Scottish football badly needs an Old Firm clash

It was the tie that never was.

When Rangers came out of the hat first in the League Cup quarter final draw on Wednesday night, it felt as if somehow everybody was thinking that same thing that the name of Celtic would follow seconds later.

It says everything about how much the Old Firm derby has been missed that their actual pairing with St Johnstone was seen as an anti-climax.

St Johnstone, remember, who just five months earlier won the Scottish Cup in such thrilling style. We shouldn’t have been surprised.

It was only actually a one in seven chance that their historic rivals would be the second ball picked.

Should both teams progress to the semi-finals those odds reduce to just one in three – a much more likely outcome.

And with Rangers and Celtic handed home ties (the Hoops actually picking up a different Glasgow derby with Partick Thistle due to make the short trip across the city), we have to imagine that may just happen.

Personally I think a meeting later in the competition would be even more intense than it would have been at this stage.

If Ally McCoist’s side was to deny Ronny Deila his first trophy since taking control of Celtic, it would be a serious psychological blow to the Norwegian.

Likewise, a convincing win for the Hoops would set the tone for the Light Blues’ likely promotion to the Premiership next year.

What would happen? Well on the park, I believe it could be quite tight.

Though they lost last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final to Dundee United at Ibrox last season, Rangers proved that in a one-off game they can compete with anyone.

It would, of course, be a different story over the longer haul.

The Light Blues have a squad that should be able to compete in the Premiership but not one that is capable of competing for the title.

Off the park, it would be quite tense. The well-documented events of the last few years that have seen Rangers forced to climb up through the divisions have made that inevitable.

There has been bad feeling, some of which still remains. But I would hope supporters of both clubs would view the occasions not as one to vent frustrations but instead as a renewal.

Because that is what it will be a renewal of one of the world’s great sporting occasions.

When these games are competitive, which almost invariably they are, there is no better fixture to play in.

The difference between them and a run-of-the- mill meeting with one of the other top flight sides is like chalk and cheese.

In Old Firm matches you know you aren’t always going to win. You also know that defeat will be crushing. The joy you feel when you win, though, makes it all worthwhile.

Not just for players but for everybody connected with the club concerned. These are the days you look back to when you have finished playing. McCoist knows that better than anyone. Deila will not have been slow in learning the lesson.

So, I would argue the sooner we have the fixture back the better. And preferably this season. Because I believe the first Rangers v Celtic LEAGUE game will generate so much excitement it will be in danger of overheating.

That would be to no-one’s advantage. We need the derby as a positive advert for Scottish football.