'Fans have told me criticism has gone too far' - Martin
Europa League: Sturm Graz v Rangers
Venue: Liebenauer Stadium, Graz Date: Thursday, 2 October Time: 20:00 BST
Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Scotland Extra & Sounds, live text coverage on the BBC Sport website & app
Rangers head coach Russell Martin says he had hoped fans could "enjoy their team winning" against Livingston rather than direct more criticism towards him in the aftermath of their maiden league win of the season.
Some supporters continued to chant for Martin's removal even after Max Aaron's stoppage-time winner because of a poor start to the campaign.
Rangers have won five of their 15 games and are in Austria to face Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday, having lost their opener 1-0 to Genk at Ibrox.
Martin said he walked straight down the tunnel so the players could enjoy the victory against Livingston, their first in six attempts in the league, amid chants for him to be sacked.
"I want the players to enjoy it and people choose to turn their attention to me," Martin said.
"I just wish at that point they could enjoy their team winning and the lads could enjoy it rather than have that energy towards me.
"The other thing I find sad is when I see kids standing next to their dads and stuff and sticking their fingers up at me and swearing at me. I don't feel particularly sad about it for me I just feel like that for the cycle [of abuse] to go on."
Martin added social media "amplifies" the "ferocity" of criticism in football, and vowed to continue to try to turn things around.
"I'm here, we've made mistakes," he said.
"There's been some tough moments, but we're giving everything we've got to improve the club, as is Kevin [Thelwell], as is Patrick [Stewart], as are the owners.
"And I think when you have so much change, I've said it before, it's not an excuse, but I think it is pretty evident it might take some time. So the criticism aimed at me is fine.
"I had a lot of fans come up to me in the city and around the place saying actually to ignore it, that they feel it's gone quite some way over the normal criticism. I've appreciated that.
"But the rest of it is what it is. I think they just want to see their team win."
- Published4 hours ago
Team news
Rangers are without midfielder Mohamed Diomande after his red card against Genk, while Lyall Cameron has sat out recent games but is nearing a return.
Sturm Graz talisman Otar Kiteishvili is expected to be in the squad after the Georgia international returned to his homeland for personal reasons, missing the last two matches.
Who are Sturm Graz?
Jurgen Saumel's side clinched a second consecutive Austrian Bundesliga title last season having ended a decade of RB Salzburg dominance, while playing in the Champions League.
They struggled in Europe's elite competition, only beating RB Leipzig and Bojan Miovski's Girona 1-0 while losing their other six games and finishing 30th out of 36 teams.
Like Rangers they were humbled in the play-off round as they sought to return to the Champions League, losing 6-2 on aggregate to Bodo/Glimt after a 5-0 drubbing in Norway.
Their squad looks weaker than last season too, with top scorer and former Motherwell loanee Mika Biereth departing for Monaco in January after netting 14 goals in half a season. Striker William Boving was also sold to Mainz before the summer deadline.
Scotland right-back Max Johnston, who played 65 times and won three trophies in his two seasons in Austria, joined Derby County.
Their key threat is Georgia international Kiteishvili, who plays at the tip of Sturm's midfield diamond.
The playmaker grabbed 13 goals last season and has five so far this campaign, despite missing some time through injury and, more recently, personal reasons.
Match stats
Sturm Graz and Rangers met in the group stage of the 2000-01 Champions League, with Austrians losing 5-0 at Ibrox and winning 2-0 at home.
Rangers have won five of their seven European games against Austrian sides (L2), although four of those victories came in Glasgow.
Sturm Graz have won each of their last three home European games, last enjoying a longer run between July and October 2000 (five wins).
Rangers have lost just two of their past nine away games in Europe (W4 D3), scoring two or more goals in each of their victories in this period.
After their 1-0 defeat to Genk, Rangers could start a campaign with two successive defeats for the sixth time, after 1963-64 (European Cup), 1996-97 (Champions League), 1997-98 (UEFA Cup), 2021-22 (Europa League), and 2022-23 (Champions League).
