Intolerance and ignorance is, unfortunately, nothing new.

The scenes from across the pond this past week or so have been nothing short of horrific, terrifying and tragic in equal measure. Racism in any shape or form is a true stain on society and must be stamped out. Of course, that is much easier said than done.

In the west of Scotland, sectarianism is another plague which has darkened our history and our football for years. The fact that a minority of supporters are unable to keep the supposed beautiful game and their religious prejudice separate is a truly sad reality.

Former Rangers star Jon Daly knows this all too well. The Irish catholic striker signed for the Light Blues in 2013 and was immediately made aware of just how frantic and intense the rivalry was - on and off the field - when he received a letter from a punter telling him how 'disappointed his family would be' that he had joined the Ibrox outfit.

The handwritten letter was just one of several bigoted notes the hitman had to endure after news broke that he'd become a Gers player. But it didn't dampen Daly's move. Nor, thankfully, did it bother him too much. Instead, Daly pitied those who wasted their time attempting to insult him for having so much hatred in their hearts. "I saw that person as having the issue and you can't change these people's minds," Daly told Herald and Times Sport.

"There's no point getting upset about it. I think because I was a bit older and a bit more streetwise I was maybe able to handle it better. I tried to actually see the funny side that someone spent time to sit down and write a letter. In my head I pictured them raging, writing this letter and it made me smile. That people would get upset about football or a person playing for a club. I try and look at the funny side of it, that someone has that much hatred in them that they want to send a letter. I feel sorry for people who feel that way.

"They have this mindset and just can't see past issues they have, but that's going to be difficult to change. If you conform to what they think, they'll win, so you have to get on with your life, make the decisions you make and hope you choose the right ones.

"I'm the least religious person you'll meet, so that's another part I found quite funny. To have people slagging you over a religion you're not practicing or following is quite funny. The world is a better place without that negativity in it. You only have to look at the sort of stuff going on just now, it's a crazy world we're living in."

Daly loved his time at Ibrox and would never have anything negative said about the club or their supporters. The only regret he has ever had regarding his time as a Rangers player was in his own mind, about his own contribution.

Having lifted League 1 and gained promotion to the Championship, Daly was devastated at being unable to push on and seal his team's place in the top tier at the first time of asking. "I have to say, Rangers fans were excellent with me, they were really welcoming and I never had any real issues with them," he added.

"I didn't live in Glasgow which is probably just as well. I lived away from it all near Dundee and travelled through every day, but I loved my time there. It is a fantastic club and to get the opportunity to go there at that stage in my career was superb. Working with Ally McCoist was a dream, the personality he is, it was brilliant.

"When I look back I'm disappointed because I went there hoping for two promotions, let's get them back. My second year there, the team didn't perform to the level that we should've done, though you've got to credit Hearts for that season. That was a disappointing end.

"It was great to win a title there, even if it wasn't the top division at the time. The biggest disappointment for me was the following year when we didn't carry it on. Of course it was a tougher division to get out of and Hearts did really well."

Steven Gerrard's men are staring down the barrel of rivals Celtic securing 10 in a row next season but Daly hopes they can find another level within them to put up a serious fight.

And with some shrewd additions and consistency, the 37-year-old reckons they have as good a chance as ever to do so. "It's going to be tough to beat Celtic," Daly said. "But they showed the first half of last season their capabilities and what they're able to do. The last few seasons now they've come back from their winter break and fallen short, but you've got to give a lot of credit to Celtic for making sure they didn't drop points when Rangers did.

"I think Rangers have got to look at the first half of last season and think if they can maintain that type of form they'll definitely put up more of a challenge for next season. Fingers crossed it goes to the wire next season because it would be great for Scottish football to see the title race do that.

"Rangers want to strengthen but I imagine Celtic will too and they'll do everything they possibly can to win 10 in a row. They'll want to use money saved there to bring players in to really make an impact in the league and push on.

"It'll take Rangers a monumental effort but everyone within the club will feel they can do it, they have to. Otherwise you're at the wrong club, there's huge demands on you and you have to believe you can win every game."