Thursday 13 October 2016 12:29, UK
Kris Boyd believes Joey Barton's Rangers career is effectively over - and he is paying the price for a curtailed pre-season.
The 34-year-old Barton, who joined Rangers on a two-year contract in May, has been serving a club suspension following a bust-up with fellow midfielder Andy Halliday and Rangers manager Mark Warburton.
In addition, the former QPR and Burnley man has been charged by the SFA for allegedly betting on 44 football games, a charge which led to an additional week's suspension by the club.
However, despite the recent travails, it is events during the summer - when he missed the club's training camp in the USA - that have finally caught up with Barton, according to Boyd.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "It's not been great for Joey, it's not been great for the club itself.
"The Rangers fans want a marquee signing to jump on the bandwagon and go along with them and represent the club in the right manner.
"Joey's made mistakes, he'll know that himself and I think the whole scenario is over the top but, as I said at the time, he was late coming back to pre-season and he's struggled since then.
"The Scottish game is all about pressing and getting in about teams and Rangers have struggled to do that this season.
"Joey will know that and from all reports he has been working really hard to get his fitness back but I think it's too late for him at Rangers and I think it's finished for him. I'll be very surprised if we see him back in a Rangers jersey."
Mark Warburton's side have struggled to adjust to life in the top flight - and currently sit in fifth place - but Boyd is backing his former club to secure a Europa League play-off slot next season.
The Kilmarnock striker said: "Second's not acceptable, but in reality you can't say finishing second to Celtic is a shame.
"Celtic are miles way from Rangers at the moment with their progress into the Champions League group stages and the way they performed against Manchester City was outstanding, but I still think Rangers will finish second."
