Former Rangers caretaker manager Graeme Murty has opened up on subbing Andy Halliday off just before halftime in a Scottish Cup humbling to Celtic.
The ex-Reading full-back spent two stints in charge of the Ibrox side whilst his legacy remains to be felt in the club’s Academy, a role which Murty only left in November last year.
Such was the pressure on the former full-back’s shoulders after the exits of Mark Warburton and Pedro Caixinha respectively ex-Gers chairman Dave King branded him the club’s “Man of the year” in 2018.
But during his stint in charge there is one moment that still stands out to Graeme Murty – and Andy Halliday, who claims he’ll never forgive him for it – as the versatile ex-Rangers star was humiliated against Celtic.
Toiling on the pitch with the club 2-0 down to their Old Firm rivals, with only four minutes until halftime Graeme Murty hauled Andy Halliday off the pitch in a Scottish Cup semi-final in 2018.
It was a moment of embarrassment for Andy Halliday who was jeered by rival fans as he left the pitch and those images of a frustrated player clashing with the bench summed up a woeful afternoon.
Rangers would go on to lose the match 4-0, ending it with 10 men after Ross McCrorie was sent packing, but for Graeme Murty that is a moment that sticks with him.
Graeme Murty regrets Andy Halliday Rangers sub
“There are lessons to be learned for me and for the players if they chose to look back in that way. Definitely things I would have done differently,” Graeme Murty told BBC Scotland.
“I wouldn’t have taken Andy off because he didn’t deserve it. But I felt at that time I had to do something to try and help the team.
“That got him a level of personal stick and stigma as a person and player he didn’t deserve. That is on me, I wish I hadn’t done it.”
That Old Firm Scottish Cup humbling was also the same game that saw Lee Wallace and Kenny Miller suspended for a post-match dressing room bust-up.
Graeme Murty – who earned four caps for the Scotland national team during his playing days – refused to discuss this with the BBC.
Meanwhile, Rangers have been praised by a £56m global superstar as he sends out a message to an audience of 29.3m.
