By Danny Mills

10th Apr, 2021 | 9:00am

Mills baffled by Patterson comments as he launches 'selfish' Rangers tirade

Danny Mills has dismissed Steven Gerrard’s claim Nathan Patterson’s development will be harmed by missing four games for Rangers.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-England and Leeds United defender slammed the Ibrox giants for making “excuses” and being “selfish”.

Rangers have appealed the four-game ban, with a further two suspended, for Patterson and four other Gers stars who broke coronavirus rules back in February.

Gerrard wants their bans reduced as he told BBC Sport it will harm their development and he insists they have been published severely internally but Mills is not convinced.

He told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “He [Patterson] should’ve thought about this before he broke the rules.

“A club is going to do everything they possibly can to cover the club.

“It comes down to being selfish at times. This is why when top players make mistakes they get away with it and aren’t punished because the club needs them and the club benefit from having them.

“If they punish them too much and they go off the boil and they lose big assets.

“Rangers are trying to do something similar. Of course, they’re trying to fight their corner and trying to make sure they have as many players as possible available to them.

“They use every excuse under the sun to make that happen and that’s all it is.

“If it’s going to harm his development… it’s a four-game ban. It’s not really going to harm his development in any shape or form.”

Celtic have now moved to “seek clarification” on the matter as the players will now be available for this month’s Scottish Cup clash between the sides.

Rangers have lodged an appeal that will be resolved after next Saturday’s game at Ibrox.

In other news, a top pundit has suggested “hydration levels” may be to blame for a shattering Rangers injury update.