I’ve a three-word warning for Rangers and they need to grab this thing so tight their fingers bleed – Barry Ferguson

I knew it wouldn’t be too long before most of them were sick of the sight of me.

And even those who weren’t, were certainly getting sick of the sound of my voice. But I didn’t blame any of my team-mates for feeling that way. The truth was, I was sick of hearing myself too. It was like a voice inside my own head that just wouldn’t shut up. ‘Don’t you even think about letting this slip now. You’ve worked too f****** hard to get into this position. Grab onto this thing so tight it makes your f****** fingers bleed!’. I couldn’t switch it off. I had to keep sending out the same message, over and over.

And it was all because, deep down, I knew the job wasn’t done yet, even though we were leading the league race from the front, with the finishing line coming into sight. That’s where Rangers got to on Sunday when they claimed their place at the top of the table. And that’s why they can’t afford to take the foot off the gas because, if they do, they could end up kicking themselves for the rest of their lives.

I’ve got three words for them now that Celtic are in the rear view mirror - beware the backlash - because that’s exactly what’s coming. Don’t think for a second that Celtic will just wave you off over the horizon towards the title, wishing you all the best.

You have to believe they’re coming after you with a fire in their belly. You have to know how badly they want to bring you down and take it all away. Look, I’ve not been privy to the conversations that have been going on inside Celtic’s training ground this week. But I’ll have a good guess.

There will have been a lot of straight talking and a lot of angry men. Guys like Callum McGregor, Joe Hart and Cameron Carter-Vickers won’t take any of this lying down. And Rangers