Burnley boss Sean Dyche has joked that Joey Barton's match-winning goal on his Turf Moor return was something that he would never have scripted.
The 34-year-old, who rejoined the Clarets as a free agent earlier this month, fired home the only goal of the game 11 minutes from time to earn his side a slender 1-0 win over Southampton.
Barton thought that he had played his last game for Burnley when departing the club last summer, fresh on the back of helping the Lancashire outfit out of the Championship as their Player of the Season.
A training ground bust-up during his short time at Rangers brought an end to his spell at Ibrox, however, and Barton - introduced from the bench shortly before his goal against Southampton - is now back at Burnley and playing his part in their rise into the top half of the table.
"He couldn't remember the last time [he was a sub]. He said, 'what do I do? Do I take my boots out with me? Or wear a T-shirt or a warm-up top or what?" Dyche told reporters. "So I just said 'oi you, get on with it'. There was another word in there, but you can imagine the sort of rapport that builds out of that moment.
"You can't make it up. I said to him 'I couldn't write your story'. And he'll be telling everyone it was a sublime finish. He's experienced of course and there is a manliness and assuredness about his performances.
"That's from playing top-level football for many years around many top clubs. He takes some stick at times but he's so used to that it just brushes off him, and he gets on with it and focuses on his football."
Barton's second debut for the club came in last weekend's stalemate with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, with the replay of that FA Cup third-round tie to be played on Tuesday evening.
Daniel Lewis
