Former Celtic star describes Rangers atmosphere like a 'hurricane of noise' as Holland told about a REAL derby

Former Celtic winger Regi Blinker admits a cauldron of derby hatred was part of his fuel for life during three years in Glasgow.

The now 54-year-old arrived in Glasgow under Wim Jansen's reign in a swap deal with Sheffield Wednesday involving Paulo Di Canio, and won the league and League Cup double in his first season. He departed in 2000 for RBC and Blinker has a strong association with Brendan Rodgers' Champions League opponents next week, Feyenoord.

He appeared over 200 times in a 10-year stint and ahead of the De Kuip clash, the ex-Dutch international has been looking over his Celtic stay. And admits the hustle and bustle of Glasgow left him feeling like a star. He told AD: “ After Sheffield I went to Celtic, because Wim Jansen had become manager there. There in Glasgow, football was so alive, it was truly unimaginable. With all the trimmings, eh. Paparazzi on the street to spot players.

“The idolisation of the players by the fans – and there are quite a few at Celtic – was unique. Yes, I felt like a superstar there sometimes. But you can’t understand anyone at Celtic Park. As a player you don’t know what you will experience when you come out of the tunnel.

“I played an Old Firm against Glasgow Rangers there and then you really encountered a hurricane of noise. The sheer hatred you feel from Rangers fans for wearing the wrong shirt. And the support of Celtic’s supporters, who demand that you get into it from the first to the last minute.”

Blinker's time in Glasgow was mixed in terms of his impact. He made a slow start and got himself sent off for elbowing an opponent during a home defeat to Motherwell, but did score in the League Cup victory that formed one of his two Parkhead trophies. He couldn't return to such