GRAEME McGARRY

and staff on the East End of Glasgow, make no mistake.

If Rangers want to rule the roost in the city again any time soon – and with 10 in a row at stake for Celtic, this would be the time to step up – then Gerrard seems to have decided that humility, rather than hubris, is the key.

It’s why after impressive wins over Lyon and OGC Nice on their pre-season trip to France and a slick showing in the dismantling of Motherwell in Tuesday night’s friendly, Gerrard was keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

The difference in mentality between the Celtic and Rangers players has been stark in recent years. Celtic have been able to back up trophies with a hunger to achieve more and an ability to react to setbacks. Rangers have done well to a point, showing they can more than compete with Celtic on the park over 90 minutes, but have been guilty of thinking they have their rivals’ number before they’ve tucked a single piece of silverware in the cabinet.

“I am desperate to win here,”

BIRMINGHAM CITY have taken the decision to retire the No.22 jersey after 17-year-old Jude Bellingham left the club for Borussia Dortmund this week. After 44 appearances. And four goals.

We should be grateful really. Whenever one of our southern brethren now ridicule our game or label it ‘tinpot’, the mere mention of the teenager’s name will render their argument meaningless.

Gestures like this should be reserved for true icons and legends, men who have dedicated the best years of their career to a club.

If Celtic and Rangers for instance didn’t retire the shirt numbers of the likes of Billy McNeill or John Greig, then what has Bellingham done to deserve the honour apart from swell Birmingham’s coffers by around £20m?