Rangers players were left stranded as their team coach was barricaded by furious fans after Sunday’s draw at lowly Falkirk. Under-fire manager Russell Martin, chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell are facing intense scrutiny after securing only five victories in their initial 17 matches. Supporters reached boiling point at the Falkirk Stadium, leaving Ibrox decision-makers with a significant choice to consider heading into the international break.
Angry supporters prevented the team coach from departing the Falkirk Stadium in a show of fury after the final whistle. The squad was left lingering in the tunnel while the coach sought an alternative route to pick them up. Police were spotted by Sky Sports cameras overseeing the unfolding situation.
Eilidh Barbour informed Sky Sports: “We have a situation here at the stadium where the Rangers bus is trying to get out, but it has been blocked in by supporters.
“The players are still inside the tunnel, they have not been able to get on to the bus and it has had to come in a different way to try and get the players on to the bus and disperse the fans.”
Ex-Rangers skipper David Weir commented on the incident: “It’s never the answer. It tells you the feelings and emotions around the club just now, but that doesn’t work for anyone.
“It doesn’t help anyone, it doesn’t improve anything, but it does tell you the emotion. You can sense the emotion coming into the stadium today as well that people aren’t happy, but you don’t want to see scenes like that.”
Former Gers striker Kris Boyd chimed in: “Listen, the fans have had enough. We have been saying it for weeks and weeks now, they pay good money to go and watch their football team.
“Listen, there are ways to protest and go about things, but they have had enough of the same excuses being churned out every week, the same performances, but you can’t condone that.”
Martin, meanwhile, insisted that he would not walk away from the Rangers job in his post-match interview.
Asked if he was doubting his ability to continue in the role, he responded: “No. I’ve never given up anything in my life and it’s always gone pretty well for me.
“So, not even come into the equation. I will keep working with the players and the staff, who I feel have been so good with us.
“The players have really (had) a good connection, good understanding, hungry and they just can’t quite translate that into results at the moment.
“It has been improving a lot. Difficult pitch, difficult conditions – we are 1-0 up and should go on and score a second, and we don’t and it costs us.
“But there have been improvements. Maybe not in results, but performance a lot, but I know everybody just wants to win games.”