Daly won't get stick at home for wearing his Rangers gear, unlike Maybury

[ian1964 10,457]

ALAN MAYBURY was branded a DISGRACE when the Celtic-mad Dublin locals saw his Rangers training kit.

 

Republic of Ireland legend Roy Keane growled at him across the dining room after hearing about his Ibrox past.

 

The Hibs full-back came extremely close to joining Gers as a youngster in 1995 â?? before choosing Leeds.

 

He had various reasons for his decision â?? and the stick he feared he would get if he pulled on the light blue was one.

 

Now, almost 20 years on, he believes compatriot Jon Dalyâ??s decision to sign for Rangers will hardly cause a ripple among Hoops strongholds in Ireland.

 

Maybury, 34, said: â??I was a young boy, only 15, when I went on trial to Ibrox and I loved it.

 

â??I was playing for Home Farm in Dublin and had loads of Rangers training kit â?? people were saying I was a disgrace.

 

â??It didnâ??t really bother me, but it was there. There was no issue with my family or mates, though.

 

â??It wouldnâ??t have bothered me signing for Rangers. But when I weighed it up I thought it can be enough of a struggle moving away from home at 15 anyway... you just think you could do without it. Later when I was in the Ireland squad, players were winding me up about it. Keane said â??I hate themâ??.

 

â??I thought â??I canâ??t look at himâ?? but weâ??d just laugh away about it. Itâ??s just banter like everything else.

 

â??It was like what I got when I first walked into Hibs and I got stick for being a Jambo because Iâ??d played for Hearts.

 

â??I donâ??t think the Daly move has made many ripples back home in Ireland.

 

â??I know for a while there you could buy Rangers kits in the shops. That wasnâ??t the case when I was coming over to Ibrox to train.

 

â??Even in Scotland, itâ??s been a bit low key. I might be wrong, but I think everyone will accept a player giving their all and theyâ??ll take that.

 

â??I think Jon will go there and if he scores goals then there will be no issue. Times are very different.

 

â??Itâ??s as big or small an issue as you want to make it. Iâ??m sure heâ??s comfortable with it and I know from speaking to him heâ??s excited about the move happening.â?

 

Maybury is waiting to find out if heâ??ll be at Hibs next season â?? and believes he CAN cut it in the SPL next term.

 

However, he says nobody should question Dalyâ??s ambition after he dropped down two divisions to join Gers.

 

He said: â??Some people wonâ??t be happy, but they never are. But what an opportunity for him to go from Dundee United to Rangers.

 

â??Okay theyâ??re down the divisions but the club, the stature and financially for him... itâ??s a no-brainer. To me, heâ??s made the right decision. Heâ??ll do well there.

 

â??Itâ??s for other people to worry whether heâ??s done the right or wrong thing.â?

 

Maybury suffered the pain of last weekendâ??s Scottish Cup Final defeat to Celtic before heading to Largs to do his UEFA A-Licence course.

 

He admits the Hampden loss is still raw, but hopes to one day look back on the occasion with huge pride.

 

Maybury said: â??Celtic are a better team and we were well beaten on the day. But thereâ??s always the â??what if?â??.

 

â??What if it had just been 1-0 at half-time? What if we had got it back to 2-1? There are small margins.

 

â??Celtic had five shots and we had four. They took their chances and we didnâ??t. We let in soft goals.

 

â??Personally it was really disappointing as Iâ??d waited 18 years to play in a cup final and donâ??t know if Iâ??ll get another chance.

 

â??Looking back, Iâ??ll probably remember playing in what was a great occasion.

 

â??However, as Jurgen Klopp said after his Dortmund side lost the Champions League Final â?? â??It was a great occasion, but the result was s***â??.

 

â??I didnâ??t really get a chance to take it all in. I was pulled for a drugs test, alongside Eoin Doyle, James Forrest and Lukasz Zaluska. The Celtic boys were good with us â?? very gracious.

 

â??We were in there for over an hour. It was a bad end to a bad day. But the team bus did wait for us!

 

â??I donâ??t know what will happen next season. I normally spend my summers on trial so we will see what crops up.

 

â??I spoke to Pat Fenlon a few weeks ago. We chatted about next season at Hibs but I know there were meetings with the chairman this week.

 

â??Until thereâ??s an offer, Iâ??m not sure what will happen.

 

â??I think the manager would like to keep me, but itâ??s getting it over the line and looking at budgets â?? whoâ??s coming in and whoâ??s going?

 

â??I donâ??t expect it to be done quickly but Iâ??m hopeful there is something there for me. I want to stay in Scotland.â?

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/leaguedivision3/4951201/Signing-bonus.html

[Juancornetto 1]

Surely Catholics can't be the perpetrators of bigotry can they? Aren't they too busy being victims?

[der Berliner 3,290]

It wuz just banter, ya ken?

[RANGERRAB 3,306]

people such as Spiers would have everyone believe bigotry is a one-way street.

[gisabeer 409]

“It’s as big or small an issue as you want to make it. couldnt have put it better myself! sums up the media in a very short sentence.

[54andcounting 0]

Now, almost 20 years on, he believes compatriot Jon Daly’s decision to sign for Rangers will hardly cause a ripple among Hoops strongholds in Ireland.

 

It's only the 'plastic' ones who'll have an issue with it