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The legendary Rangers player Nacho Novo has revealed the TRUTH about why he declined Celtic’s offer.

After racking up 22 goals for Dundee, the diminutive Spaniard found himself at the focus of an Old Firm transfer scuffle in the summer of 2004. Famously, Novo was seen entering Celtic Park through the front door after receiving approval to speak with Martin O’Neill.

However, the striker made a dramatic U-turn and decided to relocate to the opposite side of the city, which nearly immediately turned him into a hate figure among the Hoops supporters. The rest is history, as Novo went on to win six titles and score sixty-five goals in his six years at Govan, turning into a fan favourite at Ibrox.

When considering the transfer drama, the 44-year-old is adamant that choosing Rangers over Celtic was the best move he has ever made. And Novo acknowledged that one of the main reasons Alex McLeish prevailed in the battle for his signature was the fact that he already had close pals in the Ibrox locker room.

He stated on the podcast Anything Goes with James English: “Both the Celtic and Rangers were making calls.” However, I used to frequently travel to Glasgow for dinner. I used to play with Mikel Arteta, Shota Arveladze, and Zurab Khizanishvili at Dundee.

“There were further performances by Gavin Rae and Claudio Caniggia. I used to return to Dundee after eating for a short while. To be fair, I believed Rangers had the better players and was the superior club. That’s how I considered it.

Novo enjoyed a spectacular first season and on that historic May 2005 day, scored the goal that caused the helicopter to reverse course. He moved from Govan to Sporting de Gijon in 2010, but he acknowledges that he has never felt quite as connected to a team.

“It was really like a family,” he remarked. Everyone is acquainted with one another. When I used to visit Ibrox, I would see folks like the doorman, the wives’ attendants, and those in the Cooper Suite. You would be familiar with every employee at the club.

“When you visited the training area, nothing had changed. There had been employees there for many years. They used to be known by Coisty, Gazza, Mark Hateley, and Brian Laudrup, too, when they performed. What struck me most was that it’s a family.

“When you visit clubs, people come and leave. However, they hold onto the good individuals and those who sacrifice their life for their football team. That is unique in my opinion. It doesn’t matter what people think. That’s why I sensed a connection.

“I wanted to show myself, but it was also new for me to perform in front of 50,000 supporters, and I sense their affection for me. I have always been a fighter from the beginning to the conclusion of my life. I was ecstatic since that was the best choice I had ever made, but that’s life.”