The best game you can ever play in as a footballer.
That’s how I explain the Old Firm derby if somebody in Germany asks me about my experiences.
It’s unique. You can have great European nights at Ibrox and Celtic Park, especially when it’s the Champions League.
But the Old Firm … there is just something special about it.
When I joined Rangers it was a bit different because most of my team-mates were Scottish.
It was the same with Celtic at that time.
There were boys who told me when I arrived: “I’d rather beat Celtic four times than win the title.”
That was difficult for me to understand at the beginning.
I would rather be lifting a trophy at the end of the season – because that’s what it’s all about.
But, honestly, some players thought totally differently. And that shows just what it means.
Every foreign player who signs for Rangers or Celtic is told straight away how big the match is.
But when you see the hype in the week leading up to an Old Firm game, you can already feel it.
The training is more intense and you think: “Oh, this is different.”
So you look forward to it, especially your first derby.
Mine was at Ibrox in 1996. We won 2-0 and I set up both goals for Richard Gough and Paul Gascoigne.
What an experience it was. Standing in the tunnel, when you hear the noise it’s just incredible.
To this day, it’s very hard to explain to people what that’s like or what it means to the players.
This game is about history, isn’t it? I learned that it’s about more than football.
But I wasn’t interested in religion or anything like that when I came to Rangers. I just wanted to do everything to help my club.
And you have to give a little bit extra in an Old Firm game – 100 per cent isn’t enough. You realise you have to go over the edge to win that game.
That belongs to the Old Firm.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst came in when I was there and around the same time Henrik Larsson arrived at Celtic. They had been best pals at Feyenoord.
But for 90 minutes there are no pals on the other side. Forget it. You just have to win for the club and the supporters.
When I was at Rangers, the German boy Andreas Thom was at Celtic.
I knew him and at the beginning we got together.
I wasn’t going to change and suddenly hate him because he played on the other side of the city. That’s nonsense.
Obviously, I had a great relationship with the Rangers support. It was like a love story from the start.
I was lucky enough to perform well for them and score a lot of goals against Celtic so they loved me for that.
But apart from one incident in 1999, I had no problem with the Celtic fans either.
Of course, during games I’d get the usual shouts from them. That’s normal.
But I have to say they always gave me respect even in the streets of Glasgow when I was out.
They’d tell me I was a good player, at the wrong club. That’s fair enough.
The only time I felt uncomfortable was that night after I had an accidental clash with Paul Lambert on the pitch.
We had won 4-2 and Paul got hurt, losing several teeth, after he challenged me in the box and gave away a penalty.
That night, I took my dog for a walk and as I got back to the house, I could hear my girlfriend screaming in the kitchen.
A few bottles had been smashed through my window.
By the time I got there, no one was there, which was probably a good thing. You never know what might have happened.
I spoke to a few people in Helensburgh and everything was sorted in a good way. After that, I never had any hassle at all from Celtic supporters.
In fact, as a result of my wife having cancer, I got so many nice messages and emails from Celtic fans. After that, I can’t say anything bad about them.
One incident doesn’t change that. It wasn’t nice but it shows what this game means to people in Glasgow and all around the world.
I don’t think there is another game like it. Footballers want to play in a World Cup Final or a Champions League Final, of course.
But playing in an Old Firm derby is incredible. And I loved playing at Parkhead, even with the atmosphere against you.
As a player I liked that because it got more out of you. At Ibrox you felt more under pressure to perform because the crowd was with you.
Thankfully, I didn’t do too badly home or away. The feeling I got after scoring against Celtic is up there with the best I had in my career.
If you score and win the game then get the title off the back of it – well, there can’t be a better feeling.
During my time at Rangers we won more than we lost.
I’m Rangers through and through but, for the sake of Scottish football, you need both clubs to be strong.
And that’s the way it seems to be at the moment.
This game on Wednesday night is huge. I don’t think it’s a title decider but if Rangers win they’ll have a massive advantage in the title race.
For Celtic, it’s an opportunity to close the gap. And a draw would be far better for Rangers than Celtic.
It’s a vital game for both clubs because we all know what’s at stake this season.
I’m just hoping the away team gets a positive result.
