Ibrox side Glasgow Rangers are second in the Scottish Premiership.
Jimmy Nicholl has explained to The Glasgow Evening Times why Rangers players like Andy Halliday are so important for the club.
Rangers have not exactly enjoyed a fairytale return to the Scottish Premiership after four years slugging it out in the lower divisions.
They are second in the table, but Mark Warburton’s side are eight points behind Celtic – who have three games in hand – in the table and it is not what the Gers supporters were expecting after such a busy transfer window.
It has not been good enough overall and Rangers fans have a right to feel bemused about how easily Celtic are cruising to a sixth successive title, even if it is only their first season back in the big time.
The atmosphere at Ibrox has been quite tetchy at times this season when things haven’t been going the way of Warburton’s boys. In Halliday, Rangers have a boyhood fan who has been superb for the most part this season.
And Nicholl, who enjoyed two spells at Ibrox, says characters like the midfield are important as a result of the perspective they can bring into the squad.
“It is great to play in front of 50,000 fans, but can you handle being booed by 50,000 fans?,” he told The Glasgow Evening Times.
“That is where the character of the players come through and why the likes of Halliday are important.
“You need people that know what it takes, know what it is like. Sometimes you just have to accept the criticism and get on with it and prove you can handle it.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
