The last time Liam Scales stepped out at Ibrox, it was the making of him as a Celtic player. This time, it could be the making of Celtic’s season.
Scales had only played once as a starting centre back for Celtic when he was thrown into September’s visit to the other side of Glasgow alongside fellow Old Firm rookie Gustaf Lagerbielke, and they came out the other side with a 1-0 victory.
Since then, it has been Scales, against all expectations, who has gone on to nail down his place as a starter in Brendan Rodgers’ side, and it is he who is widely expected – and trusted – to partner Cameron Carter-Vickers on Sunday to face Rangers once more.
A lot has changed for Scales as an individual since that day back in the early autumn, and Celtic too will go into their second visit to Ibrox this season in a much stronger place, with the injuries that have dogged their season ever since then finally starting to clear up.
They will of course be entering the Bear pit without any of their own supporters, but having done so once before and emerged not only with the three points, but with a Celtic future, Scales is confident he can help his team to another favourable outcome this time around.
“It played a big part in how my season has gone, I think,” Scales said.
“It was a big challenge early on for me. As far as playing centre half for Celtic was concerned, I think it was only my second time after St Johnstone the previous week. It was massive for me to kick on. I have good memories of it.
“When you go out there and the game starts, it’s mental the intensity of it. To get through all of that with a clean sheet and a win, it’s a big achievement and it feels brilliant. But at the same time, it’s nothing more than three points, so you have to look at it that way as well and that’s how we’ll approach it now.
“I think at the time I was going with the mindset that I didn’t have much to lose. An opportunity was in front of me that I didn’t think I would have. I was like ‘right – I have this now – just go and do my thing’ and take the opportunity. That’s what happened.
“We were conscious a little bit of the outside noise because it is everywhere in the week leading up to the game. It didn’t really affect us in the sense that we still had belief that we could go and perform well, keep a clean sheet and beat them there.
“It wasn’t a massive factor for us, but obviously it helped having the confidence of the manager to go and do that.”
Having handled the intensity of both the atmosphere and the frenetic pace of the match back then, Scales feels more at ease heading to Ibrox this time around on a personal level, and hopes his performance will reflect that.
“I think the man difference is that I’ve experienced it now,” he said.
“I’m not going in there unaware of what it’s like. I know what’s coming. But my approach to the game hasn’t changed at all since then. That will remain the same.
“Before the game, the atmosphere is loud and intimidating. You just have to accept it and get on with it.
“Before the game, it’s harder to block it out, but when you are playing all of that goes out of the window because all you are focused on is what’s going on on the pitch.
“Before the game is a good time just take it in to prepare for what’s coming. Once the first whistle goes, that naturally all goes out of the window.”
It was the aftermath of the game at Ibrox in September that was to prove an even more novel experience for Scales, with no Celtic supporters to share his relief and joy with at having secured such a monumental victory.
“It was strange, but we sort of just got off the pitch and then we sort of had our moment in the dressing room together,” he said.
“We were all buzzing really, but it was strange, and it was strange when we scored the goal and the whole place went dead quiet because there were no away fans.
“But that’s the way it is at the moment, and we are prepared for that.”
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