Brendan Rodgers will attend his first derby between Celtic and Rangers today.

The Celtic manager has never been in attendance at a game between the clubs before although he has memories of watching from a distance.

And while Paul McStay was one of his idols, the late Davie Cooper wasn’t too far behind.

“I remember watching, going back, the likes of Billy Stark and Tommy [Burns] in midfield,” he said. “I loved Paul McStay and I admired Davie Cooper because I was a left-footer. I always watched the lefties and thought Davie Cooper was a brilliant player. He again was a class footballer who sadly passed away very young.

“That would be recollections but I wouldn’t identify dates or anything but it would be in the Peter Grant, ‘80s era with big Roy Aitken and Mark [McGhee] playing. I’d be lying if I knew what the dates were.”

The Celtic boss has also revealed that since his arrival in Glasgow, he has had Rangers fans come up to him to thank him for moving up to Parkhead.

And Rodgers believes that for all the intensity that the fixtures gives rise to, he is hoping that common sense and mutual respect prevail in what could be an emotive afternoon.

“In Ireland, and it is not just my family, lots of supporters of Celtic and Rangers it is their passion, isn’t it?” he said. “I moved away at 16 and you learn to respect both sides. I have had a lot of Rangers fans coming up to me and thanking me for coming – and showing me their tattoo – and then walk on and smiled. Aye, fine. Hopefully they still do that after this games.”

Rodgers and Mark Warburton will share a drink after the game, although the Celtic manager has played down the relationship that he has with the Gers boss.

“Mark and I worked together for seven months and I probably knew others better than him when I was there and when I left to go to Reading we had sporadic contact,” said Rodgers. “When he was at Brentford and I was at Liverpool he would ring up, but we are not going out for dinner or anything like. But he is a good guy.

“I know some of the other guys that work with him like Frank McParland who I know well and he is a good fella. As I said. I have a huge respect for managers who work and operate in the game and he is one of them.

“I think he has done an excellent job. He done a really good job in his first year but he turned things around and got them promoted. Obviously now at this level they haven’t lost but he is now seeing what the expectation of being at a club like Rangers means.

“They brought in a lot of players. That always takes time if you are bringing in 9, 10 players, it is all very difficult. I look forward to having a drink with him after the game – we’ll catch our breath probably.”