Andy has taken so much unnecessary stick and Hampden was hell for him... he 100% deserves best day of his life
SAYS GREG DOCHERTY
GREG DOCHERTY was journeying to the Stadium of Light when he watched Andy Halliday emerge from the Old Firm darkness of last season with a starring role against Celtic.
And Docherty insists his Gers team-mate’s man-of-thematch display in the 1-0 Ibrox win is proof of the 27-year-old’s strength of character.
He lined up alongside Halliday during his Hampden humiliation eight months ago when Rangers caretaker boss Graeme Murty subbed him four minutes before half-time in the Scottish Cup semi-final.
Already trailing 2-0, Halliday reacted furiously and the Celtic fans lapped it up by singing his name with some of the Hoops subs captured laughing on the bench. The game ended 4-0 and two weeks later Halliday was again ridiculed by the Parkhead punters in a 5-0 Old Firm stroll to clinch the league title.
Docherty, a late sub in that match, knows just how much fellow diehard Rangers fan Halliday was hurting. But the ex-Middlesbrough man had the last laugh thanks to Ryan Jack’s winner on Saturday.
Docherty, currently on loan at Shrewsbury, caught the early action on his phone en route to Sunderland for their 1-1 draw in League One.
He said: “It wasn’t nice for Andy last season and Hampden was really difficult. But to be fair to him he took it on the chin and I remember at training the following day he brushed it off.
“That underlined for me how mentally tough he is.
“I had only known Andy for a few months and didn’t feel there was much that could be said after Hampden. If I’d been in his shoes I would have wanted to be left alone or be with my family.
“I was new to the club last season but those defeats to Celtic hit me hard. When you go home and see your family you see the hurt in their faces.
“You’re gutted that you lost but also because it’s the team you support.
“Andy shouldered a lot of that, particularly towards the end, and it wasn’t nice to see.
“But he’s kept his head down from day one in pre-season and worked hard. He’s emerged stronger and it just shows how mentally tough he is.
“The turnaround for Andy Halliday in the Old Firm fixture sums up football and is a reminder of why you have to take the highs with the lows and not get too down.
“It’s easy for me to say that because last season would have been really tough for him, of course it would have been. It wouldn’t have been nice for any Rangers fan in that position.” Halliday was deployed in a left-back role by Steven Gerrard on Saturday and produced a brilliant display with a crunching challenge on Olivier Ntcham early on setting the tone at a pumped-up Ibrox.
And as the crowd chanted his name at the end with the small band of Celtic fans silenced, it showed the huge turnaround in derby fortunes for Halliday.
Docherty was delighted to see Halliday, also sent on loan to Azerbaijani outfit Qabala last season, get his reward for refusing to crumble.
And he admits that the Rangers fan put on the performance of his life.
Docherty said: “He has come out of his knocks last season a stronger man and on Saturday he slotted into a position that he isn’t familiar with. But he’s probably nailed that down as he wants it more than anyone.
“His strong early challenge on Olivier Ntcham is what is needed in games like that, to show no respect as the players touched on after the match.
“Andy described it as the best day of his life and nobody deserves it more than him after some of the unnecessary stick he’s taken in the past. Everyone is backing Andy as they should be and it’s great to see the whole squad united again.
“Sometimes when you’re a supporter you can bear the brunt of it when things are going wrong.
“But it’s the old saying that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and younger players making their way in the game should look at Andy’s character – because it’s proof that if you stick at it then the rewards will come.
“I’d always known how strong he was because he came back from being sent to Azerbaijan and he isn’t someone who will ever hide away and be shy
“I sent a message congratulating everyone in our group chat but I let them all get on with enjoying their night and they are now on a break.
“I was getting updates from Ibrox on our journey to Sunderland and I knew the final score before we kicked off because some of our staff were smiling at me, so I had an idea.
“There’s a long way to go in the season but it was a nice reward for the squad. It’s been difficult and it’s nice to see guys who have borne the brunt of it come out stronger.”
Matchwinner Jack also suffered a season-ending injury 12 months ago and after a run of red cards early in the campaign it made for a terrible maiden year at Ibrox. Docherty said: “Rangers waited a long time for a day like Saturday and it means so much to people like Andy. I was delighted for him and Ryan Jack who had such a tough time with his injury last season. “Andy said in his postmatch interview that if he wanted anyone to score the winning goal apart from himself then it would have been Ryan Jack.
“It was good for two guys like that who care so much for the club. It was nice to see the celebrations after the game – I was delighted for everyone.
“Celtic were coming to Ibrox and it was time to step up and be counted. “It’s now made for an interesting last few months of the season after the winter break.”
Younger guys making their way in the game should look up to Andy GREG DOCHERTY