RANGERS star Josh Windass’ dad Dean says it’s hard watching his son play at Ibrox when he receives stick from the stands.
The former Accrington Stanley midfielder has grown into an important player for Graeme Murty’s Gers side this campaign after netting some vital goals.
Dad Dean, who netted 31 goals in 78 starts for the Aberdeen in a three year spell, regularly watches Josh play for Rangers.
And he’s revealed the tables have turned now from when his son used to watch him play.
He said: “Even now, with Josh having played for a few seasons, the nerves I feel are incredible.
“I would much rather it was me out there.
“Watching Josh and my other son Jordan has given me a new lease of life.
“Seeing them do well is better than anything else in life. I watch them both and feel so proud. I am desperate to see them score or whatever. But I do get nervous.
“It doesn’t matter if I am at Ibrox or Thackley, where Jordan plays, the feelings are exactly the same. I am watching and thinking, ‘Don’t get injured or hurt’.
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“It can also be hard when Josh gets some stick in a game, especially at a club like Rangers where there are 50,000 in the ground.
“It was the same for my kids when I played. They would ask, ‘Dad, why do they call you a fat b******?’ “It was not nice for them. But it is part of football. I know that better than anyone, but it doesn’t make listening to the stuff easier.
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“It is the same with social media, where you can get some really rude people. All I want to do is protect my kids so I do react sometimes.
“Josh tells me not to. He also doesn’t like me doing interviews about him. But I am his dad and proud of him. He is a great kid.
“I get more of a buzz out of him doing well in a match than I ever did about myself. He might be 23 and playing for one of the biggest clubs around, but, to me, he is still the same lad who used to crawl all over the sofa as a kid and dream about being a footballer.”