LEIGH Griffiths, the Celtic striker, last night branded Dave King, the Rangers chairman, “mad” for suggesting the Parkhead club had failed to take advantage of their Ibrox rivals’ absence from the top flight.

The South Africa-based businessman claimed on Wednesday that the Scottish champions should be even further ahead “in footballing terms” given that his club had spent four years in the lower leagues.

However, Griffiths, who helped Brendan Rodgers’s side go undefeated domestically last season and win a treble as well as qualify for the group stages of the Champions League, dismissed those comments.

“How much further away does he want us to be?” said Griffiths as the 2017/18 Ladbrokes Premiership fixture list was unveiled. “Thirty nine points, two 5-1gubbings, one at home and one away, beaten in two cup semi-finals. Can you ask for a bigger gulf than that?

“They finished third and were touted at the start of the season to win the league. Last season they had Joey Barton saying he was going to be the best player in the league and he lasted a few months. Then he vanished back down the road.

“We just carried out our business professionally and respectfully and at the end of the season we reaped the rewards with a domestic treble and unbeaten. If he thinks we should be further ahead then he’s mad.

“Instead of taking about us he should be concentrating on them. He’s got a new manager and he has his own mindset. He wants to bring in players. The chairman should be focusing on that rather than us. Focusing on bridging the gap between us and them.”

King had claimed the record 5-1 defeat which Rangers suffered at home back in April had allowed manager Pedro Caixinha to see that many of his players were not of a sufficient quality to play for the Ibrox club.

But Griffiths said: “You can’t get beaten 5-1 and say it’s a good thing no matter who you are,

I’ve been on the end of a 5-1 defeat in a Scottish Cup final and it will be talked about forever.

The Celtic fans enjoyed that day and we proved that it should have been more then 5-1 really.

“They got off lightly. That’s 90 minutes of football and only wanted to get three points regardless of the score line - be it 1-0 2-0 or 5-1. We did the business, clapped the fans at the end of the game and went home happy.”

Meanwhile, Griffiths admitted the only new Rangers signings he knew were Bruno Alves and Ryan Jack. “The only recognised player I’ve heard of is Alves,” he said. “He’s a good solid defender and is playing in the Confederations Cup with Portugal. He’ll be a good addition.

“I obviously know Ryan Jack from his time with Aberdeen. I can’t say the same for the rest of them because I’ve never heard of them. We’ll soon see how quickly they adapt to the Scottish game. If they can then good luck to them.”