Barton - The New Che Guevara?

Last updated : 08 August 2011 By Footy Mad - Editor

 There has been a dramatic Twitter row between Joey Barton, and various members of the press.
The argument started when Barton tweeted his displeasure at some comments made about him by David Pleat, a former manager-turned-pundit, last week.
His response included a reference to Pleat's private life which in turn elicited a reaction from Mirror journalist Oliver Holt.
What followed was Barton got involved in a four-way row with Holt, Telegraph sports correspondent Henry Winter, columnist Des Kelly from the Mail and Sun reporter Steve Brenner over their relative merits as journalists and the long-term future of the printed newspaper.
At one point Barton tweeted that Kelly was "the journalistic equivalent of Chantelle Houghton" and warned him: "Am game for putting u right down".
He added that Holt was the "journalistic equivalent of holding a digestive biscuit in a cup a tea for a second too long".
He also inquired: "Are u the journo who wore an alice band like Beckham?" The comment provoked much sniggering among Barton's followers.
But he was far from finished and followed that up by commenting: "Holt and Kelly, biggest pair of melts out there. Don't forget lads, I can do ur job better than u, can u do mine? Didn't think so."
Barton's anger at Kelly was unsurprising. Earlier on Monday he posted an article on the Mail website where he said: "Barton is the thrush of Twitter; rash, irritating, yet easily dealt with."
However, Barton then moved on to the long-term prospects of the fourth estate, telling his 266,000 followers: "Newspapers will be a thing of the past in 10yrs, yesterday's stories today, social media is the future. I know it, u know it, they know it..."
When Winter and Brennan disputed his claim Barton, who now has a picture of Che Guevara as his profile picture, reiterated his opinion and said that in 10 years' time he would be happily retired, while they would still be working.