12 Ridiculous Sunderland Transfer Rumours That Never Happened

4. Joey Barton

How many games have Sunderland beaten Newcastle in a row, Joey? Oh, yes. Joey Barton is comfortably the worst player on this list, not fit to lace any of the others' boots, nor any professional players' boots for that matter. The egotistical thug's career has ridden on the waves of controversy he's caused, with a string of violent and venomous incidents somehow rewarded with millions of pounds and a platform to speak on the supposedly-respectable BBC. Fraud manager Steve Bruce was once genuinely interested in taking Barton to Wearside, with the 'footballer' himself claiming that he received and declined a genuine offer from Sunderland. Mackems are an accepting bunch, and can tolerate far more than their fair share of trauma, but signing Barton would've produced some vicious scenes.