PATRICK STEWART has told fuming Rangers fans why the board haven’t yet pulled the plug on Russell Martin’s reign.
Both the Rangers chief executive and head coach are feeling the heat in Glasgow, with a staged protest against them both set to take place outside Ibrox before tomorrow’s clash against Hibs.
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The Union Bears have urged fellow supporters to meet outside the stadium at 4.30pm – one hour and 15 minutes before kick off – to make their feelings loud and clear amid a shocking start to the season.
Rangers have yet to win a single league game and currently sit in tenth place and nine points behind Celtic and Hearts after five matches.
But under-fire Stewart insists the Rangers board WON’T rush into giving Martin the boot.
Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell sat down with supporters on Wednesday to discuss several concerns, including Martin’s future at the helm.
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The Rangers Fan Advisory Board revealed they held ‘full and frank’ talks with both Stewart and Thelwell and claimed they had ‘forcibly challenged’ the club’s stance on the under-fire boss.
Now the key Gers fan group have released the minutes from said lengthy conversation.
And on Martin, it’s been revealed that Stewart told them they don’t want to make a reactive change so early on in the season.
The former Southampton boss might not have impressed with his tactics on the pitch, but Stewart insists he’s making ‘meaningful progress’ behind the scenes.
The published minutes read: “PS [Patrick Stewart] noted that while the head coach carries responsibility for results, accountability also lies with the wider football operation and the board.
“He emphasised that decisions must be taken without emotion, with the aim of addressing the underlying causes of underperformance.
“PS stressed that applying binary triggers to managerial decisions was unwise, as context is everything. He emphasised that while results were disappointing, the club felt that it was important to avoid making a reactive change.
“He reiterated the desire to avoid short-term, reactive cycles of change, pointing out that Rangers have gone through multiple coaches in recent years without resolving the underlying issues.
“While conceding results and performances had fallen short, it was noted that meaningful progress was being made behind the scenes that warranted backing. He acknowledged the need for the board and leadership to share accountability, noting that responsibility could not rest solely with the head coach.
“It was noted that while the technical aspects of the squad are best judged by coaching staff, it is possible to assess morale, atmosphere, and professionalism around a training ground.
“At present, the atmosphere at Auchenhowie is considered to be positive, with strong buy-in from the players, cohesion, professionalism, and work ethic compared with what has been seen in some other environments.
“The current group is seen to be in a strong position overall in terms of unity. It was acknowledged that optimism could ultimately prove misplaced if results do not follow, but there remains a belief that there is a genuine chance for improvement, though time will ultimately determine whether this translates onto the pitch.
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“A question was raised about whether the club has a Plan B, noting that fans are concerned about the possibility of prolonged uncertainty if results do not improve. PS explained that succession planning is a normal part of good governance across all key roles, and not specific to the head coach.
“While he stressed that this does not mean active steps are being taken to replace Russell Martin, contingency planning is a normal part of football and business operations.”
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