IAN Crocker knows he will have to rebuff accusations of pro-Celtic and pro-Rangers bias as soon as the Premiership returns after a four-and-a-half month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic this weekend and is quite undaunted at the prospect.

“After an Old Firm game in particular you get accused of supporting the opposite team by fans of the losing side,” the Sky Sports commentator said as he looked ahead of the Aberdeen league game against Rangers at Pittodrie tomorrow. 

“I get accused of bias quite a lot, but I’m not. That goes with the territory. You get used to that. I am genuinely neutral. For a long time Celtic were winning those games so I was getting accused of being a Celtic fan. But I support West Ham and Weymouth, my local team from Dorset where I was brought up.”

However, Crocker, who has become the undisputed Voice of Scottish Football in the 22 years he has been describing the on-field action in this country, readily admits the potential departure of Alfredo Morelos from Ibrox saddens him as much as any Rangers supporter.

“He is pure box office because you never know what is coming with him,” he said. “Well, sometimes you do know what’s coming next! Listen, aside from the red cards and the discipline, the guy is obviously a player and can score a goal. I will be really sorry to see him go and certainly he will be really hard to replace for Rangers.

“You love those sort of players because they keep you on your toes. You don’t know what you are going to get. I used to get criticised for having a pop at him for getting red cards, but, to be fair, he was racking up a few. But as I kept saying all the way along, I really enjoyed watching him as a player.

“He has obviously got something. His goal record is superb. I kind of hope he sticks around because he is the sort of player we need in Scotland. Hopefully he will stay. But let’s be honest, we have had nearly five months without football and there has still been a story every day.”

The Englishman is, despite fans not being allowed to enter grounds until September 14, certain the Premiership this season will, with Celtic bidding to complete 10-In-A-Row and Rangers attempting to stop them, he once again be engrossing viewing.  

“It is going to be special, one way or the other,” he said. “We’ve waited five months for football so just to get it going again is good. I just hope we get a right good title race, even if it goes down to the wire. You can’t beat a bit of last day drama.”

 

Sky Sports is the home of the Scottish Premiership. Watch up to 48 games exclusively live on Sky Sports Football and NOW TV.