Laura Woods hits back after Joey Barton says women shouldn’t speak on men’s football

'Usually avoid these conversations'

Barton has posted a series of thoughts on X in which he has repeatedly called for women to stop commentating and analysing men's football.

In his first tweet he said:

“Women shouldn’t be talking with any kind of authority in the men’s game. Come on. Let’s be serious. It’s a completely different game. If you don’t accept that. We will always see things differently.

“The women’s game is thriving. Fantastic to see. I cannot take a thing they say serious in the men’s arena.”

He followed up this original tweet with another, saying: “Any man who sits and engages with them in this regard has sold out. The game is about levels. Most men’s opinion has little value. Never mind anyone else…”

Women shouldn’t be talking with any kind of authority in the men’s game. Come on. Let’s be serious.

It’s a completely different game.

If you don’t accept that. We will always see things differently.

The women’s game is thriving. Fantastic to see.

I cannot take a thing they…

— Joey Barton (@Joey7Barton) December 6, 2023

The former Bristol Rovers boss then followed that up with another tweet that added: “Stand by everything I’ve said on Women commenting and co-comms on the Men’s football. Like me talking about Knitting or Netball. Way out of my comfort zone. Some of the Men are bad enough! We have gone too far. You cannot watch a game now without hearing the nonsense. Any man who says otherwise is an absolute fart parcel.”

Stand by everything I’ve said on Women commenting and co-comms on the Men’s football.

Like me talking about Knitting or Netball. Way out of my comfort zone.

Some of the Men are bad enough!

We have gone too far. You cannot watch a game now without hearing the nonsense.

Any…

— Joey Barton (@Joey7Barton) December 7, 2023

He also shared a video of an influencer working for Manchester City, labelling her work as "nonsense" which led to Woods intervening.

The TNT broadcaster replied: "Usually avoid these conversations as I don’t like adding more oxygen. But throwing young vloggers to the wolves is wrong. I started my career vlogging & I’ve always got on with Joey. He also sent me a lovely good luck message for TNT in June. Does that make him a eunuch too?"

Woods then followed this up by saying: "Joey’s entitled to his opinion. If he feels that strongly about women in the men’s game he could ask for a private conversation with the broadcasters & state his case. These tweets only encourage a pile on for the women getting on with their jobs. Or was that the intention?"

Many others agreed with Woods, with one user writing: “Out of all the pundits I’ve listened to recently, find Emma Hayes the most knowledgable on the game, so I guess that makes me a fart parcel.”

Another said: “Yeah! I mean with Alex Scott in particular, other than her degree in Professional Sports Writing and Broadcasting, extensive playing career and lengthy TV experience, what justification could there possibly be for her fronting shows about the men’s game?”

Related links:

• Joey Barton says women shouldn’t be allowed to talk about men’s football with any authority
• Jurgen Klopp slams ‘ignorant’ reporter after Liverpool win
• Under-fire Antony blasts ‘unfair and malicious’ criticism from ex-Man United duo