Joey Barton’s former teammate at Marseille, Souleymane Diawara, has lifted the lid on some of his questionable hotel antics while in France.
While being interviewed on French TV, the retired defender revealed that Barton played a ‘joke’ on striker André-Pierre Gignac that to be honest went a little bit too far.
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The team were staying at a hotel and the Burnley man took the keys for Gignac’s room and proceeded to smash his TV, cut up the mattress and empty shower gel all over the room, that’s according to Diawara.
Although it’s not confirmed there was any malice behind the prank it’s not the usual hiding someone’s boots in the changing rooms.
Gignac, obviously pretty stunned when he returned to his room, asked Diawara what the possible reasons could be.
Diawara had to explain to the big striker that Barton is a bit of a wildcard.
He said: “Don’t try and find a reason, the guy is just plain nuts.”
Even though he only played in France for one season, making 25 appearances for Marseille on loan from QPR, Barton certainly had a few choice moments.
As well as ripping through teammates’ hotel rooms there was the classic ‘Englishman abroad’ (see Steve Maclaren), when Barton put on his best French accent at a press conference following his debut.
Ah, never change Joey.
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