‘I'm a hermit' – ex-Rangers star reveals he NEVER goes out at night in Glasgow due to abuse from Celtic fans
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PLAYING for one of Glasgow's big two leaves a legacy - either good or bad - which stays with you throughout your career and never quite manages to leave you.
Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday learned that the hard way as he's revealed he NEVER leaves his house for nights out in the city centre due to the abuse he receives from Celtic fans - despite leaving Ibrox half a decade ago.
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Andy Halliday spent five years at Ibrox
Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow
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Halliday celebrating a win over Celtic in 2018
Credit: Reuters
The Motherwell star, 33, has admitted he has become a "hermit" ever since he returned to Scotland when he joined his boyhood club Gers in 2015.
Halliday spent five years in Govan and made a total of 147 appearances, becoming a mainstay under Mark Warburton and then ending his stint in 2020 with Steven Gerrard at the helm.
Unlike most former Rangers and Celtic players, Halliday has managed to win over rival fans through becoming a popular pundit on Open Goal and Clyde 1.
But even he isn't exempt from being on the receiving end of abuse while out in public.
Halliday drew comparisons between his struggles and the viral video of Adam Idah on a night out last week, which Brendan Rodgers later addressed in the media.
Open Goal host Si Ferry pointed out the fact Idah apologised to supporters after he scored in the Scottish Cup semi-final against St Johnstone and declared that the striker had NOTHING to say sorry for.
Halliday then jumped in to defend the Celtic man with his own experiences.
He said: "I'll openly say it, since I came back here (to Scotland), I'm a hermit mate. I don't ever go out at the weekends.
"It's not because I dont wan't ito, but I know what people are like."
Team-mate and former Celtic striker Tony Watt has suffered similar moments - but from fans of the opposite divide.
Will Adam Idah still be at Celtic next season after failing to take Kyogo's jersey
He chimed in, saying: "I think 90 per cent of people do respect you."
But Halliday hit back: "Not that high. I'll give you 80 per cent. They're all brand new but it's the 20 per cent.
Watt then continued: "Like you say, it's the odd idiot who does it. People come up to me and say 'Mon the Gers', but what do you get out of that? I don't get it."
Halliday revealed things have thankfully improved for him since he started showing a new side to himself while working as a pundit.
"'I'm not saying that to feel sorry for myself at all but I just can't be bothered with it."
"In terms of from the Open Goal perspective, that's been better for me. Before (I was on Open Goal) it was way worse. Now it's not so bad."
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