Rotherham United boss’ verdict on Joey Barton’s Bristol Rovers exile of Trevor Clarke

Rotherham United manager Paul Warne has offered his take on Trevor Clarke’s exclusion from the Bristol Rovers squad.

Clarke has been exiled from the first team after being made available for transfer by the manager earlier this month after Joey Barton said ‘he didn’t trust’ him.

The 24-year-old had only signed a two-year contract with the Gas this summer, extending his stay after his contract was due to expire.

He started the opening day of the season fixture against Forest Green Rovers but was later substituted after his side trailed and has not featured since.

Five days later, Clarke was told he was free to leave the club, along with Zain Westbrooke who also started, as well as Alex Rodman and youth duo Jamie Egan and Sam Heal.

Since then, all three senior players have not made a senior squad with youth players filling in the gaps, before new signings arrived.

In a column which covered many topics including his transfer targets, Warne added his opinion as to whether Barton was right or wrong to discard him so quickly after a new deal.

Speaking to the Rotherham Advertiser, he said: “I’m trying to read between the lines because it’s quite a severe thing for Joey to do. Fans wants honesty from their manager.

“Joey had been honest and said why Trev isn’t going to play. I feel for Trev. He will go and play somewhere else. Maybe he will enjoy it more there. He can rip the plaster off his wound and get on with things.”

“Slating one of my players in public is not something I would do but I’m not saying Joey is wrong to have what he’s done.

“He’s had a good managerial career and a great playing one. It’s not for me to judge how he manages his team.”

Clarke’s next destination has yet to be revealed with no interest reported in him as of yet with the transfer clock ticking down to next Thursday’s deadline.

The arrival of Lewis Gordon, signed on a free transfer after leaving Brentford has made any second chance unlikely with the former Bee’s man firmly in Barton’s plans.

Before joining Rovers, Clarke’s first venture into English football was with the Millers with Warne bringing the left-back to the British Isles.

Like his time at Rovers, his time at the New York Stadium was plagued by injury as he struggled to put together a consistent run of games. When he joined Rovers, having been signed by Barton, he made 20 appearances in total in the past two seasons.

Despite not being an important first-team figure at Rotherham, Warne could only speak highly of the professionalism of one of his former players.

He said: “He was a great pro during his time with us. He wasn’t often in the team but always took it in the right way when I told him he wasn’t playing.

“In fact, he took it so well that it would make me feel even worse when I broke the news to him.

“He never caused me a moment’s trouble.”