He will have expected the backlash and, possibly even the booing from his own side's support, he will certainly have factored in the verbal abuse and derision he is likely to be subjected to this afternoon – regardless of which section is the most vociferous. But none of it will dilute his belief in himself according to a former team-mate who has experienced the drama of an Old Firm encounter but also witnessed at close hand Miller's self-assurance.

Alex Rae and Miller were colleagues at Wolves for several years and, right from the outset, the current Dundee manager was struck by the striker's mental strength. "He is a very confident person and in the initial couple of seasons with us he scored a barrowload of goals. I know he has made a few switches in the last few seasons and maybe it is now time for him to settle down for a while and get his feet under the table. Then we will see what he can do. The fact is Italian sides were showing an interest in Kenny not too long ago and look at what he did for Scotland, under Walter Smith. That was him producing the goals at international level and you don't play at that level and score against the Italians and the other quality teams he has scored against without having something. He isn't fazed by big-name opposition and will always keep working away. He is the type of player fellow professionals appreciate because you see how much he puts into a game. He works as part of the team."

Some will argue that industry is one thing but a striker's currency is goals. His critics maintain he does not weigh in with those often enough these days. He is rarely recognised as an out-and-out goal-getter, but Rae disagrees with the analysis and says people would probably be surprised by his goals per game ratio. Making a case for his former colleague, he rattles off a list of statistics: 91 goals in 235 league starts, 12 goals in 24 Scottish and FA Cup starts, seven goals in eight league cup starts. "Now that's not bad." But for some it is still not good enough. With Kris Boyd the preferred choice of many, they see the number of goals. Others, like Rae, consider the context. Is a three-goal haul in a 5-1 victory over a team in the lower reaches a more laudable return than a single goal against top-notch opposition?

"I wish people would give him a chance to get settled and then judge him over the course of a season. Like I said, in his first couple of seasons at Wolves he scored a lot for us but when we moved up to the Premier League, it was harder for him. We were one of the weaker sides and were eventually relegated but he still scored against Manchester United when we beat them 1-0 and then against Liverpool to get us the draw, so he is capable of raising his game to score against the best opposition. So hopefully he will see the Old Firm game as a challenge and get off his mark in that one. That might get people off his back."

But, having got to know Miller at Molineux, he says the ongoing debate in pubs and in football stands is superfluous. What the general public think doesn't concern Miller. He is thick-skinned enough to carry on regardless. "He is very self-assured and a bubbly guy who gets on great with the other players. He has a confidence which is great for him because it means that when he does have a wee patch when he is not scoring, his head doesn't go down, he still engages with the other boys and that's important. And he will play anywhere. I have seen him on the left of the midfield five this season and even out there he still puts in a shift. He doesn't hide and still works hard because that's where the manager has asked him to play. I don't think he will start doubting himself because he is moved around. He knows he can do it at the highest level, he's proved that.

"The fact he went to Celtic when he had already played for Rangers showed he has a lot of courage and then to come back and go the other way, knowing what people would say, shows he is unfazed by it all. And he is like me, he doesn't like to read all the stuff that's being written so he doesn't focus too much on newspapers. He is his own man and he will listen to people within the game who are being constructive but that's it.

"He will know what to expect on Sunday. But it won't bother him. To be honest, when you play in those games you don't really hear what is being shouted because it is so noisy, so many people are making all sorts of noise so you can just tune it all out but even if you do, to be honest, I loved all that and, although I haven't spoken to him, I think Kenny will thrive on that atmosphere too. The good thing about Old Firm games is that there are always a few people getting it so it won't just be him. That's what those games are like."

RETURNING RANGERS

DEREK JOHNSTONE

Scored the winner for Rangers in the 1970 Old Firm League Cup final, aged 16. At home in attack or defence, he was at the back when Rangers won the Cup-Winners' Cup in 1972. After a trophy-laden career at Ibrox he joined Chelsea and then (on loan) Dundee United. Returned to Rangers briefly in the mid-1980s but the glory days had gone.

WILLIE JOHNSTON

Another hero of the 1972 side, Johnston scored twice in the final in Barcelona but left Rangers later that year after a number of run-ins with referees. Enjoyed successful stint at West Brom and returned to Rangers after a spell in Canada in the early Eighties and shone fleetingly.

BARRY FERGUSON

Nurtured by Rangers from a young age, Ferguson shocked the club when he moved to Blackburn in 2003, months after leading the Ibrox side to the treble. Returned to Rangers 18 months later and has flourished.