SportsView
·17. März 2025
Barry Ferguson shares what he told Rangers players after win v Celtic

SportsView
·17. März 2025
Rangers secured their first win against Celtic at Parkhead since 2020 after winning 3-2 in the Scottish Premiership clash on Sunday.
The Gers have already defeated the Bhoys at Ibrox this season, but winning against them away from home will give them a massive lift for the rest of the season, even though they are out of the title race.
Barry Ferguson has become the first Rangers boss to win his first match at Celtic Park since Walter Smith in 1991, and Neil Lennon thinks he is a serious candidate for the permanent managerial role at Ibrox next season.
The game was tied at 2-2, and with two minutes left on the clock, it felt like Rangers wasted a glorious opportunity to beat their rivals. But Hamza Igamane stepped up and scored a beauty to secure all three points for the Bears.
Ferguson revealed after the game that he told his players to enjoy the moment because it has come after five years.
The Ibrox hero said, as quoted by the Daily Record: “I’ve said to the players, ‘Go and enjoy the next couple of days because it’s been a long time, I think five years’.
“Overall, we deserved it. I thought the first half, that was the game plan we came with and the boys stuck to it perfectly.
“The second half, you always know Celtic are going to come at you because the crowd is getting frustrated. Brendan made a change or two and it made a difference to the Celtic team.
“They obviously get back into the game at two each, but then I take a step back and what I’ve been trying to drum into the boys, it’s more you need at Rangers than being a good player.”
Ferguson replaced Philippe Clement after a disastrous run of form. Nobody expects him to win the Europa League or make Rangers a strong title contender overnight.
However, he has done something basic that his predecessors failed to do. He has steadied the ship and has instilled pride and passion among his players.
If he can take Rangers beyond the quarter-final stages, the 49ers should give him the full-time role at the club. He is a club legend and can unite the fan base.
More than anything, Rangers have finally found their fighting spirit back after years of wilderness. They have got their old club back.