Andrei Kanchelskis: Rangers players called Celtic's Eyal Berkovic 'The Grasshopper' because he avoided tackles

But the winger wouldn’t make the same impact in Glasgow as some of his multi-million pound compatriots as he entertained and frustrated during his four years with the Gers.

In part two of a serialisation of his autobiography, ‘Russian Winters’, Kanchelskis relives his Old Firm experiences, remembers his better times in Light Blue and recalls his Ibrox exit.

Read more: Former Rangers winger Andrei Kanchelskis recalls two of his finest moments at Hampden

I LOVED the atmosphere of the Glasgow derby.

Some footballers don’t enjoy the big occasion, they shy away from it. Eyal Berkovic, who Celtic bought from West Ham when John Barnes was managing the club, was someone who never seemed to fancy a Glasgow derby. Berkovic was so intent on pulling out of a tackle that at Rangers we nicknamed him ‘The Grasshopper’.

He was a skilful player but in those kinds of games the crowds valued fight more than delicate displays of skill.

For me, the pressure was something to embrace. I had endured being on the wing against Galatasaray in the Ali Sami Yen and the barrage of coins and cigarette lighters that came with it. By that standard, Celtic Park was not that intimidating. Nobody threw things at you.

Yes, there would be abuse shouted at you but when you were playing, you were so wrapped up in your thoughts, so cocooned in the game, that you barely ever heard it or were even aware of it.

When you were warming up you would catch the remarks, but once the game started your senses developed a kind of tunnel vision.

Read more: Andrei Kanchelskis: My final derby games for City and Rangers were memorable for all the wrong reasons

The derby with Celtic was everything. They started talking about that game weeks before. You’d pick up a paper – any paper – and the only subject worth writing about seemed to be Rangers v Celtic. You’d turn on the television and it would be there in front of you.

We would always stay in a hotel the night before a match to prepare for it – which Rangers then never did for home games.

For the 1999 Scottish Cup final against Celtic, which was at Hampden Park, less than four miles away from Ibrox, we checked into a hotel three days before the game.

No derby I have played in, not Manchester or Merseyside, ever had the attention that the Glasgow derby received. You wondered if anything else was happening in Scotland.

I lived outside the city on an estate that had quite a few Rangers players. You quickly learned that when you went into the city there were some bars and restaurants that you went to and some that you avoided. Once I was driving through Glasgow, got lost and ended up in Parkhead right next to Celtic’s ground.

Suddenly I was aware of people on the streets pointing, shouting and swearing at me. It was lucky I was in a car.

My first football encounter with Celtic was rather more painful. It was on a September evening at Ibrox, I was running down the wing when Stephane Mahe launched himself into a high tackle. I fell backwards, thrust out my arms to break the fall and fractured one of them. I knew straight away it was broken.

Read more: Former Rangers winger Andrei Kanchelskis recalls two of his finest moments at Hampden

This was the fourth serious injury I’d suffered in two and a half years at three different clubs. The routine was becoming familiar: going to the training ground but not training. Being alone in the gym with just a physiotherapist and waiting for someone to collect you when everyone else has gone home.

I was fit to play in the return game in November, which in a way was even more painful. Celtic, who were having a dreadful season and were in the middle of an attempted boardroom takeover, thrashed us 5–1.

It was Rangers’ worst defeat in a Glasgow derby for 32 years. It kicked off at three o’clock on a Saturday and was one of the last derbies not to be televised live, which was just as well for

our half of the city.

On 2 May 1999 Rangers won the title at Parkhead. It was the first time in their history they had won the championship at Celtic.

I wasn’t part of Advocaat’s team but the atmosphere was even more intense than usual for a Glasgow derby.

Stephane Mahe, who had injured me in the first derby of the season in September, was sent off in tears during the first half. Celtic finished the game with nine men, Rangers with ten.

The referee, Hugh Dallas, was hit by a coin thrown from the stands.

Rangers won 3–0 and Neil McCann, who was a Catholic, scored two of the goals.

At the end the Rangers players went into a huddle on the centre circle to celebrate, which enraged those Celtic supporters who were still in the ground. Eventually, the stewards told the team to go to the dressing room for their own safety.

Read more: Andrei Kanchelskis: My final derby games for City and Rangers were memorable for all the wrong reasons

When Dallas returned home, he found his windows had been smashed.

Celtic Park was slightly bigger than Ibrox and there they sang the most beautiful songs. I found Celtic’s songs inspiring rather than intimidating.

One of the things that marked out the Glasgow derby for me was the singing. Both sets of fans sang loudly and passionately and they sang to the end.

The only place I have been where the singing was anything like that was the Kop at Anfield. They would sing even if they were losing.

In January 2016, I went to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United lose to Southampton and the mood was quiet and sullen. The crowd didn’t try to lift their team, but at Ibrox I think they would have done.

Rangers won the treble in Scotland in my first season. We beat St Johnstone in the League Cup final; we won the Premier League by six points; and we beat Celtic in the Scottish Cup final.

Andrei Kanchelskis’ autobiography ‘Russian Winter’ is published by deCoubertin Books and costs £20. Click here to purchase.