David Unsworth graced 364 Premier League games for six clubs across 17 seasons in the top flight and played for England – but in Joey Barton’s world, he was still a fair target for fat-shaming.
Legendary Everton defender Unsworth, at home at centre-half of left-back, also starred for West Ham, Aston Villa, Portsmouth, Sheffield United and Wigan at the highest level.
But 10 years after his final game in the Premier League, while stepping in as caretaker boss at Goodison Park after the sacking of Ronald Koeman in October 2017, pundit Barton couldn’t help himself and took aim at Unsworth’s figure in a shocking radio tirade.
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Unsworth, who turned 50 today, October 16, had just seen the Toffees walloped at home by Leicester, which left them in the drop zone. And on the airwaves after the game, former Manchester City, Newcastle, QPR and Burnley man Barton launched into a disgraceful verbal assault.
Barton said of Unsworth, nicknamed “Rhino” who was part of Everton’s 1995 FA Cup-winning side, when working on talkSPORT: “I used to watch him as an Evertonian and he was the most immobile left-back I’ve ever seen. He’s not a manager, he doesn’t look like one.
(Image: talkSPORT)
“I watched him waddling on to the coach. How can you get players to exert themselves physically when you’re out of shape? He’s a glorified PE teacher who shouldn’t be in charge of a men’s team. Look at him on the touchline… he’s more like a steward.”
The Toffees chief took the high road when told of Barton’s harsh attack, simply responding: “It’s not a problem – anything Joey Barton says, I couldn’t care less.”
One person who didn’t turn the other cheek, though, was “disgusted” former Manchester United and Liverpool defender Paul Ince.
(Image: Getty Images)
In an open letter published in the Daily Express at the time, he wrote to Barton: “I don’t know if you have a personal issue with Unsworth, but what I do know is that there’s absolutely no reason to come out and castigate him on his physical appearance and weight.
“To comment on someone’s weight – which is totally irrelevant to their ability to be a football manager – is just stupid. And anyone who’s sensible knows that.
“What you said is an absolute liberty. It was unprofessional. It wasn’t funny. I was disgusted.”