BRIAN Laudrup insists his first game at Celtic Park was “terrifying”. History recalls it differently. Even at the age of 47, his playing days long behind him, the Dane remains a modest, self-effacing figure. He had been at Rangers for just three months – and lost the opening Old Firm game of the season at Ibrox – when he travelled across the city in October 1994 to savour the Glasgow derby from the other side. If it was an eye-opening experience then he quickly adapted. Rangers won the game 3-1 with Laudrup scoring their third, fastening on to a Fraser Wishart wallop up the park, out-sprinting Brian O’Neill before rounding Gordon Marshall and slotting the ball into the net. He could not have looked less like a man inhibited by his surrounds.

It will likely not be as straightforward for the majority of the modern-day Rangers squad preparing for their first visit to Parkhead on Saturday. For starters, none are as talented as Laudrup at his peak and, unlike in 1994, Rangers will also go into this first league meeting between the sides for four-and-a-half years as the underdogs. A full house of 60,000 will also make a lot more noise than the 32,000 who turned up on the day of Laudrup’s first bow in the east end of Glasgow 22 years ago.

The factors would seem to stack up against a Rangers team struggling for momentum since making the step up to the Premiership but Laudrup hoped those players experiencing it for the first could try to also enjoy the occasion.

“Can I remember my first time at Parkhead? I think I scored actually,” said the Dane on a rare visit back to Glasgow to take a training session with 22 local teenagers organised by Ashfield Academy of Football. “As a foreign player it’s difficult to put yourself into this rivalry but as soon as you join one of these clubs, from the very first minute you are told about this game.

“To actually play in one was terrifying. It was a little bit scary but on the other hand it’s tremendous to be involved in arguably one of the biggest derbies in the world. For me, my very first week at Rangers I remember we were beat in all competitions – not a great start - but then we picked it up quite well.

"But for these players [going to Celtic Park] it will be tremendous. They have read about it, heard about from those who have played in the game but to actually be part of it yourself is completely different. It’s something these players will never forget.”

Such has been the seismic shift in Scottish football over the past five years that Celtic are now undeniably the nation’s establishment club. Rangers, in contrast, are still in the midst of a rebuilding process following their financial meltdown of 2012, gradually trying to find their feet in the top division.

It is a far cry from Laudrup’s days when Rangers were halfway towards winning nine consecutive league titles but the pressure and expectation to succeed at Ibrox remains the same regardless.

“That’s exactly what Rangers need, to establish themselves again,” he said. “We all know they have been away from the best division for a number of years but nevertheless they are back and are trying to compete.

“From what I have seen they have a very good coach [in Mark Warburton] who wants them to play the right way. But players coming from outside, who haven’t been used to these pressures, who have never played for medals or titles, they have to get used to that environment.

“That will take some time but hopefully for Rangers fans, the club and Scottish football we will see a strong Rangers side soon. That is what we all want – for Rangers to compete and make Scottish football good again. Hopefully it won’t just be Celtic playing in the Champions League in future. It’s great to see Rangers back but they have drawn two games already and so the other teams are doing anything in their power to stop them.”

Celtic’s long-term target remains a 10th successive domestic title, a feat that would eclipse what both they and Rangers achieved in previous eras.

“I’m sure Rangers will do their utmost to close the gap but the economic power of playing in the Champions League will be to Celtic’s advantage,” Laudrup said. “It’s for Rangers to catch up. We will wait and see what happens but I think it’s great to see them back. Even Celtic fans will be looking forward to the Old Firm games again.”

- Laudrup was appearing at the Peugeot Ashfield Stadium. The Ashfield Development Trust is planning a £4m development around the stadium to support the Ashfield Academy of Football, provide a speedway academy, and create a major training and employability campus for North Glasgow.