There is an EFL club that keeps a database designed to monitor the progress of its future head coaches. It is succession planning, a means of identifying the next best candidate before the search is even required to begin.

Individuals are marked and categorised; ones to watch and others to forget. A new tab has recently been created beneath those head coaches who are deemed unworthy of consideration, though. It is labelled “Joey Barton”. Do not touch.

The anecdote is relayed after one senior figure at the club was asked last week if Barton, sacked as manager of Bristol Rovers in October, would ever be considered for one of their managerial vacancies. “Not a chance,” they say.

Barton is unlikely to care. Not publicly, at least. After his playing career was held back by acts of violence and self-sabotage, the 41-year-old is now setting fire to his prospects of finding further opportunities as a football manager.

An industry that has provided Barton with no end of second chances – after prison, after an 18-month gambling ban and after multiple arrests – is finally seeing its patience expire thanks to a series of furious social media posts against female pundits and commentators.

They seem to have closed off any possible return to the game he claims to be defending. There…

Rangers Women coach Craig McPherson has received a six-game ban from the Scottish FA following his headbutt on Celtic manager Fran Alonso.

McPherson, 52, approached Alonso at full-time after the 1-1 Old Firm draw on March 27 as Celtic celebrated a 99th minute equaliser.

He has already apologised to Alonso for the incident and said he would accept whatever punishment the SFA deemed appropriate.

Following an SFA hearing on Thursday, McPherson has been banned for six matches for a charge under disciplinary rule 77 – related to improper behaviour and violent conduct.

Police have an investigation ongoing into the incident.

In a statement released following the incident, McPherson said: “I would like to offer a full and unreserved apology for my actions at the end of Monday’s Old Firm match at Broadwood.

“I know I have severely let myself, our team and the club down. I hold myself to the highest of standards and have never done anything like this before in a long coaching career, and I know I fell way short of that with my actions.

“I have already apologised to the board, the football staff and our fantastic group of players, whom I care about dearly. I would also like to apologise to the Rangers fans as I am aware of what a privilege it is to represent this club in any…

Rangers Women assistant manager Craig McPherson has apologised for aiming a headbutt at Celtic boss Fran Alonso and admitted he “severely” let down the club with his actions.

McPherson approached Alonso at the end of a dramatic 1-1 draw on Monday, when Celtic celebrated a 99th-minute equaliser.

The Rangers coach is facing a Scottish Football Association (SFA) disciplinary hearing after the incident and he has vowed to accept any punishment handed down by the governing body.

McPherson said Alonso had already accepted his apology, but he further expressed regret for “any negativity my actions have brought in our attempts to grow the (women’s) game”.

An apology from @RangersWFC coach Craig McPherson. pic.twitter.com/QSeuArBGj9

— Rangers Women (@RangersWFC) April 1, 2023

In a lengthy statement released via the club’s Twitter account, he wrote: “I would like to offer a full and unreserved apology for my actions at the end of Monday’s Old Firm match at Broadwood.

“I know I have severely let myself, our team and the club down. I hold myself to the highest of standards and have never done anything like this before in a long coaching career, and I know I fell way short of that with my actions.

“I have already apologised to the board, the football staff and our…

The Scottish Football Association are set to launch an investigation into an incident that saw Rangers Women assistant manager Craig McPherson appear to headbutt Celtic Women manager Fran Alonso on Monday evening.

The third Old Firm of the season saw Celtic’s Caitlin Hayes score a 99th-minute equaliser to cancel out Brogan Hay’s 36th-minute opener and salvage a 1-1 draw for her side.

However, there were unpleasant scenes at the full-time whistle when McPherson charged at Alonso and allegedly aimed a headbutt toward the 47-year-old.

Alonso also alleges that the 52-year-old called him a rat as members of both teams separated the pair.

Asked about the incident, Alonso told Sky: “I don’t know. You can see there, somebody pushed me from behind. 

“I never talked to (McPherson) the whole game.

“It’s obviously disappointing to concede a goal in the last minute, I totally get it. But I don’t know.

“I was called a ‘little rat’, I don’t know why.”

Rangers Women manager Malky Thomson said that he had not seen the incident and therefore declined to comment on it.

He said: “Without me seeing it at all I don’t know that I can comment on it.

“If that’s the case, then there will be an investigation and we’ll obviously look at it.”

The 1-1 draw meant that Celtic and…