ITV pundit Eni Aluko calls in lawyers over Joey Barton’s ‘extremely violent’ rant which left her ‘genuinely scared’
AN ITV pundit has revealed she’s calling in lawyers over what she’s labelled Joey Barton’s “extremely violent” online rant.
Eni Aluko, 36, says it comes after Barton‘s first sexist tirade left her “genuinely scared” and she fled the country.
The football star has now revealed she is taking legal action against the former player for what she says are “defamatory” claims against her family.
Barton has repeatedly taken to his keyboard to complain about female players talking about men’s football.
Aluko has been a victim of that – with him comparing her and another pundit, Lucy Ward, to “the Fred and Rose West of football”, referring to two of Britain’s worst serial killers.
But he recently targeted her, and her family, in another bizarre tirade.
The former Manchester City and Newcastle star wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on January 19: “More has come to light about poor, little Eni Aluko. Dad was a Nigerian Senator. Dodgy money.
“Ran to England. Massive house in Wentworth. 3 Rolls Royces. St Mary’s in Ascot private education. Lawyer. Race card player.”
Aluko has now said she’s taking legal action against Barton, while slamming his rant as “untrue and inaccurate”.
She today wrote on Instagram: “Joey Barton recently published a post on X which made untrue, inaccurate and defamatory allegations about me and my family.
“It is particularly harmful that Mr Barton involved my family in that post, suggesting my late father, a distinguished Nigerian senator, was in receipt of ‘dodgy money’ and that I had benefitted from his corruption which paid for my lavish lifestyle including Rolls Royce cards and a private education.
“Mr Barton also publicly stated he knew where my family lived.
“These, and the other allegations he made in the post, are all entirely untrue and have caused me extreme harm and distress.
“These were made just days after I stated publicly that I was genuinely scared, following Mr Barton’s repeated online posts targeting me using extreme violent comparisons in previous weeks.
“I have instructed Judith Thompson at Samuel’s Solicitors, as well as Sara Mansoori KC and Ifeanyi Odogwu at Matrix Chambers to send a letter before action to Mr Barton setting out the true position and requesting that the post on X be taken down.
“Instead of taking down his post, Mr Barton published a post today mischaracterising my legal complaint with a photograph of my letter of claim, causing further abuse of me, and my legal advisers.
“While he has now removed that post, it has been necessary to make this statement to set out the correct position.”
I’ve genuinely been scared this week. I didn’t leave my house until Friday and I’m now abroad.
Eni Aluko
Prior to Aluko taking to social media, Barton claimed he was being “for saying she’s not very good at her job” while sharing a letter he was said to have received from her lawyers.
However, the post has now been deleted.
The Sun has approached the law firm for comment.
Earlier this month, on January 5, Barton went on a sexist rant online, saying: “How is she even talking about Men’s football. She can’t even kick a ball properly.
“Your coverage of the game EFC last night, took it to a new low.
“Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, the Fred and Rose West of football commentary.”
Over two decades, Fred and Rose West abducted, tortured, raped and murdered numerous young women.
Celebrities like Piers Morgan, Laura Woods and Bianca Westwood were quick to call out the comments on social media.
These, and the other allegations he made in the post, are all entirely untrue and have caused me extreme harm and distress.
Eni Aluko
ITV Sport also addressed Barton, saying in a statement: “For Joey Barton, an ex-professional player with a significant social media presence, to target two of our pundits, Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, with such vindictive remarks based on gender and to involve the names of serial killers in doing so is clearly contemptible and shameful on his part.
“Football is for everyone.”
On January 19, Aluko posted a 15-minute-long video saying she would take legal action against Barton.
She claimed she had fled the UK out of fears for her safety after getting a slew of online abuse.
Aluko said: “Now, I’m open and honest and I’m human and I’m more than happy to admit that I’ve been scared this week.
“I’ve genuinely been scared this week. I didn’t leave my house until Friday and I’m now abroad.
“It’s really important to say that online abuse has a direct impact on your safety and how you feel and how safe you feel in real life.”
The same day Barton reposted the video saying: “Cry me a fu**ing river.
“I was waiting for the victim card to be played.”
He went on to call her “dreadful as a pundit”, “tone deaf” and said she knew “next to nothing about men’s football”.
Barton's bizarre claims
On December 6, 2023 Barton started the controversy by tweeting: “Women shouldn’t be talking with any kind of authority in the men’s game. Come on. Let’s be serious.
“It’s a completely different game. If you don’t accept that. We will always see things differently.
“The women’s game is thriving. Fantastic to see.
“I cannot take a thing they say serious in the men’s arena.”
His tirade on X, formerly Twitter, included saying that women commentating on men’s football was the same as him “talking about knitting or netball”.
Barton, 41, defended his comments on Piers Morgan Uncensored on TalkTV — slamming former England and Arsenal footballer Alex Scott.
During her footy career she won eight league titles, three WSL Cups, seven FA Cups, the Champions League once, and two Community Shields.
When quizzed about her commentating he said: “She hasn’t played in it.
“One is 200 years old and one is about 40 years old. It’s the same rules but football is about a lot more than rules… the games are at two different speeds.”
Barton said it was the same as him commentating on Formula One just because he can drive a car.
He then took to X once again to call out Bianca Westwood and Laura Woods for a debate on his new Common Sense podcast, after the pair both shared their views on his remarks.
The former midfielder wrote: “Both of you follow me. And not the other way around. So, why the silence?
“Do you both have something to hide?
“You can come and debate. Just make sure you’re ready.
“I’ll take your silence as a sign you know it’s not for you. Screaming from the rooftops yesterday. Tumbleweeds blowing across the vast expanse today. Says it all.”
Neither Woods nor Westwood responded to Barton’s taunt — so he increased his efforts by questioning why they chose to remain silent.
He added: “Laura Woods and Bianca Westwood won’t come on the show. They’re not brave enough. Lots to say yesterday?
“You should have kept your heads down. Something to hide girls?
“Cat got your tongue today!”
On December 7, 2023, Barton tweeted: “The Women’s game is absolutely thriving. Great to see. It’s a fantastic sport in its own right.
“Really entertaining. Good to watch. Technically and tactically not that much difference.
“Physically. Complete different planet. Until you have experienced that. You cannot say what you would have done in said position at said time. No.
“It’s got a great England team (that wins stuff!) it’s got its own Premier League. It’s got its own Champions League.
“Please for the love of God, go and commentate on that.
“You can say what you want. You will be qualified to. You have actual experience of what is taking place.
“The eunuch’s might not agree. But somebody had to say something. Hate it having to be me…”
On December 8, 2023, he wrote:” If any top male players, ex-players think I’m wrong. That women are overkill and underqualified in the men’s punditry and commentary space.
“The floor is open to you all as well.
“As I said, anywhere, anytime and any place.
“Send me location.
“Two hours. No edit.
“Gloves off. Conkers out.”
On December 16, 2023, Barton continued his social media tirade by slamming Football Focus.
Barton said: “36 minutes. Football Focus turned off. Sorry, it’s just terrible.
“Drivel and nonsense served with a side of boring. No wonder it’s getting canned.
“Well done to all involved. Another flagship destroyed by The Tokens.”
He next took aim at SPOTY winner Mary Earps.
On December 20, 2023 Barton tweeted: “So the best sports person this year is… A Women Goalie. Lost in a couple of finals this year. Not won a sausage.
“So popular that Nike didn’t even sell a replica jersey before tournament.
“You telling me all those who jumped on that bandwagon, haven’t voted in the BBC nonsense?
“Good luck to Mary. Hope she makes a few quid.”
Joey then added: “To win before Ronnie O’Sullivan and Frankie Dettori…? Well, that’s just madness to me.
“Both almost genius-like in their respective fields. They’ve lost to a big sack of spuds that plays in goal for a girls’ team.”
On December 26, 2023, he tweeted: “Is this women pundit (Finnis-Brown) an international goalie.
“She’s at least a foot shorter than Tortoise head and McManaman…
“I’d chip her on her line.
“Why is she talking about the men’s game???
“Please stop this nonsense”
On December 31, 2023, Barton reposted a tweet from Amazon Prime managing director for sport Alex Green, along with the comment: “Well done Alex.
“Can you now remove the terribly underqualified, tone-deaf, tokenistic women currently all over your broadcasts.
“They’re ruining the experience for most of us.”
On Jan 1, 2024, Barton posted: “How can we not call this out for what it is?
“Women who are underqualified, under-prepared and over opinionated.
“It’s ruining the experience for millions of Football addicts, like myself.”
On January 7, 2024 Barton alleged women use “pillow talk” and their “sexuality to get an advantage”.
He posted: “We all know whose marriages you have violated. What info you got from the pillow talk to get ahead…
“I also, don’t blame you using your sexuality to get an advantage. It’s a big tool and everyone should use all there tools wisely in the game of life.”
He added: “Don’t take me for a fool. Lawyer up. Sue me. Get me cancelled. Pressure my employers, my sponsors.
“I’ve got plenty to fight you back with. I’ve deeper pockets than most.”
On January 5, Barton went on yet another a sexist rant online, saying: “How is she even talking about men’s football. She can’t even kick a ball properly.
“Your coverage of the game EFC last night, took it to a new low.
“Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, the Fred and Rose West of football commentary.”
Then, on January 17, Barton responded to a clip Aluko posted online where she revealed that she had fled the country in fear for her safety after being bombarded with online abuse in the wake of Barton’s comments.
Barton responded to the clip on X, saying: “Cry me a Fu**ing river….
“I was waiting for the victim card to be played.
“Eni, sorry luv, you’re dreadful as a pundit.
“Tone deaf, can’t count and most importantly you know next to nothing about men’s football.
“You should have ran off to a desert island after your ‘Areta phoning Pep to put a bin’ in nonsense.
“Everyone is laughing at you.
“Not just me.”