McGhee, Mark - Kerrydale StreetHaving ridden on many of the biggest Theme Park killer rides, I know the thrill that they can induce.

As a father of three boys I’ve been dragged screaming on to most of them. The rush of speed, the change of direction, the noise and the transition from darkness into the light all generate excitement that is difficult to reproduce on terra firma. For a cost of about a fiver we can all enjoy the thrill of a lifetime. Good value if you ask me.

Some other thrills cost more. Anyone who has skied off-piste knows how exhilarating that can be; expensive but available to those who can afford it. Reading chairman John Madejski once allowed me to get behind the wheel of one of his many Ferraris. If you ever get the chance to do likewise, take it. The noise of the engine and the pure power that catapults you and the car forward is an awesome feeling.

I’ve been lucky in my life to have had many thrills and exciting experiences. There are a lot of highs that you can buy if you have the dosh. However, there are also thrills that money cannot buy.

Sir David Murray and Dermot Desmond bought their respective football clubs and have been duly rewarded. The thrill of winning a league or cup, or seeing their teams run out to the Champions League anthem must offer them a great emotional return on their investments.
Running out for either side of the Old Firm in the Glasgow derby is the ultimate rush

In recent times people have invested huge amounts of money for the thrill of being in the front seat and going along for the ride at football club. Being the owner of Manchester City is the same as being in the front row of Oblivion at Alton Towers, only the ticket is a bit more expensive.

TMcGhee, Mark - Kerrydale Streetoday Ibrox will host the first Old Firm match of the season and no doubt there will be a few debutants who have never experienced the thrill of playing in this fixture before. These players will have the privilege of running out of the dark tunnel into the Govan light and will enjoy a ride that money cannot buy.

I would not swap that memory for any Ferrari or for any other thrill I can think of. It’s a thrill that no club owner will ever enjoy, no matter how much money they invest in their chosen club. Running out for either of the Old Firm sides in the Glasgow derby is the ultimate rush.

I do believe that being a supporter of the club you are representing in the match is extra special. Having stood on the terraces with my dad on many 
occasions watching the Old Firm do battle and then to be given the 
opportunity to go out there and be part of it was brilliant. Every fan’s dream.

There is a lot of hype associated with these games and we are at times in danger of exaggerating the importance of the fixture. Many fans would have you believe that it has global significance. It’s respected as a fixture by football fans internationally but no more than the Manchester or Milan derbies. Today, though, for supporters of the two Glasgow giants, it will feel like Glasgow is at the world’s epicentre and that all eyes are on them.

As a player you could feel the anticipation building in the days prior to the match. We would all be praying that we would be playing. Nerves were always a little bit frayed in the Old Firm week.
Unlike most other fixtures the head-to-head aspect of the match transcends any impact the result may have: you don’t play in Old Firm games for points, you play for pride, for honour and for bragging rights. Legends are formed in these games. Individual players can endear themselves to supporters by producing something special. Today’s match represents a great opportunity for a player to go down in legend – regardless of the fact that it’s only the first of at least four occasions that the teams will clash this season.

For owners, victory in these games can be regarded as a return on their investments. For the player who takes the glory, the thrill is priceless.