Kevin Thomson has claimed to be utterly unaffected by John Collins' assertion that he was sold to Rangers because he was more dispensable to Hibernian than Scott Brown.

Kevin Thomson has claimed to be utterly unaffected by John Collins' assertion that he was sold to Rangers because he was more dispensable to Hibernian than Scott Brown.

The 22-year-old midfielder will make his debut for the Ibrox club in tomorrow's Bank of Scotland Premierleague visit to Kilmarnock. He endured a fraught relationship with Collins prior to his £2m departure from Easter Road, being stripped of the captain's armband and suffering the indignity of substitution at half-time during one match.

The Hibs manager has made it apparent that he is not overly concerned to have lost Thomson, while insistent that it was essential for Brown to stay for the remainder of the season.

"It was quite well known that me and the manager didn't see eye to eye, but it's irrelevant now," said Thomson. "Whatever he says and whatever he does, I will put my head down and work hard. I'll do my talking on the pitch.

"If he wants to say things in the press, nasty things or whatever he may say, it's not going to bother me.

"There were times at Hibs that were frustrating and not very nice. There was a lot of stuff dragged through the press but myself and Scott had to stay strong and be professional.

"I felt as though I was doing that, but it was up to the manager to take me off at half-time, leave me out and do the other things that he did. As a professional, I had to respect that and try to show him what he was leaving out when I got on to the park."

Thomson is clearly keen to leave the controversies of the previous transfer window behind him, but has already said he will try to get to Hampden on March 18 to support Hibernian in the CIS Insurance Cup final against Kilmarnock.

"I'm not naive and I know I'll probably get a hard time and bit of stick from the Hibs fans if I do go," said Thomson. "But it was a career move for me to come to Rangers and a fantastic one at that.

"I'll always be a Hibs fan. Playing for another team does not make you change from what you were brought up in. There are Rangers fans here and people who followed other teams when they were wee boys.

"I feel like I've been at Rangers for weeks, but I have only trained twice because of one thing and another. I'm still getting used to all the faces, but there is a winning attitude in the dressing room."