BY IAIN COLLIN – @CCP_sport
RANGERS legend Colin Stein reckons no-one will be happier at the return of the Old Firm game than Celtic.
Stein accepts the Hoops will be favourites to win Saturday’s mouthwatering encounter and fears some of the Rangers players will not know what has hit them when they walk into a cauldron of noise at Parkhead.
The 69-year-old, whose opening goal helped Rangers to their 1972 European Cup Winners’ Cup triumph, works at Ibrox on match-day and has seen his old team ‘struggle’ so far this term.
However, he insists the excitement surrounding the game is a welcome return for everyone involved.
He said: “It’s a tremendous game to look forward to but it will be a hard game for Rangers, going to Parkhead trying to get the three points.
“There’s been a lot of players talking in the papers about the game but the time to do the talking is on the field.
“There’s been a lot of hype about Joey Barton and Scott Brown, and that’s all part of the game, but we’ll see what happens on Saturday.
“I go to the home games and I’ve watched Rangers struggle a wee bit this season.
“They scored plenty goals in the Championship last season but they’re maybe missing a goal-scorer at the moment.
Fantastic
“It’s fantastic to see the Old Firm game back, though.
“A lot of people have said Celtic didn’t miss Rangers, but I can assure you they will have missed these games.”
Stein has plenty of experience of Old Firm tussles from his time with Rangers in the 1960s and ’70s.
However, there will be a few players on both sides of the Glasgow divide who will be savouring the match for the first time.
Stein added: “Saturday will be different for some of the new players, I can tell you that! Especially with nearly 60,000 Celtic supporters shouting at them.
“There will be quite an atmosphere for the Rangers players and they will have to come to terms with it quickly.”
