A Premier League star claimed he was sent razor blades in the post during his career as arguably the fiercest derby in British football left him feeling ‘unsafe’
Former Nottingham Forest and Celtic striker Pierre van Hooijdonk revealed he received razor blades through the post during his time in Scotland and alleged someone spat directly in his face after he answered his door.
The Dutch striker, who turned 56 last Saturday (November 29), insisted he has never experienced such fear for his personal safety as he did while living in Glasgow, after making the move from Dutch side NAC Breda, where he’d scored 91 goals in just 115 games.
The ex-Holland international also enjoyed tremendous success at Parkhead during a turbulent two-year stint from 1995, bagging 52 goals in 84 outings for Celtic, before departing amid controversy to Nottingham Forest in a £4.5million transfer.
Since retiring in 2007, Van Hooijdonk has worked as an agent and television pundit in the Netherlands, and he opened up in 2018 about some of the abuse he endured during his Celtic career.
Van Hooijdonk was discussing the tension between his two former clubs NAC Breda and Feyenoord in Dutch newspaper BN DeStem.
He said: “In Rotterdam there is no such rivalry with NAC at all. I myself never felt that rivalry. Not at NAC and not at Feyenoord.
“But at Celtic v Rangers though, when I went for lunch somewhere or stopped at a traffic light with a Rangers pub on the corner, I was insulted and the middle finger went up.
“I opened my door once and was spat on by someone who then ran away like a greyhound.
“I even had razor blades sent to me in an envelope. That was intense.
“There was hatred there and you could see it. Nowhere have I felt so unsafe as in Glasgow.”
In the Premier League, Van Hooijdonk scored 36 goals in 71 league games across two seasons. He later joined Vitesse after refusing to play for Forest and going on strike, claiming the club broke a promise they would strengthen the club following his signing.
The striker later returned to the club but was sold in months. The 46-time Netherlands international later went on to play for Benfica, Feyenoord and Fenerbahce.