Former Dutch international Edgar Davids believes Rangers and Celtic need each other to keep Scottish football alive.

The ex-Spurs, Barcelona and Ajax midfielder was speaking at the Aviva Stadium to promote an International Champions Cup match between Barcelona and Celtic when he was asked by the Daily Record about the rivalry between the two Glasgow clubs.

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He said: "Without Rangers, Celtic are nothing. You need that rivalry.

"You need black and white - something old fashioned like a very old rivalry. I saw on television that Rangers are going to be up in the top league again, so I was happy and delighted for them. They are a big club.

"It also helps Celtic that they are back. You want those matches. They put the spotlight back on Scottish football. Even if they don’t want to admit it, I think the fans of all the other clubs will be happy. They’ll want them there and they’ll want to beat them. They’ll want to show that they are better than them."

Celtic's average attendances at Celtic Park have dropped to the lowest since the expansion of the stadium in the mid-nineties and fans unveiled banners at the recent home match against Ross County protesting against the lack of investment in the team that has led to so many empty seats.

The return of Rangers to the top flight may instigate a change in strategy by Celtic, and boost interest in the Scottish Premiership for next season.

The Hoops are expected to seal the league title for the fifth consecutive season in the coming weeks but with so little competition in the top flight, the return of Rangers could prove the best way to improve interest in the Scottish game.

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