FORGET the Old Firm.

 

When it comes to pure hatred, nothing compares to Aberdeen v Rangers.

 

I've seen first hand what this frenzied fixture does to some men.

 

I've seen for myself the venom in the eyes of the players.

 

The Pittodrie players.

 

Veins bulging, fists pumping. This is one game they dare not lose.

 

But where does it all stem from?

 

It's a question I've been asking myself for years.

 

Some say it goes back to Neil Simpson's brutal 'tackle' on Ian Durrant.

 

But why hate Rangers for that?

 

Durrant was the victim.

 

But there's no doubt in my mind Aberdeen hate Rangers more than Celtic hate Rangers.

 

I mean, you can even go to the toilet in one Aberdeen pub and pee on a picture of Ibrox. I don't know of any Celtic boozer like that.

 

Perhaps it's jealousy because they are no longer top dogs in Scotland.

 

But it can't be religion and it can't be Durrant.

 

Whatever the issue, it's eaten away at Aberdeen for over 20 years.

 

And it's reduced this once proud club to a laughing stock.

 

Me? I've absolutely no sympathy for them.

 

Do you think they would have sympathy for Rangers were the boot on the other foot?

 

Not a chance.

 

But listen, NO ONE should have sympathy for the Dons.

 

This mess is all their own doing.

 

Losing 9-0 to anyone is utterly unacceptable.

 

If you lost 9-0 on a public park you'd trudge off shame-faced.

 

Yet they did it against Celtic and then followed that up with a 2-1 defeat at home to Caley Thistle.

 

Something is rotten at the very core of the club.

 

But here's the thing. Come 3pm at Ibrox today, all their woes of the past week will be forgotten.

 

That 9-0 Hoops humiliation erased from the memory.

 

I know it, you know it, the fans know it... the whole world knows it.

 

Aberdeen will be fired up and in the faces of Rangers. They'll play as if their lives depend on it.

 

As if their careers are on the line.

 

Do you know what?

 

This time they are.

 

The Dons wouldn't be in such a sorry state if they showed the same kind of passion and commitment as they do every time against Rangers.

 

If they went out there battling for their lives in EVERY match they'd be challenging the Old Firm again.

 

Instead, the glory days of the 1980s are a fading memory.

 

When I played - and I played in a team of winners remember - we played every game as if it was our last. Second-best wasn't good enough.

 

It wasn't tolerated by anyone inside the Ibrox dressing room.

 

Under Alex Ferguson, Aberdeen had that. Guys like Alex McLeish, Willie Miller, Jim Leighton and even Mark McGhee himself. Guys who put their heart and soul into EVERY game. Do that and you'll achieve success. But turn it on for the four games against Rangers and you'll never be far from a crisis.

 

McGhee has found that to his cost this season.

 

I don't think he's a bad manager. Look what he and Scott Leitch achieved at Motherwell.

 

For me, there are underlying problems at Pittodrie.

 

Of course, McGhee did himself no favours when he returned to the club he helped to Cup Winners Cup glory in 1983...

 

"I certainly feel I'm good enough for the Celtic job. I want to be successful here to demonstrate that, although they were right to consider me, they were wrong to reject me."

 

Those were Mark's words at his Pittodrie unveiling - just days after he'd missed out on the Celtic job.

 

Words that were never going to endear him to Aberdeen support.

 

Likewise the comments of captain Paul Hartley last week. Hartley told everyone he still gets goosebumps every time he pulls up at Parkhead.

 

Twenty-six minutes into the match last Saturday and he's shown a straight red card for handball.

 

Without him, Aberdeen disintegrate - shipping nine goals.

 

McGhee's squad had the chance to put things right against Caley in midweek but again they capitulated.

 

Believe me, they won't ship nine goals against Gers. They'll be dogged and determined as always.

 

But, for me, Rangers will still be too strong for them.

 

It was like that in my day too.

 

You see, for all the abuse that came our way, we always seemed to leave Pittodrie with a result. I don't ever remember losing. 

 

And that's what separates the great from the good. When you're able to play your best football week in, week out. Not just when your rivals are in town.

 

We had a hunger and desire to succeed. A determination to win at all costs. A feeling we WERE better than everyone else.

 

That's something Aberdeen haven't felt in a long time.

 

 

EDIT: Should say this is from Andy Goram.

Was thinking about this at 4am this morning....couldn't sleep so trying to bore myself.

 

Maybe the hate , goram, has been continually fomented by the likes of McCoist's assault on Snelders (in a game that should never have been played on that pitch), Jim Leighton's horror injury in the 2000 cup final, Derek Johnstone getting Big Doug Rougvie sent off in a cup final and many more......

Stephen Glass says he did

 

I did think he was in goals for that game, but couldn't remember.

 

Only first team game I've sat in the Mainer for.

I did think he was in goals for that game, but couldn't remember.

 

Only first team game I've sat in the Mainer for.

 

The cunt was also in goals for our last victory at the hellhole. I will never tire of watching Granty putting him on his arse and then dinking the ball over him, the hun cunt.