THE dynamic of the Old Firm game has shifted towards the home side since Alex McLeish last stood in the dugout against Celtic. On Saturday, it could swing in Rangers’ favour.

When McLeish was battling a star-studded Celtic side, he knew he had a fight on his hands when he went behind enemy lines across Glasgow. The atmosphere was hostile, but it certainly got the blood flowing and the adrenaline pumping as those in red, white and blue tried to spur their side on in the Parkhead cauldron.

The days of that several-thousand strong support breaking up the sea of green and white are gone and may never return. Right now, so are crowds of any size and colour.

There won’t be a fan in sight at Parkhead this weekend and the chances of supporters being allowed into Ibrox for the second derby of the campaign in January appear slim as well.

The Old Firm game has lost one of its unique selling points. It will be a meeting like no other, one which just isn’t the same and that can’t live up to expectations.

McLeish would enjoy several famous Old Firm moments during his successful career as Rangers boss but could only savour one win – a 2-0 success earned thanks to goals from Gregory Vignal and Nacho Novo - at the home of their fiercest rivals.

Current incumbent Steven Gerrard has already secured his maiden victory across Glasgow after the thrilling encounter back in December. Now he will return to the East End for what will be a very different challenge in very different circumstances.

"I do feel, such as the way that things have moved forward, that the home team now has an advantage when they have more of their own fans in and there are only a small portion of the visitors," McLeish told Herald and Times Sport.

"That has got to be tough to any away team going to Ibrox or Celtic Park. If you are the visitor, there is an advantage to the opposition of having that fervent crowd behind them and singing all game.

“It is not for the faint-hearted, put it that way. This is so different in terms of atmosphere though. It is unique for this fixture.

“I do believe that the players will still go on that pitch and as soon as they see the opposition colours it will be just like a normal Old Firm game in terms of the match.

"Of course, it can’t be normal without the crowd, but I don’t see any change to the pace of the game, the speed of the game or the dynamics of both teams. I do think there is an advantage to the away team considering there are no fans."

Scottish football has become accustomed to the empty stands during the first few weeks of the campaign, but Saturday’s derby clash will be the highest-profile fixture yet with no fans in attendance. This is when it will really hit home just what our game is missing out on these days.

McLeish had his own behind-closed-doors experience 15 years ago when Rangers faced Inter in a Champions League clash. What was strange then is the new normal now.

Roberto Mancini’s side had been ordered to play all three of their home games in Group H in an empty San Siro following crowd trouble during their match with AC Milan the previous season.

On that occasion, Rangers couldn’t capitalise as David Pizarro scored the only goal in a 1-0 defeat that, fortunately for McLeish, didn’t prove costly as Rangers went on to become the first Scottish side to reach the knock-out rounds of the competition.

"It was strange, but it was just something that we had to deal with," McLeish said. "Inter were getting punished and we were supposed to benefit from that, so they didn’t have their big home crowd behind them.

"You have to be professional and try your best and unfortunately Inter beat us on the night. We all found it strange playing in an empty stadium and all you could hear was the directors up in the stand.

"I really feel for the players these days, it is eerie, and it is just not the same without the fans. The supporters have the noise on the television as they try to replicate the atmosphere but that doesn’t help the players.

"There is nothing that compares to the fans getting behind you and a full house, especially in an Old Firm game. Anybody that has ever been to one or wants to come to one knows how special it is.

"People ask me for tickets because they have been told that it is one of the most exciting derbies in the world, if not the most exciting, and everyone wants to get a taste of it."

Rangers head into the first Old Firm of the campaign top of the Premiership but their advantage – just one point having played a game more – is a slender one at present.

Given the trials and tribulations that can, and surely will, unfold over the course of the title race, there is no need to read too much into the ramifications of Saturday’s showdown.

"In my experience, the first game certainly wasn’t the decider,” McLeish You have many, many games after that and you can go on a winning run or one where you can’t get a result and that changes the look of the table.

"But these games overall, if it is tight, can decide the league. Last season, Rangers started to drop points after the New Year and it cost them.

"The year we won the Treble, we drew the first game at Kilmarnock and Celtic won at home and there were headlines saying the league was done. I just thought ‘wow!’.

"Celtic were such a good side at the time but people forget the players that we had in the team and we went on to win it at the end, which was amazing.

"The Old Firm games can be massive, but we lost the game at Ibrox and suffered a huge blow then went on to win the league.

“If you win the league, you deserve it and are the best team, but every Old Firm game is crucial and Saturday will be no different."