I'd lost love for football but refound it at Celtic

LIAM BURT admits Rangers made him as a footballer - but it was at Celtic that he rediscovered his love for the game.

- BY FRASER WILSON

The midfielder joined the Rangers academy as a 15-year-old in 2014ironically after being released by Celtic.

Burt was handed his top-team debut at 17 in a Championship clash against Raith Rovers at Ibrox by Mark Warburton.

He was on the bench for the 2016 Scottish Cup semi-final win over Celtic and again in the final against Hibs. But he fell out of favour under Steven Gerrard and lost his drive.

He said: “That spell at Rangers under Warburton made me. I was with the Under-20s one day then next was on the bench for the first team.

“It was so fast, I never had time to realise.

“Suddenly, I was training with Kenny Miller and Lee Wallace every day who set the standards.

“In 2018 I spent the first half of the season on loan at Alloa. Jim Goodwin wanted me to go back there again on loan but Rangers never allowed it.

“There was talk about a new contract but I wasn't really interested because of what happened.

“I wasn't enjoying my football at that point.”

Burt's contract ran down and he had a choice between Hibs and a return to boyhood heroes Celtic.

He said: “I knew going back to Celtic I would enjoy football again.

“First day back at Lennoxtown I played in an 11 v 11 game against Ryan Christie, Olivier Ntcham and Callum McGregor.

“It was surreal how good they were in pre-season and how serious they took it.

“That year made me a better player and maybe a better person too.”

WHEN the day comes for Liam Burt to reflect on his life in football then one word will perhaps best describe his career path.

He has been bold.

In a sport where decision making is key, the midfielder's choices have been courageous, fearless, brave. But above all they've proved to be victorious.

Crossing the Old Firm split to sign for Celtic after breaking into first-team football at Rangers was certainly daring for a 20-year-old kid.