Ibrox side Glasgow Rangers will see Kyle Lafferty return next season, but he is more worried about facing the wrath of Celtic fans.
New Hearts signing Kyle Lafferty has told The Scottish Sun that he is more worried about facing Celtic away than he is about returning to Rangers as an opposition player next season.
The 29-year-old striker is back in Scottish football for the first time in five years, after leaving Rangers for Sion in 2012.
The Northern Irishman was a fan favourite during his time four-year spell with the Gers, meaning he was intensely disliked by those on the green side of the Old Firm divide, but he left Ibrox under a cloud after invoking his right to quit the club following its liquidation.
It is safe to say that the former Norwich City forward – who snubbed a move to Hibernian this week – isn’t hugely popular at either club.
But Lafferty, who comes up against Celtic on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season, says that a couple of goals against the Hoops might go some way toward healing his fractured relationship with Rangers.
“It’s Celtic Park I am more worried about,” he told The Scottish Sun after being asked about his return to Ibrox. “I don’t know what to expect at Ibrox.
“Everyone knows why I left Rangers. Do I regret that decision? I have said before that I do. But you can’t go back. Maybe if I score twice against Celtic in the first game of the season then I will get a slightly better reception at Ibrox.
“But I am fully focused on Hearts. I’m sure I will get a few boos no matter who I am playing against. Being part of the Old Firm, I didn’t help myself to be honest but I was a young boy.
“Having the Celtic fans hate me, I thrived on it and it’s probably going to be the same at Hibs, especially with all that has happened over the last couple of days.”
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