Alim Ozturk digs some space in the snow to place the ball and lines up a free-kick for Hearts...

Danny Wilson passes the ball back to his goalkeeper, the former Rangers goalie Neil Alexander. Hmm, is that wise on a pitch like that?

Mark, Berkshire: "Needs to be a dark orange ball not a yellow ball for a snowy pitch."

Allan, Perth: "No undersoil heating at Ibrox these days?"

Ab, Ayrshire: "Listening to BBC Scotland radio coverage. Their bias against Rangers loud and clear. Why give the Easdale brothers so much bad press. Did they not give interest free loans at least twice."

Gordon: "What does Liam mean no chance of Hearts shipping 16 points, there is no chance of them shipping 10, league is over."

Rangers boss Kenny McDowall and Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson discuss matters in the technical area. They don't look too impressed that the match is on.

Hearts' attacking full-back Callum Paterson is sent sprawling in a foray down the right wing. The players really seem to be struggling to keep on their feet.

In the first piece of real action, striker Jon Daly rises to nod the ball down for Rangers team-mate Nicky Law, who prods a shot a few feet wide of the target from eight yards.

As if to underline the crazy conditions, Rangers full-back Lee Wallace runs up the left wing and takes a fresh-air swipe when trying to cross the ball - it stayed stuck in the snow when Wallace thought it would roll on. Madness.

I must say, the pitch to me looks unplayable, but I don't have the luxury of running about on it to check it out.

Big Genero Zeefuik is fouled and Hearts win a free-kick 35 yards from goal. However, the lob into the box is cleared.

The six-yard boxes have been cleared of snow and the lines on the pitch, too, but it's a comical scene. It's ice skates the players need, not football boots!

And we're off and running...and sliding through the snow with a yellow ball.

BBC Scotland commentator Liam McLeod

"It's win or bust for Rangers. Surely they must win tonight if they have ambitions to go up as champions, because surely there is no chance of Hearts shipping 16 points."

BBC Scotland's Tom English at Ibrox

"You can't discount Rangers in the depths of all this getting a result but I just don't think the team is good enough."

We're a minute away from kick-off.

Former Rangers and Hearts midfielder Derek Ferguson

"Rangers need to go out and try to stop this Hearts juggernaut. It's a big night for some of these Rangers players."

Chick Young
BBC Sport

"It is a miserable attendance, about 6,000-7,000. Many fans were planning to protest outside the main stand and then go elsewhere to watch the game. There is a real sea-change in the mood of the fans tonight."

Image source, SNS

Rangers fans flocked to Ibrox when they were playing in the bottom two tiers of Scottish football but many are so disgruntled with the current regime that they are staying away.

A Rangers fan protesting outside the main door at Ibrox tells BBC Radio Scotland he is "very concerned" about the future of the club. "Why does Mike Ashley not make his intentions clear?" he asks. Another says the situation is the worst in 15 years of following Rangers. "If the board go in the next few weeks, Ibrox would be full again," says a supporter. "This board has to go."

Rangers manager Kenny McDowall has made just one change to the side which narrowly beat Alloa last week as winger Fraser Aird returns to replace David Templeton.

Gorgie head coach Robbie Neilson also kept his alterations to a minimum, with Jordan McGhee coming in for James Keatings.

There are 15 minutes to go and the stadium is only a fraction full. There are large banks of empty blue seats.