Joey Barton has hit out at the EFL – labelling the situations at Bolton and Bury “a travesty”.

The Fleetwood Town boss believes more checks need to be made when it comes to prospective owners with both clubs left on the brink in recent months.

Both Bolton and Bury were deducted 12 points ahead of the season starting for insolvency events.

Since then the Shakers have seen all their games suspended and could be expelled from the league on Friday while Wanderers were forced to call off their clash with Doncaster on Tuesday night over concerns about the welfare of the young players who have been forced into action.

“This Fit and Proper Person Test, who does it? Clearly it does not work,” he told the Blackpool Gazette.  

“Bury and Bolton are historic clubs and they have been absolutely sabotaged.

"The EFL are meant to have fans' interests and clubs at heart but it is killing the game.

"My uncle Tony Kelly played for Bolton and I made my Premier League debut there when they had the likes of Jay Jay Okocha. To see what has happened there is a farce.

"Bolton are probably going to go into the division below and Bury will probably go out of business. That is a travesty ... in the modern era, with the money that is in the game.

"For fans who have supported their clubs for decades not to be able to watch football on a Saturday is a disgrace. The EFL have to be accountable.”

Barton also thinks the respective problems at the crisis clubs and their handling by the authorities have made a mockery out of the third tier this season.

"The reality of it is the league is becoming a bit of a farce,” said the former Premier League midfielder, whose side are seventh four games in.

"Donny get a freshener this week. Someone gets a bye in the cup. What is going on?

"The EFL need to have a real serious look at themselves because it is ruining our league.

"You have two teams on negative points, teams not fulfilling fixtures. It is a joke.

"I feel sorry for Phil (Parkinson) and the guys at Bolton but someone is going to play Donny on Saturday and they will have had a fresh week. It is not right.

"Something needs to be done about it sooner rather than later because it is ruining what was a great league last year and it is making a mockery of it.

"You look at the league table in the paper and it looks like a bit of a Mickey Mouse league. Hopefully they sort it out and teams can fulfil fixtures.”