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Joey Barton: 'I do not support Celtic'

New Rangers midfielder Joey Barton shrugs off suggestions that he supports the club's fierce local rivals Celtic.

New Rangers midfielder Joey Barton has shrugged off suggestions that he supports the club's fierce local rivals Celtic.

The 33-year-old joined the Ibrox outfit on a two-year deal earlier today having rejected the chance to stay with newly-promoted Burnley.

He has previously tweeted about his support for Celtic, but insists that he merely favoured the Bhoys in Old Firm derbies due to his Catholic background.

"You only support one club. C'mon let's have it right, I'm an Evertonian. But coming from a football family, if the Milan derby was on you'd have to pick a side, AC Milan or Inter. If it's Barca vs Real Madrid, I'd have to pick a side. That's just what we do," he told reporters.

"So obviously being Joseph Anthony and having gone to Catholic schools, I didn't really have a choice when it came to it. So I looked out for one of the teams when the Old Firm was on. I've said on Twitter, amongst other things, I'm a Celtic fan.

"You have to take that in jest. I don't think anybody will have any doubt about my allegiances when we play Celtic."

Rangers will be playing top-flight football for the first time in five years next season having won the Scottish Championship title this term.

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Joey Barton celebrates with teammates as his deflected free kick goes in for the opening goal during the Championship match between Preston North End and Burnley at Deepdale on April 22, 2016
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
CCeltic440092286490
2RangersRangers430184295584
3Hearts412151391267
4Kilmarnock41124543255
5St Mirren41124449-547
6Dundee40044867-1941
Relegation Group
1Aberdeen44004650-447
2Hibernian42025158-745
3Motherwell42025557-243
4Ross County41123665-2934
5St Johnstone40132753-2632
RLivingston42022869-4124
 
First Phase
CCeltic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
RLivingston3339212259-3718


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