WE all know the way this works by now.
When a Celtic striker scrunches up a bit of tape and tosses it at a Kilmarnock fan, it’s my responsibility as a former Rangers player to jump up and down about it, scream blue murder and call for Leigh Griffiths to be hung, drawn and quartered for it on the sixth floor of Hampden.
Well, if it’s all the same to you, I’ll excuse myself from the tit-for-tat that’s been going on ever since Rangers won at Celtic Park on December 29 and pundits up and down the land lost their grip on any sense of perspective.
If you’re wondering why so many hardened old pros have suddenly become hunks, offended by the slightest little thing, then let me fill you in.
It’s because, for the first time in years, there’s a proper title race going on and some people are clearly struggling to keep their allegiances in check.
Well you can leave me out of that. In fact, to be perfectly honest, the whole thing is really starting to p*** me off.
Hasn’t anyone else realised it was three-and-a-half weeks ago Alfredo Morelos got sent off at Celtic Park? That was in December 2019! Am I the only one who can’t believe some people are still wetting the bed about it?
Was Morelos in the wrong? Yes, he was. Should he have made that gesture? No, he shouldn’t have.
Does the world need to come to an end because of it? Only if there’s a two-point gap at the top of the table and Rangers have a game in hand.
So I won’t be rushing to call for Griffiths to be hammered for his reaction coming off the pitch at Rugby Park the other night. I couldn’t bring myself to be such a hypocrite.
I saw the incident as it happened, shrugged my shoulders and said: “So what?”
You could see the old guy who looked like Uncle Albert out of Only Fools and Horses screaming abuse at Griffiths as he made his way into the Celtic dugout. And that’s one of my all-time favourite telly programmes by the way.
Now, don’t get me wrong here, I’m not condoning what Leigh did next. The bottom line is he had shut the guy up with what he had done on the pitch and that ought to have been good enough for him.
But, in the heat of the moment, he reacted by doing something he shouldn’t have done. I’m not going to hammer Leigh for doing that when I’ve done it a hundred times myself.
I’ve been there. You’re tired, you’re legs are killing you and there’s some guy spewing abuse at you, giving you an absolute earful as if you’ve just run over his cat.
Sometimes it’s hard not to give a little back. I’d be lying if I said I’ve never done it.
“Haw Ferguson, get tae f***you dirty wee b******!”
“Naw, you f*** off! Get it right up ye!”
Granted, I never actually threw anything at them which is where Leigh overstepped the mark. But if you have ever felt the tape players put on their socks then you’ll know it’s as light as a feather. It would have been different if it was a boot he had chucked!
And it wasn’t even thrown in an aggressive way. It was like, “Gie’s peace mate, shut up!”
Should he have done it? No.
He should have sat down and smiled at the guy. Maybe even laughed at him for behaving like a maniac.
But can I put my hand on my heart and say I blame Griffiths for what he did and that I was horrified by it? Don’t be so daft.
In terms of keeping a sense of perspective I’ve seen a lot worse. Just the same as I can’t get my knickers in a twist over the gesture Morelos made to the Celtic fans at Parkhead.
I’ve been there too, having to make the long walk after being sent off there. It felt like the whole main stand was on its feet hurling abuse at me. How did I react? Let’s just say we’d get the Daily Record shut down if I repeated it in these pages. But that’s what happens sometimes in the heat of the moment.
Then, when you’re in the shower five minutes later and replaying it in your head you realise you shouldn’t have reacted. You’re kicking yourself for being so stupid.
You know the right thing to do is to ignore it and act in a professional manner.
But we’re talking about human beings here. And every one of us has a breaking point. There’s only so much you can take before you find yourself responding to it. The problem is there’s cameras everywhere and people who are just desperate to find some reason to be outraged by the littlest thing. It must be like being in the Big Brother house ... and I don’t even watch Big Brother.
It’s getting a bit ridiculous and I would at least like to think the former pros would show a bit more common sense and understanding.
As for Griffiths, after everything he has been through, I’m genuinely happy to see him back on the pitch scoring goals even though it’s the last thing Rangers need at this stage in the campaign.
I’m happy because he’d had his struggles and because, from Scotland’s point of view, he could be a huge weapon in the play-offs for Euro 2020.
That’s what people should be concentrating on – the bigger picture – but some folk find it impossible to do that when it’s so tight at the top of the table and when it’s Rangers and Celtic who are involved.
Me? I love it. I spent my Wednesday night watching the Celtic game with one eye and checking my mobile phone for the scoreline from Ibrox with the other. At one point in the second half a single goal in either game could have turned the whole thing on its head.
That’s the way football should be. It’s supposed to be exciting. It’s supposed to get the emotions pumping.
It’s just a pity some people who should know better are letting those emotions get the better of them.
