Joey Barton declares 'war' on Gary Neville in truly bizarre rant as he claims former Man Utd star's wife 'doesn't like him' and appears to threaten England legend

The disgraced former midfielder launched an aggressive verbal assault on the Manchester United legend, targeting Neville’s personal life, family, and public image. The feud stems from last season, when Barton drew widespread condemnation for comparing female pundits Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward to serial killers Fred and Rose West—comments Neville publicly criticised at the time.

Barton’s original remarks led to an official response from ITV, labelling his words 'contemptible and shameful.' Neville stood by the broadcaster’s condemnation, saying Barton had “gone too far.” That defence appears to have tipped Barton over the edge, prompting his latest tirade in which he claimed that Neville had “crossed the threshold” and declared 'war' on the ex-United star. The marred ex-footballer launched a barrage of deeply personal insults at Neville, including bizarre stories about his childhood, his marriage, and even a mockery of his supposed desire for a knighthood.

Speaking on his podcast, Barton said: "He’s crossed the threshold for me now. It’s warfare. When he decided to go to ITV with that statement, it’s like, right, the gloves are off now. I tried to be nice with you, because I thought you had good intentions, but you piled on there."

He also took aim at Neville’s upbringing in a mocking tone: "I’m speaking about the fact that you all used to sleep in the same bed when you were kids. You, Phil, Tracey, Neville, and your ma all slept in the same bed when you were kids. F***ing weirdos.”

Mocking Neville’s lifestyle and marriage, Barton went further: "His wife doesn’t like him, I’ve shown you on the video. She’s not interested. He goes to her, ‘Right, 7:30? We need to presume [sic] our sexual intercourse now, from 7:30 to 7:45. We’ve got to do the warm-up now. Shall we throw the cones in the back garden? Go side to side.’”

He then attacked Neville’s supposed public image obsession: "Basically, he’s a freak of nature. If you got his hard drive, I bet you he watches porn but with Linkin Park music blasting through his earphones or something like that.”

Barton even mocked Neville’s ambition for official honours, comparing him to David Beckham: "Imagine how h*rny he got when Sir David [Beckham] got the knighthood. He wants a knighthood next. He’s the next one. Wait until you see the amount of a licking, a*** kissing he gets up to now that Sir David has got one.”

While Neville has not yet responded publicly to Barton’s latest comments, the former pundit’s silence may be strategic as the attacks veer sharply into personal and inappropriate territory. Barton's remarks have drawn further criticism online, with many calling them unhinged and misogynistic, especially in light of his earlier targeting of female pundits. Barton also seemed to threaten Neville when he said: "F*cking weirdos. Get back to playing cricket in Bury. F***ing Nike Air Force One. If I see you out in them lad... You are getting terrorised."

With the football world watching closely, Barton may face increased pressure from media outlets and governing bodies over his repeated inflammatory outbursts. While the footballer, who was found guilty of domestic abuse earlier this year, continues to voice his views via his podcast, his ongoing attacks could lead to more formal backlash in the near future, potentially damaging whatever remains of his already tarnished public credibility.