Rangers show support for women’s game after Joey Barton criticism of Ava Easdon

Rangers have hit out at “homophobic and disgraceful slurs” after their former player Joey Barton centred criticism of women’s football around 17-year-old Partick Thistle goalkeeper Ava Easdon.

The ex-England midfielder, who had a brief and unsuccessful spell in Scottish football in 2016, highlighted a goal Rangers scored against Thistle in Sunday’s Sky Sports Cup final and wrote on X: “I mean let’s just talk about the goalie! How is this nonsense on the box?”

Barton followed up his comments on Tuesday by hitting back at criticism from Easdon’s father and Rangers player Nicola Docherty and using homophobic comments to describe the women’s game.

Rangers FC Response To Discriminatory Comments

https://t.co/yaauID1j3z pic.twitter.com/JkgYPJl7Us

— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) March 26, 2024

A statement on Rangers’ website read: “Rangers FC has been made aware of discriminatory and misogynistic comments regarding the women’s game following Sunday’s Sky Sports Cup final.

“As a club, we stand together against these homophobic and disgraceful slurs in the strongest possible terms.

“We are unwavering in our desire to further the women’s game across the country which goes from strength to strength, and will support all players in challenging those who hold extremely outdated and foul views of women’s football.”

The goalkeeper’s father, seven-time world kickboxing champion Lex Easdon, had accused Barton of playing up to his “fan boys” on social media and wrote: “In 2024 and ‘grown’ men feel the need to belittle and bully a 17yr old school kid, who doesn’t get paid to play unlike some men who make the same mistake week after week and get paid hundreds of thousands of pounds.”