Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven were still part of the Dundee United in-crowd even after they joined Celtic.
Tangerines midfielder John Rankin has, with tongue firmly in cheek, revealed how shocked he was to discover the Parkhead pair remained part of the squad’s mobile phone messenger group despite signing for the Premiership champions on transfer deadline day.
Long after the ink had dried on their contracts with the Hoops, the duo were still being informed via WhatsApp Messenger of the time for United’s training and which hotel to meet up at before games until a polite message from Mackay-Steven told his old teammates that they now had a couple of spies in their ranks.
Rankin, who hopes the former Tannadice favourites receive a good reception when they return tomorrow for the first time since the double-deal, has told Armstrong and Mackay-Steven that their being blocked eventually – was nothing personal.
“They were involved in the group chat with the rest of the boys, which was telling the players things like times for training and what the meals were at the hotels before games etc,” said Rankin.
“So they have been deleted. We have removed them from the conversation!
“It’s nothing personal, I can assure you. It’s just what happens because you can’t give away any secrets.
“It wasn’t until after the first cup game here that Gaz put a message on to tell us that he was still in the group.
“We hadn’t realised!
“So that was just as well because you wouldn’t want them turning up for dinner at our hotel when they shouldn’t be!”
While Mackay-Steven and Armstrong may get some stick from supporters, particularly if they do damage to their old team, Rankin believes it would be fitting for them to shown some appreciation for what they contributed to the Tangerines’ cause during their time at Tannadice.
“They are both great lads,” said Rankin.
“It’s a difficult one having both of them coming back but I hope that after what they have done for this club that they get a great reception.
“They thoroughly deserve it.
“Gaz came to United and put on some fabulously entertaining performances and also gave our supporters great pieces of skill to always remember.
“As for Stu, he came through the youth system and scored so many important goals for us, getting the fans off their seats at times.
“In training they were breathtaking at times and the things they could do with the ball was incredible and a joy to watch.
“They are not two players you would like to come up against in a game because they have so much pace and ability but we will have a plan to stop them.
“They have that wee bit extra that can cut open defences. Looking back you appreciate that even more because you realise how good they were.
“We enjoyed them being here and hopefully there won’t be anything negative like booing.
“They did well for us when they were here but have moved on. That’s part and parcel of football nowadays.
“The main thing for us is the game, though, not who is getting stick from the fans.”
As Rankin suggested, the Tangerines will have a game plan that will include an attempt to stifle Armstrong and Mackay-Steven but that still leave the rest of the Hoops’ side for them to worry about.
“Even if you do stop those two then you are even halfway there to stopping Celtic, let’s be honest about that,” he said.
“Celtic have so much quality in there team that there will be more to concern us than Stu and Gaz.”
United have toiled since two of their star men were sold to the Hoops and right in the middle of it all was the four-game sequence against Celtic that saw them draw 1-1 in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Tannadice, lose the League Cup final 2-0 at Hampden, go down 4-0 in the cup replay at Celtic Park and then suffer Premiership pain at Parkhead thanks to a 3-0 defeat. They also suffered a 6-1 away hammering at the start of the season.
What is giving United some solace, though, is that at home they beat Celtic 2-1 in December with Armstrong getting the winner as well as drawing the cup-tie.
“It’s a good thing that it’s at home because we have given a good account of ourselves against Celtic at Tannadice this season, winning in the league in December and drawing the Scottish Cup quarter-final with nine men,” added Rankin.
“You treat each match individually but it’s at our home ground and we know how to do well.
“When you go to Celtic Park and Hampden it’s a bit different because the pitch is bigger and Celtic have maybe 70% of the crowd and that makes it a bit hostile for us. That suits them better than when it’s at Tannadice, with our home fans getting right behind us.
“We scored first in the two home games against Celtic so it would be nice to do that again because that would give us something to defend.
“A win against Celtic would do us a lot of favours because we have the two teams above us, Aberdeen and Inverness, playing each other and the two sides below us, Dundee and St Johnstone, doing the same.
“It is a big opportunity for us.”
Rankin will come back into the side after being sidelined by a foot injury.
He has had a wound which has been opening when he has been kicking the ball but he is ready to go again.
“It’s nothing, really, and I don’t see myself as being injured,” said Rankin.
“What I have is a scratch on my foot where you tie the laces. It has three stitches in it and every time I have kicked the ball the wound has burst.
“I think I could have played last Saturday against Aberdeen but I would have been taking a risk that the stitches would have burst again and maybe the foot would have become infected.”
Likely to be in the starting line-up alongside Rankin is frontman Robbie Muirhead, who should lead the line in the absence of the suspended Nadir Ciftci and injured Mario Bilate.
“Robbie has worked hard and waited long enough for his chance,” said Rankin.
“If it is Robbie who leads the line then I am more than confident that he will come up with the goods.”