Rangers defender Alan Hutton has revealed how Celtic's Stilian Petrov helped him get over the agony of breaking his leg.

The Ibrox youngster was on course for a promising career after making the breakthrough into the first team when he sustained the injury in a Bank of Scotland Premier League game against Kilmarnock last February.

Months of frustration on the sidelines followed and Hutton admits there were days when he feared he would never recover enough to play for Rangers again.

But Celtic rival Petrov knew exactly how he felt after breaking his leg back in 2001 and he immediately offered his support.

Hutton eventually made his comeback at the weekend when he played the final 20 minutes of Saturday's SPL win over Motherwell and he remains grateful to the Hoops hero.

He said: "I think players have their own community and it meant a lot to me when Stilian Petrov phoned me and talked me through his leg break.

"There have been so many dark days when I woke up after months and it seemed like it wasn't getting better. I'd run and it was really painful and I had to stop.

"Then I saw the light at the end of the tunnel and the pain started to go."

Speaking of his comeback, he admitted: "There were butterflies in my stomach but they disappeared in the end.

"Just before I did this I was playing and I thought I had a big chance to stay in the side.

"Now the fact so many people are talking about me coming back gives me confidence."

Another player who will be hoping to boost his own confidence against Livingston is Jose-Karl Pierre-Fanfan.

The defender has failed to hold down a place in the team since his arrival in the summer and he has not featured since the draw with Falkirk at the start of September.

Manager Alex McLeish snapped him up when it looked as though he had failed in his attempts to land Sotirios Kyrgiakos on a permanent deal but the arrival of the Greece international meant an uncertain future for Pierre-Fanfan.

But injuries to Kyrgiakos and Julien Rodriguez means he will be thrown into the game, partnering Marvin Andrews in the heart of defence.

McLeish said: "We had a toss of the coin situation with Kyrgiakos over him coming back. But he came and I told Jose: 'You have to be patient, this is my choice.'

"I spoke to him because that is the way that I prefer to operate.

"There are times when your decisions don't need an explanation but with a senior player like Fanfan I spoke to him and, whilst that is not easy, they deserve that respect.

"Other managers pin up teams or send an envoy but I like to do it that way.

"Jose understood the situation, whilst any player left out won't be happy."