Fleetwood Town manager Joey Barton has taken a swipe at Bolton Wanderers for trying to poach striker Ched Evans away from them on transfer deadline day, report the Blackpool Gazette

Evans signed for the Cod Army on loan from Sheffield United in the summer but the Blades were unable to recall him on deadline day, leaving all three clubs needing to sign an agreement for the striker to make the loan move to Bolton.

But Fleetwood refused to sign, deciding to keep the 11 goal man for the rest of the season and manager Barton has now broken his silence over the debacle.

"We have not made a mistake here, it is the other clubs," Barton said.

"The disappointing thing for me is Phil Parkinson did not have anything about him.

"When I see him I will tell him about picking the phone up and being a man about it.

"They tried to do it in the incorrect fashion and that is why they do not have a striker and that is why they will probably get relegated from the Championship."

Wanderers currently sit in 23rd place in the Championship table with 30 matches now played and three points from safety.

The club's top scorer so far this season is winger Will Buckley who has just four to his name with Sammy Ameobi in second with three.

This weekend sees them host fellow strugglers Preston North End in what could be a huge match at the bottom of the table.

The verdict 

I tend to agree with Barton here, although he probably went a bit too far in his backlash.

Fleetwood have every right to stand their ground on a previously agreed deal and I admire them for doing so.

However, calling out Parkinson and Bolton for their lack of class before launching a tirade against them is a tad hypocritical.