IN playing terms, it can hardly be put down as the biggest success.
But Russell Martin reckons the 17 matches he spent at Rangers during the 2018-19 season were PRICELESS in preparing him for the big job at Ibrox.
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Martin’s time at the club also included a 4-0 and a 5-0 reverse to Celtic before he bowed out in a remarkable 5-5 draw at Easter Road on the final day of the season.
It’s a period which few fans of the club look back on fondly.
But the same DOESN’T apply to Martin, who reckons the time spend withe members of the Ibrox backroom team such as legendary kitman Jimmy Bell was invaluable.
He said: “I hope the fans judge me on this moment, not on my playing career here, because that was very different.
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“But my period here before was incredible learning for me.
“And it helped me so much on my journey about culture, about what to expect, about what is required.
“And listening to Jimmy Bell the kit man tell me stories, and Disco [Davie Lavery] who has been here for years and people like that, and Stevie [Steven Walker] the physio.
“Llistening to them talking about it, it just whetted my appetite even more. It helped me prepare for now.”
There’s little doubt that Martin was desperate to land the job, even defying the instructions of his agent to play things cool in negotiations.
Whether Martin was the first choice for the fans – or the club – is another matter but the ex-Southampton boss says he gets a kick out of proving people wrong and winning the fans over and feels he can do so again.
He said: “To the fans, I have to win. I don’t think I’ve been the number one choice at any club I’ve been at.
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“At MK Dons to go from a player to become a manager is a bit of a surprise to the fans.
“At Swansea they were being linked with all sorts, they had lost in the play-off final then we turned up from League One.
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“At Southampton the same, they had just been relegated from the Premier League and I’m sure there were loads of names linked with the job.
But by the time I’ve left every club I’ve felt a real connection with the fans, they are right behind us, and definitely the players and the playing staff. Hopefully this will be the same.”
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