Joey Barton is at it again. This time, the disgraced former midfielder – convicted of assaulting his wife and trying desperately to rally a right-wing fanbase – has taken aim at Scott Brown. Why? Because Barton still hasn’t shaken the memory of being outclassed, outfought, and frankly humiliated during his short-lived Scottish football experiment.

In a social media spat, Barton tried to belittle Brown’s career, claiming, “Scoot Brown never came to England. The big league. Stayed in the footballing backwater… He gets zero respect.”

Let’s be honest here. Barton arrived in Glasgow with all the bravado of a pantomime villain, claiming he was the best player in Scotland before a ball had even been kicked. Then reality hit. Brown tore him to shreds on derby day, Celtic thumped Rangers 5-1, and Barton was never the same again. Weeks later, he was off – chased out of Scottish football before he ever found his footing.

Before the derby, when the chance came to shake Scott Brown’s hand, he couldn’t even look him in the eye, looking at the ground as he passed him.

Brown might not have played in the Premier League, but he spent over a decade dominating Scottish football, captaining Celtic to title after title. Barton? A footnote in the rivalry. A man who talked the talk but wilted when it mattered most.

Sometimes silence is golden. Barton should give it a go.