- Joey Barton is the latest outraged England fan to call for the removal of the St George’s Cross from the new England shirt
- This is the latest in a long list of attacks from Barton on modern football culture
- Nike’s ‘playful update’ on the St. George’s cross is ‘a load of b******s’… who signed that flag design? It’s so stupid. Listen to the It all starts podcast
Joey Barton has become the latest England fan to express his outrage at the ‘playful update’ of the St George’s Cross on the back of Nike’s new England shirt.
The controversial former Manchester City, QPR and Newcastle midfielder has long sparked outrage for his unfiltered views and comments.
It’s no surprise that the retired footballer decided to focus on the controversy and get involved in the drama.
While many have felt indifferent about the small change in the globally recognized Red Cross, a petition has been set up to return the colorful St. George’s Cross to its original size and recall the current jersey.
In response to a user on Platform
Joey Barton has repeatedly criticized modern football culture
The latest attacks from the former QPR players are aimed at American sports brand and English kit designers Nike
At the time of publication, the petition, started by Alfred Ramsey on change.org, has collected more than 5,000 signatures to ‘Save St George’s Cross in English football’.
Barton followed up his first tweet with another more scathing tweet in which he alluded to the one thing many are angry about.
Many outraged English fans have said that the American sports brand is trying to ‘wake up’ the cross by adding blue, light blue and pink to the color scheme.
In his rogue follow-up tweet about England’s new 2024 European Championship shirt, Barton said…
‘Don’t worry, there will be a gay or lesbian lion soon. Virtue signaling at its maximum.
Who knows, maybe one day you’ll turn into a lioness.
Wake up, go broke.”
The former footballer is not the only person with a platform to express his dissatisfaction with the design.
Politicians Nigel Farage and Brendan Clarke Smith were furious at the new design which bore no resemblance to the original cross.
While British MP Lee Anderson described the move as ‘virtue signaling made nonsense’.
This is just the latest in a long attack from Barton on the current culture within the modern game.
His most notable attack was on England and Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps, who he has continually attacked in his tweets.
One of his many comments about Earps and the women’s game that sparked outrage was his insistence that he would score “1,000 out of 1,000 penalties” against the Lionesses’ goalkeeper.
The former Manchester City and Newcastle midfielder has been intensely criticized in recent months for a series of sexist comments against women, who he claims are ‘not qualified’ to discuss men’s football.
Barton has consistently made sexist comments about women’s football, particularly after England and Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps.
Speaking on the day of the launch, the American sports brand made a specific point to highlight the new look of the flag.
Tweet: ‘A playful update of the St. George appears on the collar to unite and inspire.’
The kits – which will also be worn by the Lionesses and England Para teams in 2024 – will cost fans £124.99 in adult sizes and £119.99 for children.
Nike and the Football Association have no plans to recall England’s controversial new kit – with sources claiming the modified St George’s flag is a nod to the 1966 World Cup winners.
