JOEY BARTON insists he has not moved across the border to coast out his career after penning a two-year deal with Rangers.

The Englishman turned down the offer of a shot at the Premier League with Burnley to make the switch to Ibrox and will now look to inspire Mark Warburton’s side to the Premiership title next term.

The capture of Barton is a significant coup for the champions ahead of their top flight return and the 33-year-old is determined to live up to the lofty expectations in Light Blue.

Barton said: “If you have played at the top level, like I have in England for most of my career and been abroad to play in France, you don’t want to come and play in the lower leagues. I would have gone to the MLS or China, or somewhere more lucrative.

“If I wanted to down tools, there are easier places to go than Scotland. I am fully aware that this isn’t going to be an easy ride for me as a player and I don’t expect it to be. I expect it to be an enormous challenge on many different facets.

“There are going to be a lot of challenges that you don’t get south of the border. In that respect, I know I have got to be at the top of my game. Nothing from my perspective is about coming up here and coasting.

“You can’t come to a football club of this size at this juncture of your life and not be aware of what the demand is. Second place is nothing here. Second in the cup final is nothing, second in the league is nothing.

“Everything is about winning and there is an enormous pressure and responsibility attached to that. But, for a competitive animal like myself, that is heaven for me.”