Bit of steel when Halliday returns to Ibrox
period of time but he was a great lad and you could tell he was a Rangers boy at heart.
“He always gave everything he had on the pitch, including in training, and took every defeat to heart. He was great to have around the place.
“Andy was definitely someone I tapped into during my time there to try to gauge what it meant to play for the club.
“I looked at Andy, Kenny Miller and Lee Wallace to see how we handled ourselves off the pitch and on the pitch.
“You need those people who have been at the club and through the difficult times as well when they came right through the leagues.
“When you get a large influx of players who don’t understand the club as well as some others then it’s important to have players who have been there a few years and experienced the highs and lows.
“Obviously players need to have more than just passion for the club and Andy did a good job for the team.
“He played out of position a couple of times but he never once moaned or whinged, he gave 110 per cent on the pitch. That’s all I can ask when I step on to the pitch with a team-mate. I’ve been in many teams where that’s not even a given so I appreciate all those little things.”
Halliday played a key role in helping Rangers win promotion back to the top flight and was instrumental in the Scottish Cup semi-final win over Celtic at Hampden that season.
But life back in the Premiership didn’t go to plan and he was involved in a heated training ground exchange with big-money flop Joey Barton.
Halliday then came in for some flak from a section of the support but Hill said: “Any player will get stick, that’s just the way it is in football. I’ve been there myself where I’ve had bad games and fans are on my back.
“At a club the size of Rangers expectations are so high and if they’re not met by any player then they’ll let you know.”
Halliday is likely to be joined by another returning loan Ranger in Michael O’Halloran with his current agreement with St Johnstone coming to an end.
And Hill said: “Michael was another good guy and he was on fire at St Johnstone where he hit the ground running after his move away. I heard Tommy Wright saying he couldn’t get a hold of his agent so I don’t know the whole story but he’s another lad who will go back to Ibrox and want to prove a few people wrong. “I know there might have been a few people criticising his attitude but I can assure you he was never lazy. We all have different opinions of players but Michael, like Andy, gave everything he had. “I’m sure he’ll want to do well for the club if he does end up going back .”