St Brendan sparks ‘class’ war

BRENDAN RODGERS always did like the idea of being popular with Rangers fans.

Remember the Clyde Tunnel story? The one about getting stuck in traffic, being approached by a diehard Bluenose… and effusively thanked for bringing a ‘breath of fresh air’ to Scottish football.

Well, the artist formerly known as St Brendan of Celtic Park has just converted any remaining doubters among the Ibrox support.

By recommending that his old club afford the newly-crowned champions a guard of honour on Sunday, the Leicester boss certainly seems intent on trashing any residual affection Celtic fans might have felt for their former gaffer.

Yes, Rodgers makes a fair point when he says that standing to applaud Rangers on to the pitch would show ‘humility and class’.

In an ideal world, a more grown-up world, this kind of thing would happen simply as a matter of course.

But you only have to go back to 2019 to be reminded of the Glasgow Rules that apply in this situation.

A week after securing their eighth consecutive title, Celtic wondered if they’d receive a guard of honour in their next game — at Ibrox.

Steven Gerrard washed his hands of the whole subject at the time, saying: ‘The club have made a decision that there won’t be a guard of honour, so my thoughts are irrelevant.’

Neil Lennon added: ‘I think we would have done it if the shoe had been on the other foot.

‘It would have been a touch of class if they did it. I’m disappointed they are not. Celtic would have done it.’

Neither Gerrard nor Lennon could have refused to answer questions on the subject.

But no one, least of all Celtic fans who once idolised the man, would have complained if Brendan flashed his pearly whites at the cameras and declared: ‘If you think I’m commenting on that…’

Still, as self-fulfilling prophecies go, Rodgers becoming a hero to Rangers punters is pretty good going.