Ex-Celtic captain recalls comical Kyle Lafferty headbutt attempt

Scott Brown has recalled his comical attempt at headbutting Kyle Lafferty during a heated Old Firm clash 14 years ago. The former Celtic captain was sent off during the game at Ibrox back in 2010.

Northern Ireland striker Lafferty later admitted Brown shouldn't have been dismissed in the game which Rangers won 1-0, but refuted claims he took a dive to influence referee Dougie McDonald's decision.

Brown says the Old Firm brought out the best - and worst - in players who often got caught up in the powder keg atmosphere of the Glasgow derby.

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He says Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos was easy to wind up in the heated games, and also recalled his attempt to flatten Lafferty in another clash.

Speaking on the Let Me Be Frank podcast alongside Celtic legend Frank McAvennie and co-host Simon Houston, Brown said: "It was actually quite good banter, because I liked someone who gave me something back as well. The same with Morelos, but he fell for it that much. I just dangled out the line and said 'jump on big man, jump on it'.

"The amount of times I was getting him sent off, and it was just stupidity from him. The atmosphere, and the game, it gets you. And it gets everyone because the atmosphere is brilliant."

Brown admitted he also fell victim to the intense atmosphere of a Celtic vs Rangers clash, including in 2010 when he got his marching orders at Ibrox. He joked that towering Lafferty was too tall to reach with an attempted headbutt.

He laughed: "Some people fall into that, like I did with Kyle Lafferty. To be fair I fell into it when I tried to headbutt Kyle Lafferty as well, so...

"We all make mistakes. I just couldn't get up there! The big man was just too high, it didn't even hit his chin!"

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Lafferty claimed Brown shouldn't have been sent off for the attempted headbutt. He said in a later interview: " To produce a red card was harsh but it was the referee's decision and had nothing to do with me.

"There was a bit of a scuff le between us and then he made contact with my chest. I went down but was straight back up again.

"The press in Scotland portray me as a bad boy but I take it with a pinch of salt now."

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