Football: After facing up to Bomber, I've no fears over Keane; CLYDE v CELTIC, SCOTTISH CUP, SUNDAY, KO 1.0 PM BRIGHTON FEEL BREEZY OVER CUP TEST.

Byline: Iain CAMPBELL 

TOM BRIGHTON is determined to ensure that the Scottish Cup is one trophy that Roy Keane won't be laying his hands on this season.

The Manchester United legend will finally make his Celtic debut against Clyde at Broadwood on Sunday but has been warned that there will be no welcoming committee waiting to make life easy for him.

Keano may have come north with a fearsome reputation but former Rangers man Brighton is hoping to upset all expectations.

The Under 21 international is set to go head to head with the Irish hero should he be asked to take over the role of Bobo Balde, and he admits the opportunity is exactly what he left Ibrox for.

Rangers have started to introduce young players into their side but Brighton, who left the champions last summer, admits he wouldn't have missed Sunday for the world.

Cumbernauld has been hit by Keano fever, and the striker admits that no one is expecting the veteran to be anything other than the imposing as he has been over the years.

Brighton said: "Roy Keane has come to Scotland to win trophies but we will be trying to ensure that the cup is at least one he won't win. People have written him off and said he's past it, finished.

"But he's come here because he is a lifelong Celtic supporter. I'm a lifelong Rangers supporter so I will be trying to give him a warm welcome.

"He was captain of Manchester United for 10 years and has won every trophy that's going and he's come up here to try and win some more.

"I'll give it my best shot but we won't be getting up to any silly antics."

Keane's physical style of play has left players battered and bruised over the years but the Clyde man reckons that he has already faced an opponent at least as fearsome as the man who became known as Fergie's enforcer.

Brighton reckons that having experienced a John Brown challenge in his days at Rangers he is no stranger to the physical side of the game. He said: "This game will give everyone at Clyde a chance to make an impact.

"People will be switching on the telly to watch Roy Keane but at the end hopefully they will be saying how good a team Clyde are.

"The manager Graham Roberts and Joe Miller have spent all week telling us how to approach this game.

"I won't be saying anything to Roy before the game, I won't be noising him up. I like to keep myself to myself.

"I know what a tough professional he is but I played against Bomber in training with Rangers so it can't be any worse than that.

"Everyone knows his reputation and he'll fuel their expectations.

'But I know what to expect. The gaffer has been in the game a long time and played for a lot of top clubs so he has been making sure we're prepared."

Clyde played Celtic in the cup last season while the striker was still with Rangers and he remembers the excitement generated by that clash.

But the Keane factor has given this year's meeting a whole new dimension.

He said: "I watched last year's tie on the telly and Clyde made a great start. Craig Bryson got a goal but it was disallowed. Celtic took over after that.

"I'm looking forward to playing in this one. It's Keano's first game and he's one of the most successful players ever.

"But all the Clyde boys know the game isn't all about Roy Keane and there's no reason why we won't show that on Sunday. It's a huge game for a club like us. Celtic were at Broadwood last season but this is an even bigger game.

"But we have a big pitch at Broadwood and we want to show that we can play a bit as well. People will focus on Roy and Celtic but we have to concentrate on our own game."

While the Scotland under-21 international could be excused for wondering what might have been as he watches Alex McLeish blooding rookie after rookie at Ibrox, he insists that he has not regretted his decision to leave the SPL club.

He admitted: "Rangers have brought in young boys recently like Alan Lowing and Stevie Smith and it's good to see it. Even guys like Stevie Campbell and Gary MacKenzie have been given a chance. It's good for Scottish football that a team like Rangers are bringing young players through.

"But I have no regrets about leaving Ibrox last summer because I'm loving every minute here. I'm playing in the first team week in, week out and this is the kind of game I switched clubs to be involved in."

While Clyde are massive outsiders Sunday, the striker insists that coming so close to shocking Rangers in the CIS Cup last year has boosted belief.

He said: "We were unlucky when we played against Rangers in the CIS Cup and Celtic won't relish coming here.

"It doesn't really matter whether Roy plays at centre-half or in midfield he'll be a class player But if I find myself directly against him I won't have any fears."

CAPTION(S):

TOM BRIGHTON (inset) expects to-come head-to-head with Roy Keane at Broadwood