Former Rangers defender Steven Whittaker admits he had to join Norwich City to get away from the pressure cooker environment at Ibrox.
The Scotland international left in controversial circumstances in 2012, refusing to transfer his contract over to Charles Green's new company.
He went on to play over 100 games for the Canaries, and the 35-year-old admits he thrived with less pressure on his shoulders.
Whittaker told The Pink Un : "I think the biggest change for me was being at Rangers and the intensity that you come under and the scrutiny you come under there from being obviously one of the top teams in Scotland, to going to Norwich.
"Don’t get me wrong, having that success at Rangers, but there were fewer people on your back and you got to relax and play your football a little bit more. I really enjoyed that.
“I was just delighted at the level the club was playing at and the opportunities I got to go and play in the Premier League against the best players in the world was something I will always be thankful to the club for giving me that chance.”
Whittaker is currently a free agent after being released by Hibs, but while he acknowledges retirement isn't too far away he's not ready to hang up his boots.
He said: "The body is still feeling okay so if I don’t have too much time off hopefully I can still go and play somewhere and at the kind of age I am at now it is more year by year.
"So if I can play for another year, see where I’m at and if I feel like the time is right, then retirement might not be too far away."
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