Celtic and Rangers are more than just football clubs – they are the embodiment of Glasgow’s deepest divides, two warring tribes separated by history, faith, and politics. Celtic’s faithful, draped in green and white, and the city, Rangers’ supporters stand firm in Blue.

Between them, they have amassed an astonishing 107 league titles, leaving the rest of Scotland’s clubs with just 19 combined. First locking horns in 1888, theirs is a rivalry older than most nations’ footballing traditions. The Old Firm is a clash of culture and conviction, and at times, it has spilt over into pure chaos.

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From the infamous 1980 Scottish Cup Final riot, where thousands of fans flooded Hampden Park in a frenzied mass brawl – hurling bottles, stones, and iron bars, leading to Scotland’s stadium alcohol ban – to the “Shame Game” of 1999, where three Rangers players were sent off as violence erupted inside and outside Celtic Park, the rivalry has never been short on hostility.

The 2011 touchline bust-up between Ally McCoist and Neil Lennon also ignited unrest, leading to 200 arrests across Glasgow. Yet, for all its fury, there was one man deemed too dangerous to ever set foot in the firestorm of a derby. That man was Kevin Muscat, who has a history as one of football’s most controversial figures.

Why Kevin Muscat Was Denied Playing in Old Firm Derby

He only ended up starring 30 times for Rangers

In 2013, Spanish football website El Gol Digital named Kevin Muscat as the dirtiest player in football history, and it’s not hard to see why when he is, to this day, the only player in over a century-long Old Firm Derby history deemed too violent – at least in the eyes of his manager – to have played a role in any of Rangers’ encounters with the old enemy during his sole year at the club between 2002 and 2003.

Indeed, Alex McLeish reportedly didn’t trust the notoriously aggro footballer in the intense atmosphere of one of the game’s fiercest derby encounters. As such, he shied away from giving Muscat any minutes during the Old Firm.

He was part of the famous treble-winning squad and helped the club’s defence keep six consecutive clean sheets in the league between 25 August 2002 and 28 September 2002. In total, he starred 30 times, winning 26 and losing only two. But he may never forgive his manager McLeish for never letting him get a taste of a derby just as mad as him.

Muscat was no stranger to a red card and his manager didn’t want to risk him when the stakes were high. But the Aussie, who also had stints at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Millwall, has since understood the reasoning. “I’ll never forgive Alex McLeish for not playing me in an Old Firm game — but in the nicest way possible,” he told The Sun in 2020.

The Gers secured the title in a thrilling final-day showdown, defeating Dunfermline 6-1, while Celtic triumphed 4-0 against Kilmarnock. Just a week later, they lifted the Scottish Cup when Lorenzo Amoruso’s header clinched victory over Dundee.

However, whenever the club faced off against the Hoops, Muscat found himself simmering on the sidelines, watching players like Barry Ferguson and Ronald de Boer take to the pitch instead – and for good reason.

His Old Firm ban was a result of many infamous moments

What made Muscat truly alarming was his sheer refusal to change, no matter how many warnings he received from teammates, managers, or club officials. The Australian seemed incapable of staying out of trouble. If his ruthless streak wasn’t already evident during his time at Rangers, it became undeniable just three weeks into his Millwall stint.

A mere three games in, he found himself in hot water yet again – this time receiving a red card for stamping on Watford’s Danny Webber. The incident was so severe that Millwall’s chief executive, Ken Brown, issued a stark warning, even hinting that Muscat could face the sack. The statement read:

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Other infamous altercations in Kevin Muscat’s turbulent career include the time he was effectively exiled from his own country after delivering a knee-high tackle that cruelly ended the promising career of young Adrian Zahra. This brutal act didn’t just earn him an eight-match suspension; it ensured that he was no longer welcome in the A-League, effectively banishing him from the footballing paradise he once called home.

While plying his trade for Wolves, Muscat delivered a sickening challenge that shattered Bournemouth’s Matty Holmes’ leg in two places during an FA Cup clash. Holmes endured a gauntlet of operations and later took legal action against Muscat, successfully securing a six-figure settlement for the injury that completely derailed his career.

Peter Crouch once named Muscat as the only player that genuinely scared him, and when you also factor in the Aussie once had a brawl with a referee and would often fight his own players, the unpredictable nature of one of football’s most hated and notorious hardmen made him a grenade for anyone who crossed paths with him.

Where is Kevin Muscat Now?

The 51-year-old now manages in the Chinese Super League

It’s quite surprising that Muscat still holds a place in the world of football after making so many enemies during his playing days. However, these days, he’s the one calling the shots from the touchline. For the final two years of his playing career, Muscat served as a playing assistant coach under Ernie Merrick at Melbourne Victory.

After honing his coaching skills there, he took on prominent roles with Belgian club Sint-Truidense before making his way to Yokohama F. Marinos to succeed Ange Postecoglou, where he clinched the J1 League title in 2022.

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On December 17, 2023, Muscat was appointed manager of Shanghai Port following the departure of Javier Pereira. Under his leadership, Shanghai Port triumphed in the 2024 Chinese Super League, finishing just ahead of their city rivals Shanghai Shenhua by a narrow margin. Additionally, he led the team to victory in the 2024 Chinese FA Cup.

Such has been Muscat’s achievements abroad, that Rangers came calling to replace Russell Martin as manager, but that move didn’t materialise. Nevertheless, Muscat seems destined to arrive back on the European scene as a top-level boss.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt (correct as of 01/11/2025)