made just four appearances for Rangers but the outspoken midfielder has already earned cult status amongst the Scottish Premiership club’s support.
Barton, 33, joined the Glasgow giants on a free transfer from Burnley in the close-season after winning the English team's player of the year award for his influential role in their promotion to the Premier League.
The former Newcastle United and Manchester City star was the most high-profile name amongst the nine players brought in to Ibrox as Rangers manager Mark Warburton recruited heavily for his side's return to the Scottish top flight.
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His signing was hailed by a fanbase who have been starved of big-name signings since the club’s financial meltdown four years ago, when Rangers were forced to start life again in the country’s bottom tier following an amazing fall from grace that resulted in liquidation in June 2012.
Barton has earned a reputation for his outspoken nature in recent years.
No stranger to controversy, he didn’t take too long to endear himself to Rangers fans and took aim at fierce rivals Celtic shortly after joining the club.
Celtic captain Scott Brown was the first to come in for criticism.
"He's not even in my league – he's nowhere near the level of player I am," the former Marseille midfielder said.
“He can’t get near me. If I play well, Brown does not stand a chance. That’s not me being blase – that’s just me stating what I believe.”
Newly-appointed Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was his next target.
“He’s never won anything, so he is going to have to do stuff there that he hasn’t done before. So the pressure is all on Celtic,” he said.
“Brendan is a great manager, he is a great appointment and is good for Scottish football, but second for Celtic next year is nothing.”
While his comments in the media may delight the fans, it is on the pitch that Barton has been signed to make an impact.
The veteran made his long-awaited debut against Annan Athletic in the group stage of the League Cup and put in a commanding performance.
Barton then strolled through the win against Stranraer but nothing less was expected against sides made up of part-time players.
His first real test came in last Saturday’s encounter against Hamilton Academical at Ibrox – the club’s first top flight fixture in four years.
The midfielder and his teammates didn’t find that game as easy as their League Cup encounters, but he grew into the match and played a crucial part in winning back the ball in the build-up to his side’s equaliser.
The 1-1 draw was not an ideal start to his Scottish Premiership career, but Barton earned the plaudits and a man-of-the-match award before following it up with a major role in his side’s 5-0 League Cup win over Peterhead in midweek.
When Barton, whose side face Dundee on Saturday, signed for Rangers he said: “I’m not coming up here to be another player.
“I’m coming up here to be the best player in the country.”
While he may not have put in a performance yet to live up to this claim, if he continues in the same vein as he has started he will soon silence any doubters.
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