Childhood memories of Old Firm chaos inspire Rangers defender David Weir

Aug 31 2008 By Gavin Berry

WIDE-EYED Davie Weir still remembers standing on the Parkhead terraces as a teenager and witnessing the Old Firm madness for the first time.

This afternoon he'll be in the heat of battle at the same ground as Rangers' stand-in skipper but insists nothing has changed in the 21 years since.

Davie senior often took his son to Glasgow from the family home in Falkirk to experience the white-hot atmosphere of the Old Firm derby.

And the clash of Scotland's titans that sticks out in the defender's mind is August 1987 when Ibrox player/manager Graeme Souness was sent packing for a wild tackle on Celtic match winner Billy Stark.

Weir said: "I'd been to a few games as a spectator when I was younger both at Ibrox and Parkhead. I was lucky my dad used to take me to see quite a lot of big matches.

"It's a great experience to go along to a fixture like that as a fan and feel the tension.

"I can't remember my first derby but the game that sticks out was when Graeme Souness was sent off at Parkhead and Celtic won 1-0.

"That was back in 1987 and it was a great sense of occasion. I remember thinking at the time it was MAYHEM and I reckon every one since has been the same!"

Weir has since found out how easily the passion of an Old Firm clash can boil over.

Last season the 38-year-old veteran was caught up in a melee after the final whistle in a game that saw Carlos Cuellar sent off in an ill-tempered 2-1 win for Celtic.

Weir and Scotland team-mate Gary Caldwell were red-carded after the match in April for their part in the stramash at full-time and the pair will lock horns again before joining up with the national team 24 hours later.

However, the Ibrox stopper doesn't care that he'll be up against international team-mates before the crucial World Cup qualifying double header and insists he'd kick his GRANNY for a win today.

Weir said: "It doesn't matter that guys on opposite sides will meet up with Scotland because you're not playing against your pal.

"You're up against the opposition and you do your best for your team.

"The main thing on your mind is to win - not to make sure someone doesn't get injured because a Scotland game is coming up.

"To be honest it could be anyone out there in the Old Firm fixture - it wouldn't matter if it was your granny!

"Things can spill over in any game, especially derbies. It's a passionate sport and things happen. Tackles happen, last-minute goals or whatever and people react."

Weir's team-mates Pedro Mendes and Majhid Bougherra will get their first taste of Old Firm action today.

But the Gers skipper insists no words can prepare them for the experience.

He said: "There's not much you can say to the guys who will make debuts.

"I'm sure they will realise what it is all about when the game starts.

"There is an extra edge and it's not just because I was brought up in the traditions of it. Foreigners feel the extra energy too.

"You can see it in the fans' faces and you can feel it in the air when you're at the ground.

"I don't know if it's necessarily a nice edge and a good thing but there's certain aspects of it - like the hype - that make it altogether different."