Eni Aluko celebrated the ‘honour’ of being inducted into football’s Hall of Fame on the heels of Joey Barton being convicted of sending six offensive messages on social media site X to victims including the England international.
He was found guilty on two counts of sending grossly offensive communications to female football commentators Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward and not guilty on three counts relating to them.
Barton was also found guilty on four counts of sending grossly offensive messages to broadcaster Jeremy Vine and not guilty on three counts relating to him.
In the days since the conclusion of the trial, Aluko has shared how she believed the ordeal had seen her punditry work dry up, and detailed how she had feared for her life at the height of the social media abuse.
But during her induction at the National Football Museum, Aluko spoke with relief about how important it is to look ahead to ‘good news around the corner’.
‘I feel great, I feel a sense of relief that difficult chapter is all over,’ Aluko told PA at Wednesday’s induction. ‘I have always been very clear about making sure there are consequences for that type of conduct online, because it is bullying.
Eni Aluko has been inducted into the Hall of Fame at the National Football Museum this week
The personal honour comes on the heels of Joey Barton receiving a guilty verdict for offensive social media posts aimed at Aluko, fellow pundit Lucy Ward, and Jeremy Vine
‘It was never going to be something I tolerated. I am very proud of being able to stand up to that and show that’s not something we are going to tolerate in the UK and in society.
‘There is always good news round the corner and to come out of that last week, a difficult week that ended well, and to be here now being recognised, I am very happy and very pleased,’ she said.
‘It shows you will go through things in life that are difficult but it shapes you. You come out the other end of it and people recognise you for how you stood up and how you stood by your principles and values.’
‘I feel honoured. It’s a big recognition for the journey and I just want to keep doing the honour justice.’
Former Chelsea and Juventus star Aluko earned 104 caps during her decorated playing career, and joins fellow Lionesses including Jill Scott, Karen Carney, Alex Scott, and Steph Houghton as some of the recent honourees from the women’s game.
Historic men’s players honoured at the National Football Museum include Sir Alex Ferguson, George Best, and Alan Shearer.
The posts under scrutiny by the court about Aluko and Ward were shared in January 2024 as, following an FA Cup tie between Crystal Palace and Everton, Barton likened the pundits to Fred and Rose West.
Barton then superimposed the faces of the two women on to a photograph of the serial murderers.
The former Lioness earned 104 caps playing for England during her decorated career
As a pundit, Aluko said that she believes her work has dried up in the wake of Barton’s tweets
Aluko thanked fellow broadcaster Vine for his support following Barton’s controversial posts
Barton also tweeted Aluko was in the ‘Joseph Stalin/Pol Pot category’ as that she had ‘murdered hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of football fans’ ears’.
Jurors found him not guilty on the Stalin/Pol Pot comparison, and also the commentary analogy with the Wests, but ruled the superimposed image was grossly offensive.
He was also convicted of a post in relation to Aluko in which he wrote ‘Only there to tick boxes. DEI is a load of (s***). Affirmative action. All off the back of the BLM/George Floyd nonsense’.
ITV had defended Aluko and Ward following Barton’s posts, issuing a statement condemning the former Man City and QPR midfielder’s comments as ‘contemptible and shameful’.
Aluko told The i Paper that she was ‘grateful’ for ITV’s statement, but claimed broadcasters lacked ‘courage’ as she suggested there had a ‘pulling back’ of her punditry opportunities after Barton’s attacks.
‘I would have liked to have seen a lot more courage on the broadcasters’ part to say “this is not something we’re going to accept”,’ Aluko said.
‘And how that pans out in practice is, you continue to stand by that talent. You put them on screen, you communicate about how to deal with online trolls and people in the comments section – but it was just avoided.
Aluko issued a statement on social media stating ‘justice served’ but wrote that Barton’s posts had a ‘damaging impact on my life and career’
‘Nobody had ever had that conversation with me, and in the end it ended up being that I just wasn’t on screen. And that’s very, very disappointing.
‘When you look at the 12-month period, or 18-month period during this litigation, I have done the least TV I’ve ever done.’
Aluko, who has said she is pursuing more opportunities outside the UK, revealed her fear that she could be stabbed as a consequence of Barton’s posts.
The 38-year-old said she was concerned others could be ’emboldened’ by Barton’s posts, while she referenced a message from a 20-year-old man who reportedly wrote ‘I should be shot’.
‘That’s one of the worst parts of it. When a big account with millions of followers like Joey Barton’s does something so grossly offensive and aggressive, it emboldens others to do the same,’ Aluko said.
‘As much as people think it’s just words online, it spills over into real world ideas and real world harm, and it only takes one of those millions of people to have a knife or to think that they’re justified to attack you before we’re talking about something really serious.’
In a statement after the hearing, Aluko said: ‘Social media is a cesspit where too many people feel they can say things to others they wouldn’t dream of saying in real life under the guise of freedom of speech.
‘This is a reminder that actions online do not come without consequences.
‘The messages directed at me, Lucy Ward and Jeremy Vine by Joey Barton were deeply distressing and had a real damaging impact on my life and career. I am glad that justice has been served.’
Barton will be sentenced on December 8 after preparation of a pre-sentence report and was warned by trial judge Andrew Menary that all sentencing options remained open.
