August 6, 2016: an historic day for Rangers Football Club... the day Joey Barton made his debit in the Scottish Premiership.
It was also Rangers' first game back in the top flight in four years (first game ever if you listen to what some Celtic fans will tell you), which was also quite a big deal, too.
With Hamilton Academical's visit to Ibrox almost certainly the biggest event in world sport this weekend, things didn't get off the greatest of starts for 33-year-old Barton. With not even 20 minutes on the clock, Barton was on the wrong end of an Ali Crawford nutmeg.
https://twitter.com/SoccerAM/status/761903376216928256?lang=en-gb
As you might expect, there was a sympathetic response from many a viewer...
https://twitter.com/JackM_QPR/status/761905760414605312
https://twitter.com/davidcalikes/status/761892844583981056
https://twitter.com/SO_1888/status/761892366949216256
https://twitter.com/mcfarlane58_sam/status/761903801817296896
Not content with his 'megging of Barton, Crawford also popped up with the opening goal a few minutes later.
https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/761895721419153409
But with an upset on the cards, Rangers found an equaliser with half an hour to go. Martyn Waghorn finishing off a move which started with Joey Barton winning the ball back in midfield.
https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/761909096157028353
Rangers couldn't add a second. In the later stages, Waghorn tweaked a hamstring meaning the home side finished with 10 men and lost their momentum.
it finished 1-1 - not the greatest of starts to the season for a Rangers side with aspirations of finishing as champions. But hey, at least Joey Barton got himself man of the match.
Although that didn't stop the online piss taking and abuse...
https://twitter.com/moo_ted/status/761919695935143936
https://twitter.com/lomalitomoala/status/761919746765754369
https://twitter.com/wullmc75/status/761927372765556737
https://twitter.com/colin_ban88/status/761893064952672256
https://twitter.com/Oldfirmfacts1/status/761919208766791680
