Here’s the thing about being a football club that employs Joey Barton: at some point — probably sooner rather than later — he’s going to embarrass himself, and by extension, everyone connected to the club.
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On Saturday, Burnley were shocked and bounced from the fifth round of the FA Cup by fifth-division side Lincoln City, and that wasn’t even the most embarrassing part of the Clarets’ day at Turf Moor. That honor, of course, goes to Mr. Barton. First, he did this…
Then, he did this…
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As for Lincoln — let’s not bury their story here — they’re the first side from the fifth division or lower to reach the quarterfinal round of the FA Cup since it was restructured to its current format, in 1925 (Queens Park Rangers was the non-league side to reach the quarterfinals, in 1914). Sean Raggett, who scored Lincoln’s winner from an 89th-minute corner kick, registered the Imps’ first and only shot on target over the whole of 90 minutes. Smash. And. Grab.
The magic of the Cup, right?