Joey Barton has asked for extra time to consider his Scottish FA charge of allegedly breaking strict betting rules, reports said yesterday.

The Rangers midfielder was given until yesterday to respond after he was charged with placing 44 bets on games between July 1 and September 15 this year.

But now he has requested an extension to that deadline after telling Hampden disciplinary chiefs he needs longer to look through the piles of paperwork detailing their case.

The request is expected to be considered by the Scottish FA’s Judicial Panel today. SFA rules ban players from betting on any football match, anywhere in the world.

Former Rangers players Ian Black and Steve Simonsen were both banned for betting on football in 2013 and 2015 respectively.

Black was handed a 10-match ban for betting on games involving his own side and served three of them with the other seven suspended. Simonsen missed one game for putting money on other teams with another game suspended.

It is understood Barton did not bet on any games involving Rangers – although it has been reported he did place money on Celtic to lose heavily in their Champions League clash in Barcelona, a match the Hoops lost 7-0.

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