Rangers' Andy Halliday brands fan a '˜f*****g b****g' after substitution

Andy Halliday trudges off the pitch after being subbed in the first half. Picture: SNS Group

Halliday was hooked after 40 minutes as Murty opted to put on the more attacking Josh Windass at Hampden, with Celtic leading 2-0.

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The boyhood Gers fan, a substitute himself in last week’s Scottish Premiership match with Dundee, was a surprise starter at the national stadium but was sacrificed before the half time break in a tactical switch.

But as he made his way to the bench, Sky Sports captured a clearly incensed Halliday appearing to scream at someone off-camera.

At the time Halliday was thought to just be shouting at Murty, but it emerged that a fan had started abusing the player as he made his way to the subs bench, with the former Middlesbrough and Bradford midfielder retaliating.

Murty said after the match that he would be speaking to Halliday about the flashpoint, adding: “He will be in no doubt as to my thoughts on the matter.

“I wouldn’t have been happy. I completely understand his frustration but I was reacting to a situation in the game and I was looking at a different shape to the team.

Pictures appearing to show a fan shouting at Halliday emerged after the match. Pictures: SNS Group

“Andy’s frustrated but I’ll see him in the week and have a chat and take things from there. It’s a frustration thing. If you deal with people in an emotional state, you get an emotional response,” Murty added.

The Rangers boss has had previous issues with players becoming embroiled in incidents with fans.

Windass gestured at Gers fans after scoring in a match against Partick Thistle at Firhill earlier this season, with his manager calling on the former Accrington Stanley attacker to “better manage his frustrations.”