Critics said that I didn’t care enough about Gers but those close to me know how much I hurt after every Old Firm loss
To say they had a love- hate relationship might be a bit strong. But it wasn’t far off.
During a two- year stint at Ibrox, there were two schools of thought.
His supporters saw a young, raw talent with rough edges.
A technical ly gi f ted but powerhouse of an attacking midfielder. A guy who, in his second season, bagged an impressive 18 goals.
But for Windass’ critics, it was the polar opposite.
A long-haired, luxury player who turned it on when he fancied it – but went missing when the going got tough.
Someone who talked a great game but couldn’t back it up with performances.
That was the perception of him within a section of the Rangers crowd. And no one was more aware of it than Windass himself.
The 25-year-old has never been afraid to speak his mind and nothing could dent his belief in his own ability.
When he got stick he could give a bit back – like that infamous finger to his lips celebration when he scored against Partick Thistle at Firhill. Windass can take it on the chin. Having to graft his way into professional football has given him a thick enough skin to brush it off.
But when you accuse of him not caring? Well, that’s a different story.
He played in 11 Old Firm games while he was in Glasgow and didn’t win any. That’s got to hurt.
And when he reflect son his time at Rangers, it’s one of his biggest regrets.
Windass doesn’t mind that some punters never rated him as a player.
But questioning his commitment or work-rate – or how much he cared about pulling on a blue shirt – that’s not on.
In an exclusive interview with MailSport on the eve of today’s Old Firm showdown at Ibrox, Windass said: “People who are close to me know what I’m really like.
“But there’s a different public perception of me and it will probably always be like that.
“It’s the way I am, the way I carry myself. I’m not afraid to say stuff about myself.
“If I do that and things don’t come off, it looks worse than if another player had no
expectations at all. But that’s the person I am.
“I’m never not going to be confident in my own ability.
“When a result or performance doesn’t go my way, it will always look like I’ve failed because of what I’ve said beforehand.
“The way I carry myself on the pitch maybe looks like I don’t care as much as other people.
“But, bel ieve me, it ’ s the exact opposite.
“And losing Old Firm games hurt me as much as anyone else.
“I can’t do anything now about how the Rangers supporters feel about me.
“When I played well and scored goals, I didn’t get as much praise as others. Because that’s what I said I was going to do anyway.
“I don’t mind that – it’s what I’m like.”
Windass, who left for Wigan last summer af ter Steven Gerrard took over at Ibrox, still misses the intensity of Glasgow.
In his first Old Firm game after arriving from Accrington, he suffered a 5-1 defeat at Parkhead.
When he scored against Celtic in a derby last March, he was convinced Rangers would go on to win. Instead, they lost to Brendan Rodgers’ 10 men and another title challenge collapsed.
So if anyone knows about the pain the fixture can bring, it’s Windass. And he insists he felt it more than most. He said: “The Old Firm is one of the best games in the world.
“People don’t believe me when I say this but when I was younger I didn’t want to play for Barcelona or anything like that.
“All I wanted to do was play in an Old Firm game.
“I didn’t think I would but I ended up doing it 11 times. At the time – because we were losing quite a few of them – I didn’t think about it too much.
“But looking back on it now, I realise that it’s a huge game to play in and I’m proud that I took part in so many.
“I had come from Accrington Stanley but when I walked out for my first Old F i rm g a me at Parkhead – into that stadium and that atmosphere – I loved it.
“That’s why I play football, I love stages like that.
“I like playing under pressure and in front of big crowds. I just wanted more of it.
“I miss it now when the fixture comes around because I know what the build-up is like and how intense it gets.
“There’s such a buzz around the city and in the media. You get told to treat the fixture like any other normal game.
“But it’s not a normal game and everyone connected with it knows that.
“I felt horrible after losing to Celtic because it’s different to every other place.
“In Glasgow, with how much it means to everyone, it hurts a bit more.
“When you lose an Old Firm game you know half of the city are really sad about it. So it’s tough.
“The stick afterwards is just part of it. We got stick when we lost to anyone but that’s just part of the deal at Rangers.
“Some players don’t know how to take it but that’s what playing for the Old Firm brings you. “This year the Celtic players are starting to feel the pressure a bit, just like we were.
“That’s because Rangers are coming on strong this season.
“The tide is turning a little bit at last. When I was there the clubs’ fortunes were the other way around.”
Scoring 18 goals from the middle of the park would get you the Player of the Year award at most clubs. But at Rangers Windass was constantly fighting for the fans’ approval.
He might not have felt it at the time but as he reflects on his time at Gers, he accepts he could have done better.
A nd irrespective of performances, it irks him to this day that he wasn’t part of a trophy-winning side.
He said: “In my second season, myself and Alfredo Morelos scored and set up a lot of goals.
“I scored 18 and he got roughly the same. Yet we took the brunt of it for most of the campaign.
“Thankful ly, Alfredo has turned it around and has now scored a phenomenal amount of goals. He has done brilliantly.
“In my opinion, me and him weren’t the reason why Rangers weren’t successful.
“But of course I always look back on my time there and feel I could have done better.
“I’d have rather scored 25 goals and won a trophy. But I don’t think I had a bad time at Rangers. Not a chance.
“One of the regrets I have is not winning an Old Firm game, to savour that feeling. But the biggest regret is not getting my hands on silverware.
“I’d put all the Old Firm games and goals in the bin just to have got a trophy up there.”
The way I carry myself on the pitch .. it maybe looks like I don’t care as much