Brendan Rodgers breaks silence on Celtic fans singing his name again as he admits 'I was erased out of history'

Bruised Brendan Rodgers hopes to settle a score stretching back nearly 50 years with Atletico Madrid - and cement his newly rediscovered love in with the Celtic support.

The Hoops boss was cheered off Tynecastle on Sunday afternoon following a rampant 4-1 win over Hearts as the away fans chanted his name for the first time since his summer return to the club as Ange Postecoglou’s replacement. In a remarkable candid interview, the Northern Irishman lifted the lid on the depth of the hurt he has felt knowing some fans wanted to ‘erase’ him from the history of the club over his decision to leave for Leicester City in 2019.

Rodgers has not been forgiven by some of the most radical sections of the support for his decision to move to the King Power - but week by week and, one victory after the next, he is winning over their hearts and minds all over again. And he could seal the deal if he can lead Celtic to three Group points over Atletico Madrid in a grudge match which is almost five decades in the making - since the Spaniards caused outrage in 1974 with a savage display in a ill-tempered 0-0 draw.

Rodgers was keen to play down that historic bad blood. But he is well aware of his own struggle to leave the past behind. He said: “For some, I was erased out of the history of the club because of how I left. So probably what I did before really hasn’t counted for anything.

“For me to come back here was to start again and have that hunger and ambition to win. And win in a style that the club and the supporters have been used to. That’s been great for me because I respond to that kind of challenge. And I’ve been relishing it from the very first day. Step by step we’re getting close to where we want to be.”

Rodgers himself raised the