Celtic and Rangers have become united and common kinship may not end any time soon

“No such thing, mate,” might come the reply. “Been obsolete since 2012.” Maybe, maybe not. Still, it’s notable that the clubs are themselves doing their best to be united – reunited? - in some form of common kinship, as distasteful as the thought might be to some. There are even reports of them being engaged in a tug-of-war for the same player - the currently clubless 38-year-old Jamie Vardy, which perhaps says it all.

“Patronise the Old Firm. Rangers, Celtic Ltd.” That’s what was written on a newspaper seller’s sandwich board in the famous old Scottish Referee cartoon from the early 1900s. Well, their business now is anarchy and discord. They are vessels for unloading fury. Never mind Old Firm, make that Old Ferment.

If fans aren’t streaming out of games just 20 minutes in, they are staying behind afterwards to vent their anger having spent large parts of the preceding 90 minutes demanding chairmen and chief executives get themselves somewhere that rhymes with the eponymous hero of Steven Spielberg’s new film, The Life of Chuck.

Speaking of Spielberg, what would an alien have made of trips on successive nights this week to Ibrox and Celtic Park, homes of Scotland’s two biggest football clubs? It was startling enough for a football writer to have experienced this double bill and view the level of unhappiness of display. Both stadiums were in uproar. Rangers being in crisis does not necessarily mean Celtic are in clover. Not these days, at least. The Parkhead club have higher ambitions than simply outdoing their old rivals – or do they? Therein might lie the problem.

Of course, Rangers’ issues are of a different standard to those of Celtic, something that might secretly delight those supporters of the Ibrox side who still contend they are the superior club in the city.

More pain at Rangers before it gets better?

Even the aforementioned alien visitor, with no knowledge of either club, or even football, would be able to appraise the contrast in situations. In terms of Rangers, it might very well get a lot worse before it gets better, perhaps as soon as Sunday when Russell Martin’s undercooked side face a tricky clash against St Mirren in Paisley. The under-pressure manager has already been forced to engage in some fighting talk and, following the 3-1 defeat to Club Brugge on Tuesday, brought up the fact the club have been in Celtic’s shadow for “13, 14 years, bar one season”. The point being that no one can expect answers in just over seven weeks, his tenure thus far.

As for Celtic, as poor as it might have been in Wednesday's goalless draw with FC Kairat Almaty, there’s still a decent chance they will turn things around in the second leg, cue the sound of another £40 million falling into their bank account.

If so, however, what’s next? They are still left with a clearly unimpressed manager whose working relationship with those above him seems broken to some extent. He didn’t necessarily say anything new in the post-match press conference but some of what he said still made the ears prick up. He stressed that he had known earlier this summer what was required in terms of incoming players. “For whatever reason,” he added, “we have not been able to do that.”

These are already uncertain times with Rodgers now well into the final year of his contract. Will he stay or will he go does not even seem like an issue now. He’s going, very likely with another treble to his name.

And that sums it up. Celtic’s problem is that they are in their own world of so-called pain. It must have been surreal for the watching Paul McStay to hear chants of “Sack the Board!” echoing around Parkhead since it was a reminder The Maestro, who is based in Australia these days, was very much back home.

He heard the same chants back in the really bad old days when Celtic were levels beneath Rangers and at risk of going bust.

In a way, it might have been sweet music to Rodgers, since it means he’s escaping the flak. The Celtic board’s current parsimonious approach might be linked to the fact they gave the manager a decent sum last summer and much of what it went on was sitting behind Rodgers in the dugout for most of the match or else sitting in the dressing room for the second half. Arne Engels has lost his place along with Auston Trusty and Paulo Bernardo.

Adam Idah, meanwhile, faces an uphill struggle to prove he can be the centre-forward Celtic need despite Rodgers sanctioning £9 million being spent on him 12 months ago. Indeed, the Irish striker may already have blown it. “I couldn’t wait,” said Rodgers when asked about Idah’s withdrawal after just 45 minutes. Ouch.

Patience is not a word associated with either side of the Old Firm. Fans’ forums have long hummed with hysteria. Now those who have never logged on in their lives can get a taste of it. The fury is real. It might not abate anytime soon on either side of the great divide.