Joey Barton aims ANOTHER bizarre dig at Sunderland after transfer revelation

The Swansea City wideman penned a loan move to Fleetwood Town on deadline day, but Barton claims that the deal was almost scuppered when Sunderland entered the race at the last minute.

But with the paperwork already done, it was the Cod Army who clinched the signing of the Scot – much to Barton’s delight.

And the former Newcastle United midfielder felt that Fleetwood’s smaller-scale operation aided their pursuit of the 25-year-old, and allowed them to move quickly once he became available late in the window.

“We’d monitored him all the way through but late in the window he was available at Fleetwood prices and luckily for us we got him signed,” said Barton, speaking to the Blackpool Gazette.

“At the last minute Sunderland tried to do the deal but we had the paperwork done, so it’s nice to put one across them again.

“The beauty of such a small club is that there’s no real bureaucracy and we can get things done quickly. We were all in the same room on Friday night.

“At this club everyone lives in each other’s pockets and wants the same thing. Everyone wants to see the town of Fleetwood do well.

“The speed we could move at gave us a great advantage in the market place on Friday night. We could get our business done, then relax and look forward to Saturday’s game.”