Joey Barton has admitted he will have to put his admiration for Duncan Ferguson to one side as he prepares to face off against his Everton hero on Saturday.
A boyhood Blue, Barton began his career within the Everton academy before going on to represent the likes of Manchester City, Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers during his playing days. The 40-year-old has since gone into management and is in his second post in charge of a Football League side.
Now the Bristol Rovers boss, the Gas will travel to Gloucestershire on Saturday to face off against Forest Green Rovers, who are still searching for their first win following the appointment of Ferguson. It is set to be a strange occasion for Barton, who has made clear he grew up idolising the ex-Blues striker.
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“He was the best player at Everton when I was growing up as a kid. I remember his goals against Manchester United and we didn’t have a fantastic team at the time," he told Bristol Live.
"Duncan was iconic for Everton fans and certainly my generation. Afterward when I’ve met him in and around the club when I’ve been to and played Everton, he’s been exemplary. He’s a top-class fella, I’ve exchanged a few back-and-forths with him when he got the job. I haven’t since he’s got the job because we’re now competing with one another.
“I don’t want to be a bit of a fanboy, I don’t have many people that I look up to. As a kid, Duncan was iconic and still is with Evertonians. As I say, I’ll have to put that aside on Saturday, so we can give them a good going over and take three points. It’ll be tough and I don’t want Dunc’s first win to be against me. I’ll have to park my admiration for him for 90 minutes on Saturday, that’s for sure.”
Barton's men will be firm favourites to come out on top against a Forest Green team who look to be heading straight back where they came from. Last season's League Two champions have managed only five wins out of a possible 35 and are 11 points from safety, though the Bristol boss remains wary despite the perilous position of the rock-bottom club.
"I have to be mindful here because every time I tell you candidly what I think we get our a***s handed to us," joked Barton. "They’ve definitely picked up. He’s a class act Duncan, Tony Grant has gone in with him there. The players have responded for that, it hasn’t quite materialised at this moment into a win or the points they would have been looking for. Their endeavour and their attitude, they are certainly competing. They will be looking at it where Duncan will want to get his first win. They’ll think we’re a good opportunity to do that against a mid-table team as they’ll see it."
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