Rangers

Andy Campbell
BBC Sport Scotland

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Rangers are enduring their worst start to a league season in 47 years, but what are the stats behind this landmark?

The Ibrox side are not in Scottish Premiership action this weekend but more pressure could be heaped on Russell Martin and his players if they exit the Premier Sports Cup to Hibernian.

• Rangers have four points from five Premiership games, their lowest since the three they took at the start of the 1978-79 campaign. That year, John Greig's side went a sixth game without victory at the start of the season with another draw before finally breaking their duck with a win on their seventh outing.

• Martin's side have scored three goals in their five fixtures, which is lower than '78, by which time four had been netted.

• Combined with their final fixture of last season, Rangers are on a six-match winless league run, last matched during Alex McLeish's final season in charge, 2005-06, which took the form of four draws and two defeats.

• The Ibrox team are conceding an average of exactly one goal a game, which last occurred over an opening five-league game spell in the top flight in 2019.

• Only one clean sheet has been recorded by Rangers in the Premiership so far, against leaders Celtic. Steven Gerrard's Rangers also only had one shutout from five games at the start of the 2019-20 campaign, a run which included four wins and one loss.

• Rangers are averaging 13.2 shots per game overall in the Premiership, compared with 18.4 over the whole of last season.

• In the league, Martin's team are facing an average 10.8 shots per match, up from 9.1 last term.

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The draw for the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals will take place on Sunday after Partick Thistle v Celtic (15:30 BST) concludes.

The semis will be played on the weekend of 1-2 November with the final scheduled for Sunday, 14 December.

St Mirren's trip to Kilmarnock on Friday night (19:45) gets the quarter-finals under way before Aberdeen host Motherwell (15:00) on Saturday followed by Rangers v Hibs (17:45).

Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh will face an anti-Russell Martin fan revolt at Saturday's game against Hibernian when he flies in to take control of the crisis at Ibrox. (Scottish Sun)

The Rangers Fan Advisory Board held a "full and frank" meeting with Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell during which they challenged the stance on Martin. (The Herald)

Ex-Rangers left-back Gregory Vignal believes defeat to Hibs in the League Cup would end Martin's reign as manager. (Daily Record)

Gordon Smith fears Martin's Rangers squad does not have the character to turn around their start to the season in the same way the Ibrox side he was part of - without a league win in six games - did in 1978-79. (Scottish Sun)

Ex-Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers could be playing under either former Rangers defender Paolo Vanoli or legendary ex-Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez at Panathinaikos after Rui Vitoria was sacked. (Scottish Sun)

Davide Ancelotti is under major pressure in Brazil - just as his rival for the Rangers job Martin is at Ibrox - after defeats in the Copa Libertadores and in the Copa do Brasil. (Scottish Sun)

Under-fire Ancelotti has declared he is ready to fight on at Botafogo - despite speculation over revived interest from Rangers. (Daily Record)

Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.

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Rangers supporters' group The Union Bears intend to stage a protest against head coach Russell Martin and chief executive Patrick Stewart before Saturday's Premier Sports Cup quarter-final.

The group are encouraging fans to gather outside the main entrance to Ibrox Stadium at 16:30 BST prior to the 17:45 kick-off against Hibs.

Without victory in five matches in all competitions, Rangers have not won a Scottish Premiership game this season and are nine points below leaders Celtic and Hearts after five fixtures.

The Union Bears had warned earlier this week of protests against Martin and Stewart as they called for the pair's "immediate removal".

The group's statement added that Martin has "shown beyond doubt he is not capable of leading Rangers", while the head coach's appointment "lies entirely" with Stewart, whose position was described as "untenable".

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

So, of the four must-win games in September, which I outlined as Russell Martin's potential route to redemption at Rangers, they have lost the first one.

The Scottish Premiership table makes for staggering reading. Rangers winless after five games, nine points behind Celtic and their weekend conquerors Hearts, who thoroughly deserved the win at Ibrox.

It was another heartless display from Rangers, with little if any sign of improvement from those prior to the international break.

In a deeply uncomfortable post-match news conference, with Martin being grilled principally by disgruntled fan-media representatives, the head coach claimed the performance was not representative of what he was seeing on the training ground.

This strikes at the heart of an issue that has dogged Rangers for years and has been highlighted by a variety of pundits in that time - the dearth of leaders in the squad, of characters who have the mental strength to disregard the pressure from the stands and perform to the best of their abilities.

Martin has spoken regularly about signing the right type of characters, players big enough to thrive under the weight of expectation that comes with being at Rangers. The evidence so far is that is badly lacking among this squad.

Time has to be running out for Martin. The goodwill of the new owners and their desire to stick with the man they deemed the number one choice to begin this project is admirable in many ways, but the supporters have already largely made their minds up and the attendance for the League Cup game against Hibernian on Saturday will be hugely telling.

Only a victory will do, surely, and then another one and another because the vultures are circling.

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Rangers' decision-makers are already speaking to alternatives to Russell Martin – despite the board throwing their faith behind the under-fire head coach. (Record), external

Swindon Town boss Ian Holloway pushes back at criticism of Martin's methods after Rangers' players took part in hiking and wild swimming, with Holloway saying: "Why not shake things up and try something different?" (Sun), external

Nicolas Raskin's best friend from his homeland, Walid Cheref, who now plays for lower league club Crisnee, says he knows there is a lot of interest from other clubs in the Belgium midfielder, who has fallen out of favour with Rangers head coach Martin. (National - subscription required), external

Barry Ferguson says he would have signed striker Lawrence Shankland from Hearts, midfielder Josh Mulligan, then of Dundee and now of Hibernian, and Vaclav Cerny, who was on loan to Rangers from Wolfsburg, had he been given the Ibrox head coach job permanently this summer. (Go Radio via Glasgow Times, external)

Former Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson has confirmed he has officially left the Ibrox club's academy after being drafted back into the club's youth set-up earlier this year. (Herald - subscription required), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Jamie Currie
Fan writer

I said it looked like it had to get worse before it would get better. I no longer have the appetite to see it go on any longer.

It's our worst start in 47 years. Last season it was Philippe Clement's away form that was getting criticism, but now after just five games this term we sit 10th.

We have, as a fanbase, nothing to get behind or nothing positive to look forward to with Russell Martin in charge. He's gone from blaming the players to the fans and now he has said the environment gives players "anxiety".

The only thing that looks to have given the fans or players anxiety is Martin's tactics and awful brand of football.

He holds himself with a certain degree of arrogance and self-assurance, which is quite staggering given his job with Southampton ended so badly and here at Rangers he has us in the bottom three having spent the most money in the league.

From a man that's had more public votes of confidence than wins in the Scottish Premiership this season, I feel like he's taking the Michael out of the owners, players and fans alike.

You can see right through these Pep Guardiola wannabes. Martin in my eyes is a dead man walking. It's not if he gets sacked, it's when. The quicker it happens, the better for everyone involved.

Andrew Cavenagh will be over for the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Hibs at Ibrox this weekend and he should be handing Martin and his staff their P45 - win or lose.

It's remarkable a manager who is so used to losing games of football got a job where winning is the only thing that matters.

Martin is not turning it round at Ibrox. The appointment has been an unmitigated disaster and the longer he stays as head coach the worse it will get.

I'd have more respect for those in charge if they held their hands up and admitted their mistake, then got to work fixing it rather than letting a man who is so out of his depth continue until the whole season becomes a write-off.

It seems like Rangers, as a club, has become a poisoned chalice. It doesn't matter who is in charge, we never appoint the correct people in the correct positions.

It's toxic at Ibrox at the minute and I think we are all bored of seeing every season pan out the same way because people misjudge and underestimate the scale of Rangers and have no idea about Scottish football.

Who knows when anyone at the club will take proper responsibility and action to try to reverse this disgusting start to the season.

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Nothing says team bonding like a dive into Loch Lomond, eh?

After five winless games to start the Scottish Premiership season, Russell Martin took his Rangers players for "a change of scenery and a reset" on the bonnie banks on Monday.

Two days after being booed off the pitch at Ibrox, again, following the 2-0 defeat to Hearts, following which captain James Tavernier said the squad should be "ashamed" of the "embarrassing" performance, they were uniting in some open water swimming.

How cold must the water have been to freeze the thoughts of that worst league start in 47 years? To cool down the fiery situation involving Nicolas Raskin? To chill the calls for Martin's dismissal?

For former Scotland international Lee Miller, no cold plunge could do that.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, the ex-striker sympathised with Martin, stressing his every move and word is hyper-analysed, but even at this early stage of the season he believes it has "gone too far" to recover.

"Everybody will just look at it as they're away up to Loch Lomond, a jolly up, how's that going to benefit them?" Miller said.

"But if you really dissect it, they're mingling, they're doing something different together and somebody's helping somebody through this.

"There's no right or wrong thing to do, he's obviously just wanted to change it right up. My personal view is I think it has gone too far.

"Too much has happened - the fallouts between players and management - I just don't think there's unity in there just now. Whether that changes, I don't know.

"We always talk about a win getting you up and getting the mood going, getting you buzzing for football.

"I just can't see where that's coming from just now."

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A Rangers fans' group is calling for the removal of head coach Russell Martin and chief executive Patrick Stewart after a poor start to the season.

The Ibrox club sit 10th in the Premiership without a win from from their first five matches.

Former Southampton boss Martin has won just three of his 12 games in all competitions since being appointed in the summer.

The ultras-style Union Bears say protests are planned for Saturday's Premier Sports Cup quarter-final tie with Hibernian at Ibrox if changes are not made.

The statement read: "The Union Bears stand with fellow fan groups and the wider support in demanding the immediate removal of the Rangers management team and CEO.

"Russell Martin has shown beyond doubt that he is not capable of leading Rangers Football Club.

"The performances under his management are a disgrace to the standards this club was built on.

"Rangers cannot afford constant upheaval, but in Martin's case there can be no debate. His failure is absolute, and he must be removed from his duties immediately.

"Patrick Stewart has been quick to criticise supporters, yet has refused to take responsibility for his own catastrophic decision.

"As CEO, the appointment of Russell Martin lies entirely with him.

"This failure proves he is unfit to lead Rangers. His position is untenable, and he must be held accountable.

"The new owners must act quickly and decisively. If they do not, they will leave the support with no option but to act. Rangers must have a management team and a squad capable of delivering success worthy of our history and our support."

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Chris Sutton believes Rangers' players are operating in a "toxic" environment amid the club's current struggles, calling head coach Russell Martin position "horrific".

Martin, appointed in the summer, has won three of his 12 games and Rangers have not won in their past five fixtures.

"I've got sympathy for him," said former Celtic forward Sutton. "I feel sorry for some of the players. I really, really do.

"You just don't get time in Glasgow. It's all about winning. It's turning ugly. It's a really difficult place to play. The environment to play in, it is toxic.

"The problem that the Rangers hierarchy have... These were the guys who hung their hat on Russell Martin. They keep backing him.

"I don't think he's helped himself, he told everybody the players are scared. That's the Rangers manager telling every other club in Scotland that his players are playing with fear. That's on him. Why would you do that?"

Sutton, like Martin, is a former Norwich City player and suspects supporters will stop attending Rangers matches.

"Unless he goes on an incredible run, Rangers fans, from what I'm hearing, they're just not going to rock up and watch the team," Sutton added on the BBC's Football Daily podcast. "They won't fill the stadium. They are so disillusioned.

"This has turned so ugly, so quickly. The start was so important for Russell Martin. He doesn't have any real allies other than the people who employed him.

"Nobody else at the club wants him to stay. In a short space of time, that's a horrific position for him to be in."

Barry Ferguson suggests his successor as Rangers boss, Russell Martin, should be subjecting his players to hard training rather than swimming in Loch Lomond. (Go Radio via Sun, external)

Ex-Rangers striker Kris Boyd does not believe Russell Martin can win back the support of Ibrox fans. (Sun), external

"He's made every player worse," is the damning verdict on Russell Martin from Greg Stewart, with the former Rangers forward adding: "Erling Haaland would struggle in this team because there's no service to the striker." (Daily Record), external

The Union Bears fan group is calling for the immediate removal of Russell Martin and chief executive Patrick Stewart from their positions at Rangers. (Sun), external

Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday, once of Rangers, suggests the Ibrox club's board's stance towards Russell Martin may change if fans boycott games. (Clyde 1 via Daily Record, external)

Archie Stevens, 19, has signed for Arsenal after the winger's Rangers exit at the end of last season. (talkSPORT), external

Ross McCausland, on loan at Aris Limassol from Rangers, scored his first goal for the Cypriot club in a win over league rivals Olympiakos. (Sun), external

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Chris McLaughlin
Sports news correspondent, BBC Scotland

Rangers head coach Russell Martin took his players to Loch Lomond on Monday for open water swimming.

Martin was the subject of supporters' fury once again on Sunday after his side were beaten 2-0 by Hearts at Ibrox.

They are 10th in the Scottish Premiership having failed to win any of their opening five league matches.

Fans called for Martin to go following the latest disappointing result, but reports after the game said the Rangers board will stick by the embattled head coach.

A club source described the trip to Loch Lomond as "a change of scenery - a reset and some team bonding".

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Rangers legend Ally McCoist says Russell Martin must explain why he is not selecting midfielder Nicolas Raskin.

Raskin has been omitted from Martin's squad for both the goalless draw against Celtic and Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Hearts.

Having been a prominent figure for Rangers last season, the 24-year-old has also broken into the Belgium national team and scored his first international goal during the recent international break.

Martin has spoken about Raskin needing to rebuild "trust" without fully explaining the reasons behind the non-selection.

McCoist insists Martin needs to either explain the situation or reintegrate him to the team.

"Now, there's obviously a problem with Raskin, there's no doubt about that, something's happened," McCoist said on talkSPORT. "But from where I'm sitting, you cannot bite your nose off to spite your face.

"If you've got a problem with Raskin, and he clearly has, I think he's got to let the public know what that problem is, because we're all sitting there watching that game at the weekend, and Raskin walks into that team.

"He scored for Belgium during the week, so there's nobody on the planet going to tell me that Raskin should not be in the Rangers starting XI. Why is he not in the starting XI?

"There has to be an incredible reason for it, because you can't leave him out. You can't leave him out if it's to the detriment of the team. The team's the most important thing, not an individual problem between a manager and a player."

Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh contacted Russell Martin for crisis talks on Sunday afternoon and has given the under-fire manager his full support. (Scottish Sun), external

Former Ibrox hero Ally McCoist reckons Rangers should have pursued former loan wingers Vaclav Cerny and Abdallah Sima rather than some of the transfer "gambles" they've opted for. (talkSPORT via Daily Record)

RB Leipzig's £20m signing Yan Diomande has revealed how he nearly signed for Rangers in 2023 after a trial only for his agent to demand too much money. (Rangers Review), external

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Watch all the highlights as Hearts picked up their first win at Ibrox since 2014 with a 2-0 victory over Rangers.

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BBC's chief sportswriter Tom English on BBC Sportsound: Rangers are in a desperate, desperate state. We keep saying Russell Martin can't survive this but we don't know what's in the minds of the Rangers owners. On the face of it, this team is going nowhere under Russell Martin.

Former Rangers forward Rory Loy on BBC Sportsound: Big changes need to happen, I'm not alluding to the manager necessarily but they need clear the air talks with Nico Raskin and to get him back in the team and get it put to bed.

They maybe don't win this game with him in the side but they're certainly much better.

The two weeks Russell Martin has had on the training pitch, they look like they've got worse. That loss is on the manager, there's been excuses before but I don't think there's any today [Saturday].

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Captain James Tavernier admits Rangers players were left "ashamed" by the "embarassing" 2-0 defeat by Hearts in the Premiership on Saturday.

Rangers fans booed as Lawrence Shankland's double gave Hearts their first win at Ibrox in 11 years and take them to the top of the table.

Russell Martin's side ended the day sitting 10th with four points from 15, making it the worst league start in 47 years.

"It's not good enough," the 33-year-old right-back said.

"Plain and simple. It's not good enough. For all the years I've been here, I've never had a start to the season like this, so it's not good enough as a team, as players.

"We have to do much better than this.

"First and foremost, the players have to play for the shirt, they have to play for the manager, they have to play for the fans, they have to play for the club.

"Whichever order you put it in, that way it all comes together. We all have to play, first and foremost, for the club.

"Coming in after that game, it's embarrassing to lose 2-0 at home and not really create many chances.

"Some of the decisions, I felt, could have gone differently. But that's still no excuse for the general game.

"It hurts, and so it should. But we as a team cannot go astray and start going by ourselves.

"We have to really stick together and prove a point to the fans.

"We've got quite a young team. This is new to a lot of players that have come in.

"I can definitely say that everyone is ashamed in that dressing room. Deep down, I can probably say that they're all angry."

Former Rangers winger and assistant Neil McCann is "not sure" whether head coach Russell Martin can turn it round and avoid the sack after five league games without a victory.

We asked for your views on Rangers 2-0 defeat to Hearts at home, which saw Russell Martin become the first Ibrox boss to fail to win any of his first five league games in 47 years.

Here's what some of you said:

Alexander: Martin has to go as he has no idea of how to get the best from the players. He has lost the the faith of the players and the fans that is shown by the results. Hearts could have played with nine players and still won the game comfortably. Board needs to accept that Martin was a mistake and move him out.

Alan: He has to go. We have paid £10m for a guy that hasn't scored in ages but we let a proven goalscorer like Lawrence Shankland slip through the net, would he have cost us £10m? Martin has no idea, it is embarrassing for us fans to sit and watch. Europa League starts soon, are the board going to wait until we get knocked out before they sack him? We need someone that feels our pain and can put belief back in our players, which is not Martin, he thinks he's better than what he is.

Tim: The last time Rangers had such a poor start, they went on to win a cup double, and were only three points behind Celtic at the end of the season. Give Martin time.

Richard: It just seems such a poorly run sleeping giant of a football club. Change needs to be made at the very top which doesn't include the coaching staff and players. The board, owners and shareholders need changing and only then can Rangers move forward.

Jamie: Martin doesn't see his tactics are not working. He said the atmosphere is affecting his players and that they are better on the training ground. Maybe we should watch them training instead of match days. He also said the players are scared. Well they won't be scared to take their wages every week, this team is so painful to watch.

Louise: I'm beginning to worry that our new owners don't really know what they've signed up for here. The fans and the players deserve better. Whatever it is Martin is trying to sell, nobody is buying it and he cannot continue as Rangers manager. He is out of his depth and the new owners need to act now while there is still a season to salvage.

Alex: Martin's making it more difficult for himself with his team selection. He's picking players in bad form. Nasser Djiga has been a liability at the back, yet he starts him. Then takes him off at half-time after acknowledging yet another selection error. Nico Raskin's omission from the squad is another huge error! He's not playing his best team.

Kenneth: Martin should have been gone weeks ago. Never the right appointment to begin with, think 95% of supporters saw that. I've been desperate for him to prove us all wrong, but we've got even worse.