Davie Provan has hit out at “dimwits” for opposing Rangers’ bid to re-sign striker Kyle Lafferty.
Writing in the Scottish Sun, the ex-Celtic player was critical of those supporters who feel Steven Gerrard should steer clear of the centre-forward after Hearts rejected their initial bid of a reported £200,000.
Lafferty spent four years at Rangers but angered a section of supporters when he quit in 2012 following the club’s descent into the lower reaches of the Scottish league.
“When Rangers went bust six years ago, Kyle Lafferty had a choice,” explained Provan in the Sun. “The striker could sign to play for Charles Green in Scottish football’s bottom division, effectively giving up his Northern Ireland international career for the privilege.
“Or he could become a free agent, able to negotiate a bumper deal for himself and his family with Swiss outfit Sion. It was a no-brainer.
“Makes you wonder about the dimwits opposing Lafferty’s return to Ibrox. Loyalty in football went out with Brylcreem and the old lace ball.”
OPINION
Provan is renowned for pulling no punches in his column – and he is bang on with his criticism of the opponents of Lafferty’s potential return to Ibrox. Rangers are well within their rights to try to re-sign the northern Irishman and he would certainly be a smart acquisition. He is a handful for defenders and is a better player than he was in his first spell at Ibrox, when he scored 36 goals in 134 matches and was a key player of the side that won three titles in a row under Walter Smith. With a year left on his contract and proof that he has plenty of miles left in the tank – he scored 19 goals in 41 matches for Hearts last season – Rangers would pull off a real coup if they get him. Those fans opposing the deal are indeed deluded if they think Lafferty should have been so loyal six years ago as to damage his career by playing at a level miles beneath him while his boyhood club inched their way back towards the big time. No player worth his salt would be that daft.