A hostile atmosphere is expected at the Riverside this afternoon but Boro centre-half Stephen McManus is confident his experience of battles between the Glasgow giants will stand him in good stead for the visit of Newcastle United.
Former Celtic players Jeremie Aliadiere and Willo Flood may be sidelined but Boro can still call on McManus, Barry Robson, Chris Killen and manager Gordon Strachan to give them an edge over the Magpies.
Once you've played an Old Firm then you can handle anything, noted McManus, who today faces the challenge of blunting Newcastle's goal threat.
They are the games that live in your memory. An Old Firm game is the best thing in the world. You need to be ice cold and don't let all of the chaos distract you.
The first thing the lads wanted to know when I came here was what it's like to play in a Celtic versus Rangers derby.
If anyone gets the chance to play in one they should jump at it because it's the best game in the world. It's the highest high when you win and the lowest low when you get beaten.
Hatred is normal, the abuse on the street is normal.
That's part and parcel of life playing for one of the Old Firm. If someone abuses you if you're with your wife and daughter there comes a point as a man you demand people show you respect.
I've never played in any other derbies so the Newcastle game is something I'm really looking forward to.
Newcastle are THE team to beat. They have top players who've played in massive games. We will be up against it but we've nothing to fear.
Gordon Strachan believes that cool heads are needed in a derby encounter but the defender who played under him at Parkhead revealed the manager often struggled to keep his composure.
The gaffer is a wee bit more mellow than he was at Celtic,'' he revealed.
Nothing has been flung about the dressing room, so far anyway. Celtic and Rangers are people's life and when you go into that environment you cannot help but get sucked into it.
The manager is no different and he was caught in the madness of it as much as anyone.
Strachan relishes the prospect of a derby encounter: It's great. I love it.
There's a spring in the step with everyone in the area, everyone looking forward to it. You know it's going to be like a cup tie.
It's the people that can deal with the derby atmosphere who can stay in control at the same time.
Some people get caught up in the atmosphere and lose focus, lose discipline. It's important that you enjoy the atmosphere.
Relish the atmosphere, relish the challenge, but stay focused and disciplined at the same time.
You find your true character when you go out on to a football field.
You can sit here and talk in a press conference, it means nothing. You can all train well, means nothing.
We can all play against poor teams and look half decent.
But your true character comes out on a football field and in a crisis, so we'll soon find out.
Stephen McManus was speaking at MFC in the Community's Herlingshaw Centre to promote the popular Micro Soccer courses for young footballers.
Source: Northern Echo
Source: Northern Echo