Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
COLD FIRM DERBY
Packie: Shane’s dream game has lost an edge Gers winger Kent admits the players are in uncharted territory in an empty stadium
PACKIE BONNER says he feels sorry for Shane Duffy having to make his Old Firm debut in an empty stadium.
The legendary Ireland goalkeeper played in 60 derbies for the Glasgow giants, a number only Billy Mcneill, Paul Mcstay and Roy Aitken could beat.
This is the first for Ireland skipper Duffy, and Bonner (inset) admits it’s a shame the Derry man won’t get to experience the atmosphere he relished so much over his 16 year Hoops career. “Listen, the experience is incredible when it it’s s a full house, at home especially in front of your own crowd, it’s ju just amazing,” Bonner said.
““Ever ything about it is sp special and not to have that is p probably taking away a bit for Sh Shane.
“But it’s still a huge game, a ga game everyone is watching so I thin think he’ll enjoy the game even in these circumstances.”
Duffy w will experience something Bonner never did when playing in an empty ground – but the fomer Ireland No.1 had his own unique occasion in 1994 when he played at Ibrox with only Rangers fans allowed in.
“Going to Ibrox was always a bit of a challenge, but I always loved it – in fact sometimes I preferred playing there instead of Parkhead because the expectations were low,” said the Hoops legend.
“We had to go into the Lions den, and if you did well there was no better place to turn them over.”
An understrength Celtic drew 1-1 that day, and Bonner admits he’d be happy with the same this afternoon.
He said: “I think if Rangers are ever going to challenge they have to get a win out of this game.
“They’re confident, playing decent football and with no home crowd and Celtic missing so many players players, this is the time for them to get that result.”
THROUGHOUT its long history, it has been called a derby like no other.
And at lunchtime today, it really will live up to its billing.
When Rangers stride onto Celtic Park at
High Noon, their players won’t be met by an avalanche of abuse tumbling down from the stands.
Nor will they hear the defiance coming from 800 of their own fans, shoehorned into a corner to the right of the tunnel, determined to make their voices heard despite the din all around them.
All of that will be missing. It will be a new experienc experience for the Old Firm but Ryan Kent, for one, c can’t wait to sample it.
T The Englishman said: “I think it’s go going to be different. The fans make th this fixture – it’s why it’s one of the b biggest derbies in the world, because o of the fans.
“But despite the fans not being the there, I expect the intensity and the aggr aggressiveness to still be there.”
The 23-year-old has been Steven Gerrard’s main attacking threat this season, justifying the £7m outlay that was required to sign him from Liverpool.
“In terms of my output, in terms of numbers it’s the best position I’ve been in since I’ve been at Rangers,” Kent said.
“I’m hoping to make a good impact on the game, get myself on the scoresheet or make a good impact for the team.
“Even if I’m not having a good game,
I always feel confident. That’s just the way I have to be and it’s how I approach the game
“I might lose the ball five or six times on the bounce but there might be one occasion where I do get success in the game and that’s when I can affect it.”