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Exclusive: senior Irons players halted Barton deal

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Arsenal's Gervinho (L) scuffles with Newcastle United's Joey Barton resulting in his sending off during their English Premier League soccer match in Newcastle, northern England August 13, 2011. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT SOCCER) EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications

West Ham pulled the plug on a deal to take Joey Barton to the club because of a mini dressing room revolt against the player.

The former Queens Park Rangers player has been conciliatory in a video message following the collapse of the deal – but several senior voices in the dressing room were strongly against the club signing him.

And, coupled with the fierce reaction from fans on social media against Barton, that was enough to convince Irons bosses to call a halt to talks.

Whilst Irons players had no problem with Barton’s footballing abilities, they made it clear his outspoken attitude he could be a difficult force in a happy dressing room.

ClaretandHugh was exclusively told by a senior insider: “A few players weren’t too happy with the idea of bring him into the club and that – along with the fans reaction – decided us.

“From a purely footballing point of view it made a lot of sense but if the danger exists of it lowering dressing room morale then it becomes a different issue.”

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

25 comments

  • Tony gore says:

    The thing is ,if he makes trouble, don’t pay his wages ?? That’s my bird

  • firefigterx says:

    Anyone else getting to the point of going mad at the roumers of names we are after and not after.. We need a striker ! As much as i loved Green he left for money. Why are we even looking at him? If Almafito goes we now need another winger.. This window doing mt head LOL.. COYI

  • billy hammer says:

    Dont show any disrespect to Nolan please Quickdraw.Wetpants are having a Nolan group hug as we speak,praising the little dynamo Kev 😉

    • Lt. Quickdrawovic 1st Slavalry C&H Regt says:

      Haha I wasn’t but I usually do,to be fair I thought he played well at the end on Sunday showed his experience and set up a good break,having said that I can’t see him accepting that all season and think it’d be best for everyone if he’d move on.
      As for the WP brigade it’s boom or bust everyday lol

    • navajoHAMMER says:

      You can’t lump everyone on there in to being over-reactionary.

      • billy hammer says:

        Ofc not Navajo,but they are burnt-out after the Barton saga yesterday.We all know you are a man of calm & serenity 😉

      • Lt. Quickdrawovic 1st Slavalry C&H Regt says:

        Haha Nav I was only talking about brigade members only,the vast majority good as gold,umm same as here really lol

        • Chicken Runner says:

          Oh yeah,no critizism allowed of Nolan on pants for sure.Some geezer called him a West Ham ‘hero’ on there earlier.God knows what makes him a club ‘hero’ 😉

  • Lt. Quickdrawovic 1st Slavalry C&H Regt says:

    First it’s the fans then it’s the players poor old Joey is about as welcome as a turd in a punchbowl.
    Considering he’s trained with us for a while can’t see it was the players especially as they’re nearly all trying to impress Slav with their attitude and application. I think we’ve got a two scouser only quota with KN possibly staying and Aaron Cresswell we were up to our limit. C&H should adopt a zero policy and banish Paxo the bluenose fantasist from spouting his BS lol

  • Chicken Runner says:

    Lol,well i guess the people who didnt want Barton can now hardly moan if Nolan comes on in matches if we dont get a replacement or another similar midfield player 😀

  • rugbyirons says:

    You mean Nolan, scared of losing his own position , has scared off his ex toon team mate. Scared of the stories Nolan?

  • Chicken Runner says:

    If they listened to the fans they must have been pretty selective because there was many fancied him as a good squad player or short term pay as you play deal.I would say i suspect a deal just couldnt be arranged.Guess people can believe what they want,doesnt really matter either way 😀

  • West Ham Fan No 32 says:

    He would have got the players on their toes, Noble’s place would have been most at risk, so I suspect the dressing room mafia took effect, now for creativity most of the eggs are placed in Payet’s basket which is crazy. Now that Amalfitano is banished to the reserves is there anyone on the right side of the field will create any opportunities ? Having said all this I understand why Bilic didn’t take the chance as he is trying to get the team United behind him and the coaching staff but it is shame and they should look to get someone else that’s creative in.

  • boys of 66 says:

    Listened to the fans.What a load of poo.More like they couldnt get a deal sorted with Barton,so now they will feed us some bs about listening to us,lol

    • Mr Buddy Lurve says:

      Wow. Nice to see the positive attitude remains around Upton Park… Why do you think that? Is it beyond you to just accept the story and move on? Is it harming anyone?

      • boys of 66 says:

        No but im pretty sure there is more to it than listening to fans.That is my opinion.Am i not allowed to say it because it doesnt fit into you happy clappy hippy love-in atm with all things west ham.

        • Hammerman6 says:

          The fans have prevented players coming in before, (The guy that spits at everyone was one, whose name escapes me, for one.) So why not this one? Listening to Barton’s press video, He stated quite clearly, He was happy to come and quoted ‘It would have been a good fit’. So he was up for it alright. At his age this was a great opportunity for him. The fans spoke about Allardyce and they have done the same here. So if you don’t like the regime **** ***

          • Hammerman6 says:

            El Hadj Douf that was the geezer I couldn’t remember, the fans were in uproar when BFS wanted to sign him so it fell through.

  • essexclarets says:

    Anyone still want to say that the board doesn’t listen to the fan base?? Need the dressing room a united unit, he could have caused problems imho.

  • bubs says:

    I expect it was the players who would have lost there place to him on the bench or the ones with a brain,but why do you need to know there names do you know them all and want to check the facts so you can accuse someone of telling porkies ?

    • Michael Miller says:

      I was amusing myself by asking an impossible question about a dubious article – that alright with you?

  • Michael Miller says:

    Name names!

  • bubs says:

    That should be the end of it then now the Happy Hippo has said we should turn him away,
    Just need Redkapp and Koewn to give the thumbs up now
    Time to move to the next transfer rubbish,

  • Hammerman6 says:

    As I pointed out yesterday…it was the dressing room, and club spirit that’s important.
    I have managed work teams with one, or two bad pennies extremely good at the job, but couldn’t keep staff to work with them.

Comments are closed.