Old Firm, New Firm, You've Mistaken Me For Someone Who Gives A Shit

BEING a Baby Boomer, from God's Own County of Ayrshire, I am a country music fan. Now, I admire some of the more-recent country hits, but, by and large, I am a classic country man. Love The Highwaymen, both collectively and individually, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Hank Williams and the Gram Parsons brand of country rock hits the spot.

Of the newer stuff, one song, 'I Hope You Dance' hits the spot for me.

“Aye”, I hear you say: “Whit's this pish goat tae dae wi fitba”?

Well, back in 2012, when the High Heid Yins on Hampden's sixth floor shit themselves at the prospect of nae Rangers and came up with that crazy notion to demote the club to the bottom tier, they (though I doubt if this thought crossed their tiny brains) opened the door for a new era in Scottish football.

Of course, Chuck Green and the current bunch of gangsters at the top of the marble staircase, immediately slammed that door shut and barred it. The new, more-humble Rangers had a chance to put an end to the bad old days, go down a new route and make for a better future – they could have danced, instead they decided to sit it out.

Funny that, considering there are a couple of lines in that traditional Ibrox favourite: 'The Sash', which go on about: “singing and dancing with any man”. But no, rather than dancing to a new tune, making friends and influencing people and trying something comparatively new, like bringing through young, Scottish talent – the guys at the top of the marble staircase went for the same-old, same-old.

Thus, you have a Rangers team, stuffed with over-riced, many past their sell-by date, English players, taking on a Celtic team which, even though their squad is marginally the more-talented, relies on third and fourth-rate, non-Scottish talent.

This clash today, is the highlight of the Scottish season, so-far. The Scottish mainstream media is bigging-up this match as if it means something. Meanwhile, the good ship Scottish Fitba continues to list heavily, down in the bow and, rudderless, going round in circles, like the Bismark before the big guns moved in.

I could have got interested in today's game, IF, from Day One in Division Two, the Rangers management had decided: “We go with young Scots – we allow them to develop – we nurture from within and we grow in stature through each division”.

But, they didn't. They said: “We are Rangers, we must be seen to be better than all the rest”, and recruited accordingly. They had the chance to rid their club of the sectarian baggage, to stop being a permanent embarrassment and occasional disgrace. They didn't take it, and, at Noon today, the same-old, same-old will resume.

A plague on both their houses. I will not be watching.

Neither will I be watching the Manchester Derby. Better players – yes. Better managers – certainly, but, all the ballyhoo, all the millions cannot change one thing – today's lot will never come close to matching Best, Law and Charlton v Bell, Lee and Tueart.