John Hartson has shone a light into the levels of abuse that come with a life in the media when you have had a high profile career in the Glasgow goldfish bowl.
The Welshman got as far as having an Ibrox medical in August 2000 but a year later he was a Celtic signing and playing a lead role as he racked up over 100 goals while collecting three SPL medals.
While the adulation of one side of the great divide is welcomed there is also a nasty and at times sinister element at play with players wary of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Kris Boyd has created dozens of headlines criticising Celtic through various media platforms with his time on the pitch coming to a halt.
There were some unsavoury scenes at Kilmarnock yesterday but with his playing profile on the slide Boyd chose to highlight incidents on social media that prompted a response from Hartson.
He told the Evening Times:
If I am at Ibrox there is anger and real nastiness from certain elements of the support. You don’t want to look in their direction and make eye contact. As sad as it is, is part of having played in Scotland with Celtic.
Kris had a little pop about Celtic fans being the “so-called best in the world” but I just think a little bit of that comes down to the fact he played for Rangers, he is a Rangers fan. His Kilmarnock team had just lost a last minute goal, a goal that changed the complexion of the title race.
We all know what team he bats he for just as you know what team myself and Chris Sutton bat for.
That’s just the way it is.
The Scottish football authorities have appeared to be very reluctant to tackle issues relating to fan behaviour with clubs refusing to take full responsibility for the actions of their own supporters.
