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I went viral for punching Steven Gerrard cut-out when he left Rangers – but I’d love to go for a pint with him
A RANGERS fan became a viral sensation when he punched the head off a cardboard cut-out of Steven Gerrard following his switch to Aston Villa.
But Phil Moreland, 34, says he still “loves” the former Ibrox gaffer and wants to go for a pint with him.
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Gerrard announced his shock move to the Premier League club yesterday after they axed manager Dean Smith, with news of his three-and-a-half year deal sending Light Blues fans into meltdown.
Phil, from Ballyclare in Northern Ireland, shared a video of him taking his anger out on the life-size mock-up on Twitter yesterday.
In the clip, Phil takes a swipe at the cut-out by punching its head, forcing it to bend backwards.
It struck a chord with his fellow fans, racking up over 760,000 views - and counting.
But Phil, who bought the cut-out after a few beers one night, claims he has “no hard feelings” against the Liverpool legend and hopes to see Giovanni Van Bronckhorst replace him.
Phil told The Scottish Sun: “I got the cutout when we won the 55 and stopped 10IAR. I had a couple of beers when I ordered it.
"Everybody knew I had it and I’d put it on social media.
“When the talk of Stevie G leaving came about, friends in a group chat said I wouldn’t be happy and I should hit him.
“I made the video and put it in the group chat thinking it’d just be up for that, but it got shared on Facebook and before I know it I’m getting messages from all sorts of people.
"It’s escalated into complete and utter madness.”
Rangers fan dumps Steven Gerrard cardboard cutout at Ibrox and blasts timing of exit
He added: “I love what he did for the club and I love the football he had them playing.
"It was more just the shock and the manner of how he left, but no man’s bigger than the club.
“Gio would be number one for the majority of fans.
";It’s not ideal the week before a semi and with Europe, but it is what it is.
"The Premier League is the Premier League.”
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On what he’d do if he met the ex-Rangers boss, Phil said: “I’d ask him if he fancied going for a pint and talking about it, and then we’d take the night from there.
“No hard feelings really. He was always going to go on and do bigger things. He’s destined for the Liverpool job.
“Winning the league this year again would’ve been a great experience. I thought that would’ve been the natural progression.
“Football’s football - if he didn’t want to be here then he shouldn’t be here.
“For all that he did for the club, I wish him well.
"I’m not a Liverpool supporter but he’s still one of my favourite footballers.”
And Phil's not the only fan with a cardboard version of Gerrard - as another supporter deposited his outside Ibrox in disgust.
He hit out at him for leaving the club 'in the lurch'.
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It comes as Gerrard urged Rangers fans to "understand and accept" his controversial decision to leave the club.
cots grandson in hysterics as gran panics Steven Gerrard's been 'knocked out' in viral video
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