Protests begin at Ibrox to mixed reception

Rangers away form is rotten and the mood within the support is becoming ravenous for manager Phillipe Clement’s dismissal with many feeling that the form that seen his predecessors Michael Beale and Giovanni Van Bronckhorst sacked has regressed further and is beyond repair for the Belgian.

With 3 wins in 11 away matches, and only 3 wins in total from their last 9 matches, the mood at Ibrox has become toxic, fans want answers and someone to blame and that someone has been Phillipe Clement.

Following a fourth consecutive away game in which Rangers failed to win away to Dundee at Dens Park on Thursday night there was a need for answers from above and finally, on Saturday they came.

New Rangers CEO Patrick Stewart and Chairman Fraser Thornton met with the media to give an update on the current situation at Ibrox.

On the managers future, Stewart said: “cutting to the chase, we are backing Phillipe at this time as a board.” Stewart went on to give the board’s reasonings behind this by saying that: “changing a manager isn’t a silver bullet solution.”

He went on to address that he has heard lots of supporters call for a change of manager and while he acknowledged this opinion he was dismissive of it, saying that he feels the issues at Ibrox that have caused “several years of underperforming” are due to something “deeper rooted” than simply poor management.

Speaking on how he and the board plan to address this he said: “we need to look beneath the surface.

“Managers and coaching staff will continue to come and go in the future and that is understood.

“But what I’m looking to do, again, this is a team effort, is build a solid foundation and a real long-term football plan for the club.

“If we rush and react every time there are some poor results, we’re in danger of just being back in the same place in a year’s time.”

Which shows that the previous mid-season dismissals of GVB and Beale have scarred this Rangers board against quick fixes and ‘new manager bounces’ and it seems they want to go the route that was taken under Rangers last title-winning gaffer Steven Gerrard, where he was allowed to grow in the role and build a team.

However, will this wash with the Rangers support? Gerrard inherited a far bigger car crash than Clement did, the Liverpool icon assembled a team in one window that went from conceding 9 in a week to Celtic, to a team capable of challenging domestically and in Europe. Beale didn’t do Clement any favours but the team at his disposal at time of arrival was much more expensive than Gerrard’s initial team.

Stewart was quick to ensure fans that despite these comments that if results did not improve that Clement wasn’t completely untouchable, “I want to be clear, I’m not saying everything is fine, and I think the fans are frustrated and I get that.

“I look at the away results, the record is there, its not good, and not what is expected fir Rangers.

“We are working with Philippe to address the consistency issues, and I’m also not going to speculate on what happens if results don’t improve.”

This shows that while they currently believe the Belgian can turn fortunes around, they aren’t going to put their heads in the sand stating he “can’t give any cast iron guarantees, if results don’t improve.”

Prior to the announcement, Rangers ultras group the Union Bears had released a statement saying: “Our club is being destroyed by incompetence, and a board that has lost all respect for the supporters who built this legacy.

“The time for action is now. For years, the board and the club's owners have shielded themselves behind the failures of management teams, using them as scapegoats to mask their own lack of vision, leadership and respect for us. We cannot stand by any longer.

“The playing squad, particularly the senior players, must also shoulder some responsibility. They look set to see off yet another manager, consistently falling short of the expectations that come with wearing the Rangers jersey.

“Their lack of accountability on the pitch mirrors the failings we see in the boardroom. While the dismissal of Philippe Clement is necessary, it is not enough. The deeper issue remains: a board that has failed to match the ambition, pride, and standards of our club.

“They have squandered opportunities, mismanaged resources and disrespected the support. The loyalty of the Rangers support should not be treated as a free pass for failure. We are the lifeblood of this club and cannot sit back while the board tarnishes its legacy.

“The time for excuses is over. It's time for accountability, transparency and leadership worthy of Rangers. This weekend, the Rangers support must unite and demand change.”

This was then followed up by another statement following the comments from the Rangers board members, with a joint statement from the Union Bears and the Rangers Supporters Association saying: “The Union Bears alongside the Rangers Supporters Association urge all fans to leave the stadium in the 55th minute during tomorrow's match-to send a statement to the board. Just as they gave up on Rangers after our 55th title, we will no longer tolerate their incompetence, excuses, and disrespect.

“The board used our 55th title as free reign to coast on success, masking their lack of vision and leadership while dragging our club into mediocrity. These actions may seem drastic, but they are necessary. The board has failed us for too long, and our loyalty will no longer be used as a pass for their failure.

“The Rangers support cannot stop until there is accountability, ambition, and leadership worthy of our club.”

With Rangers already 3-1 up at the point of the protest in yesterday's match against Premiership basement club St Johnstone, the walk-out protest was met with a mixed reaction. Some fans joined in with the group, others did not- and a sizable section even boo’d their decision to leave.

With tension already existing around the Copeland stand where the ultras were moved to this seems to have caused further division within the Rangers supporters, who now more than ever, need to be united and work together, with the club to return Rangers to happier, more successful times.

Whether or not you agree with the protest, change is needed and those trying to force that change should not be met with derision. While those organising protests do need more organisation with a clear agenda and desired outcome explained. These are difficult times to be a Rangers supporter, but if the good times are to return, the fans must be united as one and eventually as one, they can enjoy the rewards.