‘This is easy’ – Kris Commons on his first Celtic vs Rangers game and learning how massive derby really is

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Kris Commons loved facing Rangers during his time at Celtic.

The retired midfielder scored four times in eight games against the Light Blues while at Celtic Park and he won the same number of derby matches at the club.

His career could hardly have got off to a better start with goals against Aberdeen and then Rangers at Ibrox in the infamous 2-2 draw which birthed the Broony.

For Commons, he had not long signed from Derby County and at that point had only heard about the Glasgow derby and the nature of it from the outside. It wasn’t until he really sat down to consider the fixture after he’d featured in a couple that he fully understood.

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Kris Commons found it ‘easy’ in Celtic vs Rangers clashes

The Scotland cap actually felt it was EASY to play against Rangers as a Celtic player as his stats showed.

“It felt relatively normal in the tunnel and going out onto the pitch, the noise, I didn’t really grasp what it was at that time,” he told PLZ Soccer when recalling his first derby experience.

“That was my Old Firm debut away so the first time I’d ever been involved in the game at Ibrox. I can remember scoring in the game after 10 or 15 minutes and honestly I thought, ‘This is easy’.

“1-0, bread and butter tap-in, away we go. But then the game spiraled out of control, Fraser Forster might’ve got sent off, I might have got hooked off and you come out of Ibrox on the bus home, it was in the infancy of social media so that went into the cupboard, I went into a dark room and just thought I need to really evaluate how big this is and the magnitude of it.

“It wasn’t too long after my home debut for Celtic was against Rangers as well, I scored in that and thought it was easy!”

Commons’ Celtic record vs Rangers compared other Premiership clubs

Commons became a beloved player at Celtic across his six years in Glasgow.

The 41-year-old made 227 appearances at Parkhead and netted 89 goals in that period.

He also chipped in with 72 assists and really proved himself an asset before he would eventually leave for Hibs on loan before he called time on his career.

Where Rangers are concerned with Commons, the playmaker’s record was a fine one. Compared to other clubs in Scotland that he faced in his career, the Gers were somehow not even his favourite opponent in terms of actual stats.

Statistically, Commons had the most success against Dundee United with 13 goals and 10 assists vs the Terrors from 23 total outings.

Aberdeen follow closely behind with his 10 goals and four assists from just 17 contests.