Anthony Stokes: ‘Nothing can compare with the passion of Old Firm game’

Celtic striker Anthony Stokes enjoyed the resumption of hostilities with Rangers and hopes to go to battle with the Ibrox men again next season.

The first Old Firm derby in three years saw the Parkhead side claim a comfortable 2-0 success as they set up a QTS Scottish League Cup final meeting with Dundee United in March.

The game was marred by sectarian singing from the Light Blues support, while some Hoops supporters let off flares and smoke bombs and also unveiled a banner mocking their foes’ financial problems.

But Irishman Stokes loved every minute of it.

“I’ve said in the past, having Rangers back in the top flight would be good for Scottish football. Not only for us as competition and to push us on, but for the rest of the clubs with the financial benefit that it brings,” he said.

“I just think it benefits the whole country. These games are special occasions. Playing with Celtic you always get these great European nights but nothing can compare with the passion that goes into an Old Firm game.

“So it’s always good to have it back.”

Leigh Griffiths gave Ronny Deila's men an early lead before Kris Commons crashed home a superb second. Stefan Johansen was denied a third goal when Steve Simonsen pulled off a fine block just before the break.

Stokes claims Rangers were lucky Johansen did not punish them further — and then spark an even bigger victory.

He said: “The atmosphere was outstanding and there wasn’t too much niggle to the game.

“Stefan Johansen had a great chance at 2-0. If that had made it three before half-time it could have been completely different.”

Playing surface

Richard Foster admits the Hampden pitch might actually have saved Rangers from an even bigger Old Firm beating.

The state of the playing surface was a major talking point over the weekend as the national stadium hosted two QTS Scottish League Cup semi-finals. Celtic boss Ronny Deila claimed the turf — which continually ripped up as the players tried to twist and turn — was not up to standard.

Ibrox striker Kenny Miller also hit out, insisting the Mount Florida pitch was “dangerous”. But Gers team-mate Foster admits the rutted surface slowed their Parkhead rivals down, allowing the Light Blues to limit the damage.

Foster said: “We’ve watched videos of them at Parkhead and they do move the ball quickly. But with the pitch being like it was, it might have slowed them down a little bit and helped us.

“They still moved the ball relatively well and that is where we let ourselves down, especially in the first half. Our ball retention was not what is should have been.

“But at the end of the day we gave away bad goals and that cost us.”

Foster is keen to renew hostilities on a more regular basis, but for that to happen, Gers will need to find a way out of the Championship.

They currently trail leaders Hearts by 16 points — although they have two games in hand — and may have to rely on the play-offs to clinch their top-flight return.

But after sampling the powder keg Old Firm atmosphere for the first time in three years, Foster is desperate to do it all over again as soon as possible.

He said: “You hear the fans and the cheer you get — it’s amazing.

“Both sets of fans were great and I thought the game was played in the right spirit.

“It just makes you want more of those type of games. We’ve got to get promotion at the end of the season for that to happen but tasting games like that just makes us more determined.

“These games are the ones you want to play in. It’s one of the biggest derbies in the world. We know we want this again so it’s back to the league now and we need to make sure we get promoted.”