The Joey Barton Experience

[CrosspoolClarets]

(I feel uncomfortable adding this to the big Joey thread because this is nothing to do with his gambling and that thread is mainly about the rights and wrongs of that - it's about inspirational qualities and about mental illness)

It was always going to end this way.

We knew it when we signed him. 5 matches? 10? 20? How long before he would implode, before Dyche struggled to contain the beast?

As it turned out, it was, by and large, nothing to do with his time at Burnley that has brought his Burnley career to an end. To lose one key player to a lengthy ban for issues unknown when we (initially) signed him is unfortunate. To lose two.....well, that's pretty unprecedented and has added to our challenge, that's for sure.

I would have had my money on 10 games. But I was wrong. Joey has been an absolute diamond. As inspirational as any player could be. His leadership qualities, his sheer will to win, were unique, at least amongst Burnley players (and we have plenty of players with each). Joey, with more wealth than (probably) our whole squad, who has played more games at the top level than anyone in our recent history, should have wanted it less, but amazingly he seemed to want it more.

It's a lesson all of us would do well to heed. Never give up. Never stop trying. Never ease off. Never stop encouraging. Show no fear. No bull. Straight talking. Incredible. Learning from him has quite literally changed my life, it has made me more focused.

Those qualities are less obvious than a Messi rocket to the top corner, but just as important. They drove us to the title. To buck the stats (which we did, and will again) needs something different. Joey offered it. Whatever Dyche had in his omelette when he convinced him to join, I want some.

Now, ironically, those same qualities that were forged on the rough estate where he grew up have an evil twin - the mental illness that is a gambling addiction must surely originate in a similar place. Joey deserves massive credit for focusing his life in a positive way rather than the criminality many of his childhood friends went into, but he couldn't shake off the weaknesses that have stuck with him, that have finally brought him down.

I've read No Nonsense, and know a bit about addiction and mental illness. When you have a compulsion it is hard to control it, so the only thing in my heart tonight is not judgement, but respect and admiration. All of us with similar issues need to be non judgemental to ourselves too. Luckily I don't, touch wood, but I know many who do.

Thank you Joey - for the lessons, and the football.

[CrosspoolClarets]

I am tempted to add something about the FA punishing players due to a mental illness, but won't, because I said I'd keep this thread off the gambling issue as such. There's too much I could add on that topic, but today for me is about Joey, not the FA.

[cricketfieldclarets]

Very well said. As i said on the other thread. Joey its been a pleasure.

[Paul Waine]

Joey has been an absolute diamond. As inspirational as any player could be. His leadership qualities, his sheer will to win, were unique, at least amongst Burnley players (and we have plenty of players with each). Joey, with more wealth than (probably) our whole squad, who has played more games at the top level than anyone in our recent history, should have wanted it less, but amazingly he seemed to want it more.

It's a lesson all of us would do well to heed. Never give up. Never stop trying. Never ease off. Never stop encouraging. Show no fear. No bull. Straight talking. Incredible. Learning from him has quite literally changed my life, it has made me more focused.

Those qualities drove us to the title. To buck the stats needs something different. Joey offered it. Whatever Dyche had in his omelette when he convinced him to join, I want some.

Now, ironically, those same qualities that were forged on the rough estate where he grew up have an evil twin - the mental illness that is a gambling addiction must surely originate in a similar place. Joey deserves massive credit for focusing his life in a positive way...

I've read No Nonsense, and know a bit about addiction and mental illness. When you have a compulsion it is hard to control it, so the only thing in my heart tonight is not judgement, but respect and admiration. All of us with similar issues need to be non judgemental to ourselves too.

Thank you Joey - for the lessons, and the football.

Hi Crosspool, great post. You've expressed your sentiments very eloquently and, I'm sure, speak for many of us. I agree with you, we should recognise and applaud what Joey has brought to Burnley. We should applaud what he has brought to the team, the squad and the framework. We should also applaud Joey for how he has handled the challenges in his life. I too find him an inspiration for the "bumps in the road."

Thank you, Joey.