During his brief stint at Rangers under Mark Warburton, Joey Barton made headlines for threatening to ‘slap’ Celtic star Greg Taylor if they were ever to cross paths after a contentious tackle in 2016. The incident occurred during a match against Kilmarnock where Taylor’s challenge on Barton led to the young left-back being issued a red card, leaving the Rangers fans chanting in support of the English midfielder.
Fast forward to the present day, Barton, now 41, revisited the tackle in one of his many social media rants, this time targeting Taylor. Expressing his frustration and anger over the incident, Barton took aim at Taylor, accusing him of attempting to break his leg and vowing to confront him should they ever meet in person. The former Premier League midfielder didn’t hold back, calling Taylor derogatory names and promising to share video evidence of their altercation for the world to see.
Despite the controversy surrounding their past encounter, Greg Taylor has since continued his footballing career with success. Following his time at Kilmarnock, Taylor made a move to Celtic in 2019, where he has become a key player for the club in their quest for Premiership glory. Signed by Neil Lennon for a reported fee of just £1.8m, Taylor has thrived at Celtic, cementing his place in the squad and contributing to their ongoing title fight against rivals Rangers.
While Barton remains embroiled in social media controversies and outbursts, Taylor keeps his focus on the game, aiming to help Celtic retain their Premiership title and continue his own development as a professional footballer. The rivalry between the two players and the clubs they represent adds an extra layer of intrigue to what promises to be an exciting season in Scottish football.
