Joey Barton attempts to wind-up Sunderland fans with another strange rant

Barton and his Fleetwood Town side were supposed to visit the Stadium of Light on Saturday, October 12 – before the Black Cats opted to postpone the game after seeing three international players called-up by their respective nations.

And having already suggested Sunderland were scared of the Cod Army, Barton has once again hit out at the decision and suggested that Sunderland don’t have as much confidence in their squad as he has in his own.

“It’s a sickener,” he said of the postponement, speaking to Fleetwood Today.

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“It’s always easier if you’re off work on the Saturday and you can make a weekend of it.

“But it is what it is, we have to understand that they have three internationals.

“I think they’ve got the third choice keeper for Scotland, second choice right-back for Northern Ireland and another second or third choice centre-back somewhere for one of the home nations.

“We miss big Soutts but we have confidence in our squad and we’ve said ‘no problem’.

“We’ve got someone who can step in and take that opportunity.

“Sunderland clearly don’t think that they have.”

And Barton was disappointed he wasn’t given the opportunity to renew acquaintances with Sunderland’s supporters, who roundly heckled his arrival at the Stadium of Light last summer.

But that didn’t phase the former Newcastle United midfielder, who believes the Wearsiders ‘pine’ for him throughout the season.

“I always love going back to Sunderland,” he said.

“Usually the affection they show to me says that through the course of the year they must pine for me.”

A rearranged date for Sunderland's clash with the Cod Army is yet to be announced.

Barton will face-off against a new man in the dugout when he eventually makes the journey to the Stadium of Light – with the Fleetwood boss himself a 40/1 outsider with the bookmakers.