JOHN HARTSON has fired the first shot of the new season and the new season hasn’t even started yet!

The Celtic icon has been reading for weeks about the Gerrard revolution and how the Ibrox side are ready to conquer the double treble champions.

Hartson pulled no punches as he told Stevie boy the real task he has on his hands.

“They are making a lot of signings and they will have to continue making a few more signings.” Hartson admitted.

“Stevie is a class act and he will certainly make an impact in that dressing room.

“But Rangers’ biggest worry is getting above Aberdeen, never mind Celtic.

“It is inconceivable to finish above Celtic in terms of where they are on and off the pitch.

“It’s about mentality too, which hasn’t been right at Rangers. The 4-0 thumping in the Scottish Cup? The 5-0 when Celtic won the league? It was men against boys, so poor it was like a testimonial game against a bunch of 40 year-olds.

“If you look at how far behind Rangers have fallen in terms of quality of player and off the park it’s huge.

Hartson knows how far Celtic are ahead and like the rest of the Celtic fans who have had to listen to the noise coming from Govan the past two seasons. The hype never matches the reality.

His candour, while respectful hasn’t gone down well at Ibrox. They do get touch about anything these days though.