Joey Barton charged with alleged malicious communications towards pundit Eni Aluko

The 41-year-old - who also represented Newcastle, Queens Park Rangers, Rangers and Burnley in his playing days – is due to appear in court on July 30 after making comments on social media site X aimed at Aluko during her stint as an FA Cup pundit for ITV in January.

A statement from Cheshire Police reads: “A man from Widnes has been summoned to court to face charges of malicious communications. Following an investigation by Cheshire Police, the Crown Prosecution Service has since authorised the charges for Joseph Barton. The 41-year-old will appear at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 30 July. The charges relate to reports of alleged malicious communications online, between Monday 1 January and Thursday 18 January.”

Barton has responded by saying: “I’m up next month for ‘malicious communications’ charge at Warrington Mag for Eni Aluko tweets. Crazy times we’re living in. Haven’t the Police got enough on their hands? British system is becoming a Banana Republic. Lawfare used against its own citizens for having a dissenting voice.”

Barton has spoken out against women working in men’s football on a regular basis. Aluko has often been targeted, with the 37-year-old revealing in January that she was taking legal action over alleged online abuse that she faced when on punditry duty during Crystal Palace’s FA Cup third-round clash with Everton.