Hayley McQueen denies being Rangers fan after Celtic backlash

Hayley McQueen slammed Hoops trolls who claimed she was deflecting attention away from a Gers' defeat by coving a story linking the then Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers with a potential move to China.

READ MORE: Glasgow Bellgrove Hotel residents to be moved

Online lurkers pounced on the mother-of-one, who formerly hosted the broadcasting giant's coverage of the Scottish Premiership. 

Hayley said she was wrongly branded a Light Blues supporter and of covering for the Ibrox side by taking attention away from their defeat. 

READ MORE: Future of historic Pollokshaws school looking brighter after rescue plan agreed

She told the Times: “I was covering a Rangers game and some fans were annoyed at the way we did things that day.

"Some people thought I was deflecting from a Rangers issue.

READ MORE: 'More than £400k worth of drugs' found at Pollok premises

"Rangers had just lost but, post-match, we went into a big Celtic story which was breaking, about Brendan Rodgers potentially being in discussion with a Chinese Super League club and leaving Celtic.

“It was a very obvious story to cover. I couldn’t ignore it, and I needed to get the opinions of our guests in the studio.

"I was, though, a little uncomfortable, knowing that Rangers had just lost, but we go straight into Celtic chat.

READ MORE: Glasgow Battlefield Rest owner voices surprise at having to take on more staff after reopening

“I got a lot of stick for that programme.

England goalkeeper Ray Clemence (left) clutches this cross from the heads of Gordon McQueen and Joe Jordon (right).

"A journalist the next day wrote something like: ‘It was disgraceful of Hayley McQueen on Sky focusing on a Celtic discussion when Rangers had just lost . . .’

“Before I knew it I had a Twitter storm on my hands, with thousands of people wading in. I was getting stick left, right and centre.

"Worst of all, apparently, I was doing all this because I was a Rangers fan, which I found really upsetting, because I’m not.

READ MORE: Council axe Eusebi's 'eyesore' outdoor seating area over catalogue of problems

"And then, amid all this, I read some people saying they wish I was dead, in a plane crash.

"Me and my unborn baby? It was so vicious. I was shocked. It wasn’t nice at all.”

She revealed her dad is a Rangers supporter but it is understood Hayley supports Manchester United.

She added: "My dad is known, I think, for being a little more towards Rangers, and so some people erroneously believe I’m some sort of Rangers fan myself."

Hayley also told the paper that Scotland's showdown against the Auld Enemy at Wembley tonight will be tinged with sadness over her father's battle with dementia. 

Gordon McQueen was a key part of Scotland's defence in the 1970s and scored a famous goal in London that helped Scotland win the old Home International Championship.