Former Rangers midfielder Dean Furman has revealed his move to Ibrox was sparked by a trial spell at Celtic.
The former Oldham midfielder, now 35, was at Rangers for two years but only made one league appearance for the club.
However, Furman detailed the bizarre circumstances surrounding his move to Glasgow having first been sent on trial at Celtic.
Then a Chelsea starlet, Furman had been offered a week-long trial at Celtic but also received a trial at Rangers having been contacted by an agent during his period at Lennoxtown.
And after a tour at Ibrox and Murray Park, Furman was convinced to join Rangers on trial and then sign a contract with the club.
And in a strange Celtic-Rangers connection, Furman's initial trial at Celtic was arranged by current Parkhead boss Brendan Rodgers who was then a youth coach at Stamford Bridge.
READ MORE: Nathan Patterson Everton 'slap' played down by manager
On the I Had Trials Once podcast, Furman explained: "Brendan Rodgers was my youth team coach - he was phenomenal. Brendan had links with Celtic back then.
"He sent me to Celtic, so I went and spent a week at Celtic – I had a class week there, it was great.
"Whilst I was up there, I knew an agent up there and he called me and while I was up there he took me round Murray Park and to Ibrox.
"Two weeks later Rangers wanted me to come in for a week there, and at the end of that week they basically slapped a contract on the table.
"They said ‘We know you’ve been to Celtic but…if you go back there this contract is...[gone]’
"Maybe there was a bit of that [rivalry]. So I ended up signing for Rangers and I loved it. It was class."
Furman's only appearance for Rangers came in a 3-1 victory over Dundee United.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here