I thought I’d only go back to Ibrox as a fan, now I’m trying to knock them out the cup says ex-Rangers star Broadfoot

JUST a few months ago Kirk Broadfoot was ready to chuck football for good.

The veteran defender made the decision to drop down the divisions and turn out for Open Goal Broomhill last season.

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Kirk Broadfoot will return to Ibrox for the Viaplay Cup second round clashCredit: Kenny Ramsay

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The defender spent five years at Rangers earlier in his careerCredit: Keith Campbell – The Sun Glasgow

But Broadfoot quickly found it so frustrating he began to fall out of love with the game that had given him so much.

He had come through at St Mirren then lived the dream playing for his boyhood heroes Rangers.

As he grinded through the gears in the Lowland League, though, he thought he’d only ever return to Ibrox as a fan. Yet tonmorrow he’ll stride out of the tunnel there feeling revitalised after linking up with Dougie Imrie at his Championship side Morton.

Broadfoot, 39, said: “This time last year I never thought I would be going back to Ibrox as a player.

“I thought I’d just be there as a supporter.

“Last year was a big eye opener and I fell out of love with football a wee bit. Halfway through last season I thought that it could be my last one.

“Then I spoke to the manager here and I came in and enjoyed it. We sorted something out.

“I thought I would give it a go and got myself super fit.

“I’ve been hitting the ground running in training and been feeling good.

“I’ve got a new lease of life. I’m enjoying it, I’m feeling good and fit.

“I have also been trying to help the boys and trying to show them what it’s like to be a super pro in terms of going in the gym before training, training the way I play then going to the gym again.

“If they take wee bits then it can only help them.

“We have good players here. I don’t think that a lot of teams, players and managers give us credit.

“They say we’re big and physical and strong. We’ve got that aspect, but we can play football when we want. I’m enjoying the boys and we’re playing really well.

“Even though we got beat by Raith last weekend, anyone there could see we were the better team and should probably have got something.

“We’ll play worse and win through the season. Now for me it’s about enjoying my football and seeing where it goes.”

But while Broadfoot will be back at Ibrox tomorrow, son Cole won’t be in the stands.

Broadfoot said: “Being a Rangers fan growing up it’s nice to go back.

“I don’t know what the reception will be though! The last time I went I got a few boos. I think it was maybe because the Kilmarnock team I went there with always gave them a tough time.

“I’m not sure what it’ll be like this time. I would think it’ll be alright.

“The wee man has been asking to go back for a wee while but my wife says she doesn’t think he should go back and go in the away end.

“So he won’t be going just in case I get a wee bit — it might put him off Rangers!”

Broadfoot might be less than 12 months away from turning 40, but his hard work has left him looking lean and ready to compete with Michael Beale’s current Rangers side.

Nine new signings have arrived at Ibrox this summer and many are still getting used to life as a Gers player.

Broadfoot knows from experience how the Ibrox crowd can turn quickly if they don’t think you’re producing the standards required of their side.

He added: “The fans will go expecting them to run over the top of us.

“They’re the demands that come with being a Rangers player, but everyone knows Old Firm fans can become a bit frustrated especially the first 15 or 20 minutes, if they haven’t scored.

“When you’re an Old Firm player you need the mentality to keep taking the ball when those fans are moaning at you.

“If we can get them frustrated and on their back it does make their day a wee bit more difficult.

“We had a manager in Walter Smith who was great with these guys. He’d always say there was a bedding in period for them.

“The fans don’t think that way, they expect you to hit the ground running.

“But especially foreign guys coming to Scotland, they don’t realise how big a club it is and the demands you have, when everywhere you go you’re getting people coming up to you.

“They’ve got to go out and hit the ground running. If they don’t they can have the fans on their back and it can put a wee doubt in your head, ‘Do I try that pass or beat that man?’

“You’d think they’re signing players with the mentality to deal with that because sometimes it’s the ones with that who do better than the ones with the better ability.

“When it is tough it’s the ones who are strong who can go and win you the games. That’s what Rangers will need this season.

“We had a team full of winners, guys who would take the ball and not care, like Barry Ferguson, Steve Davis, Davie Weir. That was drummed into us.

“I get where they’re coming from because it can be hard.

“Even on the run to the Uefa Cup final they gave us a bit in the Fiorentina game.

“We were drawing 0-0 and you’re thinking, ‘We’ve done this the last few rounds then gone away from home and won.

“The guys will learn quickly, but they probably realise by now after losing to Kilmarnock on the first day of the season that’s not acceptable at Rangers or Celtic.”

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