It was one of the most famous calls broadcast by Super Scoreboard, live on air in September 2016 Chris Sutton called out Derek Johnstone as an Ibrox cheerleader.
The former striker was brought in to promote BT Sports coverage of the Champions League, needless to say Sutton was never invited back as Johnstone bluffed and blundered through the discussion.
During almost 20 years on Radio Clyde ‘big Derek’ backed every regime inside Ibrox from Dave Murray and Craig Whyte through Charles Green and the Easdale’s to Dave King. Not once did criticism flicker from his lips before he suddenly left Clyde to take up a full time salary as a company ambassador.
Sutton is certainly no Celtic cheerleader, soon after last week’s victory in the Glasgow Derby Brendan Rodgers hit out, without naming him, the pundit that accused him in December of going through the motions as Celtic manager.
Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller are Sutton’s latest playthings on Sky Sports, two intellectual lightweights, barely able to function without their daily briefings from inside Ibrox.
After the most exciting SPFL title race was downgraded to a contest between two bad teams the messengers have been told to play up the line that ‘the gap isn’t that big’.
As long as the gap is a point Miller and Boyd are in for weeks as miserable as the last seven days.
Alex Rae is cut from the same cloth as Miller and Boyd, plus lots of others such as Neil McCann, Lee McCulloch and Barry Ferguson that dish out soothing good news for angry bears watching Celtic racking up the trophies.
Watching old clips and up popped Chris Sutton baiting Alex Rae, calling him an “Ibrox Cheerleader”.
Only one winner here: pic.twitter.com/Zu73Qrk1wA
— 🍔 Gastro Celtic 🍀 (@Gastro_Celtic) May 17, 2024
Darrell Currie: Let me ask you about Morelos, would you play him again?
Alex Rae: Absolutely, he’s scored 29 goals Darrell. Chris is getting a bit excited, he contradicted himself
Chris Sutton: Here comes the Rangers cheerleader now
Rae: He actually wants to…
Currie: Give him (Rae) a chance
Rae: Big fella ah gave you the courtesy to do this, at least let us retort, OK?
Since that clip Rae has been assistant manager to Reading getting relegated from The Championship then turned up at Ibrox to front up Armed Forces Day as Micky Beale was being sent back to the Louden Tavern.
The blazer and brogues were put to good use as he stepped in to assist Steve Davis then stayed on under Phil Clement due to his knowledge of both clubs and being bilingual.
During a lengthy stint out of football Rae became part of the furniture on Super Scoreboard, sharing high brow discussions with Gordon Dalziel, Hugh Keevins and Mark Wilson about the issues of the day.
In January 2022 he was in default mode as he discussed the January arrivals of James Sands and Reo Hatate in Glasgow, by February 3 his judgement/instructions had been brutally exposed as the Japanese utility man scored twice in a pvotal Glasgow Derby, it is fair to say that both sides have gone off in different directions since that match.
@alexrae1969 remember this? Having been around football for a long time I’m skeptical how good he really is. We have heard he can play left back, left wing and even striker. automatically my instincts are telling me that I’m not buying this…
Alex Rae on reo Hatate Jan 5 2022 pic.twitter.com/s01pkriIVa
— 🏴 Gaz B 🇮🇪 (@gazb1888) February 3, 2022
Remember Alex Rae said Reo Hatate wasn’t good because he played a number of positions and didn’t like utility players.. but James Sands was superb because he could play many positions..
How did that work out Alex?
— Ryan Clifford (@Ryanclifford11) March 1, 2023
CLICK HERE for two faced Keevins makes remarkable Rodgers u-turn
CLICK HERE for Santa Ponsa celebrates Celtic’s victory in the Glasgow Derby.
CLICK HERE for SPFL Premiership table.
