MARTYN WAGHORN has experienced the good and the bad of the Old Firm rivalry in the stands and on the streets.

Now the Rangers striker is determined to make an impact on the park as he prepares for another showdown with Celtic on Sunday.

Waghorn had to watch on from the sidelines as Mark Warburton’s side saw off the Hoops in the Scottish Cup semi-finals last season.

He would make his derby debut at Parkhead last month but it turned out to be a day to forget rather than one to saviour.

Rangers head to Hampden with a point to prove after the 5-1 defeat they suffered on Premiership duty and a place in the Betfred Cup final is at stake tomorrow afternoon.

For Waghorn, it is a chance to move within 90 minutes of another medal in Light Blue, and an opportunity to finally have an Old Firm memory to cherish.

“I was disappointed to miss the semi last season through injury and then the result wasn’t great a few weeks ago,” he said.
“But we’ve learned a lot and changed as a team from that game at Parkhead. 

“We’ve developed and a few little issues have been sorted. When we are good we are good going forward.
“The little bits were to do with how we pressed as a team. One or two were maybe off the boil that day and  it was just bits and bobs that were tightened up so that we could play on the front foot.

“Overall defensively we’ve been solid, we’ve pressed and worked and as a group we’ve developed over the last three or four weeks.
“It (time for players to gel) definitely does have an effect. We brought in nine or 10 and it does take time, but when you come into a group you have to adapt quickly.
“It’s been important that we haven’t dwelled on the Celtic game too long.
“We didn’t approach the game the right way last time – but the way we lost hurt the team as a group and as individuals and we’ve gone back to basics and kicked on from there.”

It has been a poor start to the campaign so far for Warburton’s side but the defeat at Parkhead is undoubtedly the lowest point.

Waghorn was not the only derby debutant that day and the experience and the feelings of despair will motivate the Light Blues squad at Hampden.

The Old Firm atmosphere in unique and the stage is set for another showpiece event as the giants of our game go head-to-head for a cup final berth.

Waghorn has become a key part of Warburton’s plans since making the move north of the border last summer but life in the Glasgow goldfish bowl has not always been a positive experience for the Englishman.

He said: “It's on a different level, but it's Rangers and win, lose or draw against any opposition you're scrutinised and it's part and parcel of playing for a huge club.

“I've got used to it, I've learned how to deal with it and we have as a group as well. Good or bad, it's going to be big and it's important how we react to it.
“Mostly people in the street or it could be when I was in the park with my little boy - he's coming up four - after the previous game and Celtic fans were coming up and having a pop. I just think there's a time and a place for it but that's football. 

“It's one of those things. You've got to deal with it and if you react to it then they've won, haven't they? I just laughed it off. It's crazy.”

If Rangers are to silence their critics and give the Light Blue legions something to celebrate on Sunday, Warburton’s side will have to significantly raise their game.

The Ibrox boss came in for criticism in the aftermath of the Old Firm humbling and the Gers are seven points off the pace in the Premiership.

But Waghorn is confident with the progress that is being made as Rangers look to continue moving in the right direction on and off the park.

“No, I don't think that it is,” he said when asked if the gulf is not as big as it looked at Parkhead.

“We've come up last year with a great record and we were a bit slow to start off, but the difference isn't too big.

“We showed that last season. It was one game, decisions went against us, we had a man sent off and it's difficult to recover from that.

“It was a bad day for us but we're on the right track, we're getting going and moving forward and it starts this weekend.

“It's important to win every game. When you're with one of the biggest clubs in the world you want to win every competition.

“Regardless of who we're playing or in what situation we want to go and get the win.”