So it's the club's fault they don't want to pay Barton he think he is worth, sounds like you prefer the Freddy Shepherd style of offering ridiculous wages to players (to which Barton was the last of them).
No he wasn't.
Who was? Barton was signed while Shepherd was here.
He was the temporary chairman until Chris Mort learnt the ropes, Mike Ashley had the club ownership so was ultimately responsible for the Barton signing.
Yeah, no.