Total Digital Football Awards 2012- Man of the year.

Man of the Year

Winner: Joey Barton

He many be no angel but he knows his way around a football pitch and can also create a social media storm in 140 characters or less, at least in one go.

Note to Rio: There's no shame in coming second. 

Joey Barton’s use of Twitter has helped him fend-off stern competition from the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Cristiano Ronaldo (who’ll just have to console themselves with their on-pitch accolades) to win TDF’s Man of the Year gong.

Barton’s use of the social network to share his learnings from philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche and also rival Sky’s Gary Neville as one of the country’s most outspoken pundits was already a well-known phenomena.

Joey Barton was not awarded MOTY for this .

However, it was on the final day of last season when after being sent-off for violent conduct during QPR’s crunch match with Manchester City – in one of the most talked about games in Premiership history – that Barton etched himself into TDF history.

Joey Barton: Football's first true social media pundit?

During the multi-tweet tirade Barton apologised to QPR’s fans for his actions but also alleged that his attack on Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez was provoked by the
Argentine.

However, that said, he did finish off his missives by congratulating his former club on claiming their first Premiership crown.

The click-count rocketed as football fans took to social networks to both share their thoughts on the day’s action while watching it on their screens.

The post still ranks as one of the most popular on the blog and for that Mr Joey Barton Esquire claims the crown of TDF’S Man of the Year 2012.