Troy Deeney tells West Ham legend Mark Noble all he needs to say to Joey Barton after rant

Add as preferred source on Google

Troy Deeney has weighed in on the row between Joey Barton and West Ham legend Mark Noble, telling the Hammers icon exactly what he should say in response to the explosive rant.

Self-styled shock jock social media pundit Joey Barton caused a big stir among West Ham fans last week.

The retired midfielder confirmed he came close to joining West Ham almost 10 years ago.

But as he dug up the past, Barton went in on the Hammers and club legend Mark Noble over his collapsed move to east London.

Many West Ham fans were up in arms about Slaven Bilic’s plan to sign a 32-year-old Barton on a free transfer back in August 2015.

Barton unloaded on West Ham and Noble

There were social media protests against West Ham signing Barton, who had been released by QPR, ahead of what would be one of the most memorable seasons in the club’s modern history.

Barton revealed he had even completed a two-day medical with the Irons ahead of signing.

But the plug was pulled by West Ham on the proposed move and at the time Barton declared there were ‘no hard feelings’.

There clearly is now, though, as the former Man City and Newcastle midfielder slammed the Hammers and Noble over the saga.

Joey Barton launched into an unprovoked attack on Hammers legend Mark Noble – now the club’s sporting director – when speaking on his own podcast last week.

• Read more: Striker makes choice clear after Newcastle hijack West Ham move

Barton accused Noble of scuppering the move. And he claimed it was because Noble was scared of him as the ‘far superior player’.

The controversial former footballer even referred to ex West Ham captain Noble as a ‘soft lad’ he ‘eviscerated’ every time they faced one another.

Barton also claimed he did the same to another ex Hammers ace, Scott Parker, before posting a series of expletive-laden messages about Noble and goading West Ham fans.

Deeney tells West Ham legend Noble all he needs to say to Barton

Barton also said his solitary England cap proves he was a better player than Noble, who was never called up for his country.

West Ham fans unloaded on Barton over his Noble rant.

Now they have an ally in the shape of another former Premier League star who isn’t shy in voicing his opinion.

• Read more: Deeney stuns West Ham with answer to Liverpool superfan’s question

Troy Deeney has told West Ham legend Noble all he needs to say to Barton after his rant sparked outrage.

Deeney states that both were quality players and he understood Barton’s viewpoint.

But that Noble’s response can end the argument pretty quickly.

“I understand where he is coming from, what he’s thinking because once you’ve got an England cap, no-one can really chat to you, you’ve done everything, do you know what I mean,” Deeney told The Stomping Ground.

“If he wants to compare himself to somebody that hasn’t (won an England cap), absolutely he can have that opinion.

“I think, if I was Mark Noble, I’d be saying ‘well I spent a lot more time in the Prem than you, played a lot more games and I was captain and leader of a massive club in West Ham, I never got moved on’.

‘One thing I know about Joey’

“So it’s all about everyone’s individual feelings on it. The one thing I know of both of them is, they were f—— top players. Now whether you like Joey or dislike Joey, one thing I know from people who played with him is, you love him on your team.

“But it’s hard because if you say something nice about Joey, apparently you like all the things he says, which I really don’t. If you say something negative about Joey, I’ll probably end up bumping into him and me and him will end up having a roll around.”

For those who may have missed it, Hammers News compiled a statistical comparison of Noble and Barton’s Premier League careers.

Noble clearly comes out on top, albeit having played far more games.

Premier League statistics comparison: Noble vs Barton