Stan Collymore has completed his transfer of footballing allegiance across Glasgow to Celtic.
The popular broadcaster is never afraid to air an opinion or three and give his views on events in Scottish football.
During his playing days Collymore wasn’t slow to let anyone know that he was a Rangers (IL) fan as the Ibrox side splashed the cash on various England internationalists and high profile signings.
With a number of broadcasting roles the former Aston Villa and Liverpool striker is prolific on social media, engaging his views with supporters and not shy to debate the points he raises.
Daring to deviate away from tales that Rangers emerged from liquidation, were relegated to the bottom tier of Scottish football or question their ‘proud 140 year history’ is something that few public figures will comment on or enter into discussion over.
Collymore has felt the full force of the angry people which has shone a little light into the complexities of ‘the Glasgow issue’.
After various forms of abuse, on Saturday Collymore declared: “Celtic fans worldwide. I was told as a kid that you were my enemy. I learned you’re my closest friends. “No blacks, no dogs, no Irish” .
That tweet came at the end of an emotional day on Friday when the Villa fan decided to question and criticise Ally McCoist for his relayed resignation- prompting another avalanche of abuse.
After news emerged that McCoist was quitting Collymore tweeted: “We don’t do walking away” alongside a Union Jack which was retweeted 2,500 times.
Later on he added: “At least I know what a fud is now,” followed by “Looks like I’ve opened the #Fudgates“.
After the 2-0 loss at Queen of the South Collymore wasn’t slow to question Scotland’s highest paid manager.
He tweeted: “Queen of the South aren’t bad to be fair. Good performance,” then adding: “Think the end of the road may be tonight for two greats in McCoist and Hyppia.”
Collymore was a Leicester player alongside Neil Lennon and Martin O’Neill but ignored their influence going as far as being interviewed by Rangers Monthly to explain his interest in Scottish football.
He said: “There was once talk about me going to Celtic and, without being contentious, how on earth could I do it when my soft spot is – and has always been – for the blue half of Glasgow?
“Although you sometimes get people in England who just say they’re a Rangers, or even a Celtic fan, I actually am a Gers supporter.
“It stems back to my mid-teens, when I never seemed to have a Rangers shirt off my back.
“A guy who lived round the street from me in Birmingham used to run a bus of around a dozen lads to Ibrox. That’s how it all started.
“At the time guys like Chris Woods and Terry Butcher were making their way up to Glasgow. The Graeme Souness era really started it for me, and I would always look for their results.
“If anyone asks me if I support a team in Scotland it would most definitely be Rangers – I have strong leanings towards them.”
It seems that after being enlightened those ‘strong leanings’ are now across the city at Celtic Park.
