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Joey Barton: 'I do not support Celtic'

New Rangers midfielder Joey Barton shrugs off suggestions that he supports the club's fierce local rivals Celtic.

New Rangers midfielder Joey Barton has shrugged off suggestions that he supports the club's fierce local rivals Celtic.

The 33-year-old joined the Ibrox outfit on a two-year deal earlier today having rejected the chance to stay with newly-promoted Burnley.

He has previously tweeted about his support for Celtic, but insists that he merely favoured the Bhoys in Old Firm derbies due to his Catholic background.

"You only support one club. C'mon let's have it right, I'm an Evertonian. But coming from a football family, if the Milan derby was on you'd have to pick a side, AC Milan or Inter. If it's Barca vs Real Madrid, I'd have to pick a side. That's just what we do," he told reporters.

"So obviously being Joseph Anthony and having gone to Catholic schools, I didn't really have a choice when it came to it. So I looked out for one of the teams when the Old Firm was on. I've said on Twitter, amongst other things, I'm a Celtic fan.

"You have to take that in jest. I don't think anybody will have any doubt about my allegiances when we play Celtic."

Rangers will be playing top-flight football for the first time in five years next season having won the Scottish Championship title this term.

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Joey Barton celebrates with teammates as his deflected free kick goes in for the opening goal during the Championship match between Preston North End and Burnley at Deepdale on April 22, 2016
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic30243389206975
2RangersRangers30195662283462
3Hibernian30111184541444
4Aberdeen30127113846-843
5Dundee UnitedDundee Utd30118113840-241
6Hearts30116134340339
7Motherwell30115143650-1438
8St Mirren30105153749-1235
9Ross County3098133151-2035
10Kilmarnock3088143448-1432
11Dundee3087154563-1831
12St Johnstone3075183254-2226


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