Joey Barton says he "cannot wait" to speak to the Football Association about his red card in Bristol Rovers' draw with Fleetwood Town on Saturday, with the Gas manager hitting out at the appointment of referee Robert Madden.
Rovers believe a series of calls went against them in a galling 2-2 draw against Scott Brown's side, with the Gas storming back from a goal down to lead 2-1 until Shaun Rooney's 99th-minute equaliser. Among the decisions that angered the Gas was Aaron Collins' booking for simulation in the penalty area when he was adamant there was contact, and in the aftermath of the game footage and images appear to show Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch making contact with the face of Lewis Gordon in a fracas during a break in play.
Midway through the signalled seven minutes of stoppage time, Barton was shown a straight red card by Mr Madden, a former Scottish Premiership official, for foul and abusive language. The Rovers manager has since apologised, but he remains enraged by the referee's handling of the game and he says he is mystified by the decision to appoint him for that fixture, pointing to the official's time in Scotland and Barton and Brown's polar opposite perceptions by the football community north of the border – Brown is a legend in Celtic circles after winning countless trophies, while Barton has pantomime villain status from a brief and dismal spell at Rangers.
