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http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/rangers-board-badly-need-to-get-stay-away-fans-back-onside-191370n.26018211

 

RANGERS supporters have long prided themselves on their loyalty to the Ibrox club.

 

And nobody can accuse them of lacking that quality during the last few years. The Gers fans have got firmly behind their heroes in large numbers as they have lurched from one crisis to another.

 

Even when the Glasgow giants dropped down the divisions to the bottom tier of Scottish football two years ago, they packed out stadiums both home and away.

 

But attendances at Ibrox this season have plummeted and only 28,137 - at least that was the official figure given by the club - turned up for the 1-0 Championship win over Cowdenbeath where Dean Shiels was the goal hero.

 

It was the lowest turnout in a league fixture at the Govan ground since way back in 1986. Earlier this season, a Petrofac Training Cup game against Clyde attracted just 11,190 spectators - the smallest crowd at a competitive match at Ibrox in 29 years

 

Yet, there are reasons for those poor showings by supporters - a deep unhappiness at the way their beloved club is being run and a burning desire to drive out the current regime.

 

The Rangers hierarchy desperately needs to do everything in its power to address the concerns of their own customers and harness their devotion positively.

 

They must get their followers to unite behind them if they are to win the second-tier title - or even secure promotion and return to the top flight via the play-offs.

 

Because the steadily dwindling crowds and distinct lack of atmosphere at Ibrox is clearly starting to impact upon the team on the field of play.

 

 

Ally McCoist's side was, despite having a point to prove after a humiliating midweek defeat to Alloa, lacking a definite spark in their narrow 1-0 triumph at the weekend.

 

McCoist was adamant the half-empty stands did not affect the application of his charges once referee John Beaton had blown the whistle for the start of the match.

 

"It doesn't matter if there's 1,000 or 50,000 inside the stadium," he argued. "The job is still the same. The players have got a responsibility to go out and win the match.

 

"I would much rather there were 50,000 fans at the game every other week, but we can't use that as an excuse. Our focus is always exactly the same no matter who turns up."

 

But the eerie silence that large sections of the game against Jimmy Nicholl's side was played out in must have affected the players, even subconsciously, to some degree.

 

McCoist added: "Contrary to what a lot of people think, Ibrox is not an easy place to play when things aren't going well. There were nerves knocking about. But we attempted to do the right things."

 

There is no doubt that having Ibrox filled to near capacity every other week - as it was in both the Third Division and League One campaigns - would aid the Rangers cause considerably. It would, as the old cliche goes, be like having a 12th man.

 

It will, though, be quite a feat for club bosses to win around highly-sceptical stay-away supporters. For the disillusionment with those who hold power at Rangers is deep-rooted.

 

Certainly, simply loaning the club more money - and allowing it to become further in debt to Mike Ashley - on the same alarming terms as were previously agreed to, will not cut it.

 

Not when a £16million rescue package proposed by a consortium of Rangers supporters that was fronted by former director and lifelong fan Dave King was flatly turned down last month.

 

There has been some speculation that Danny Ings, the Burnley and England Under-21 striker, is a potential signing target for Rangers despite their serious ongoing financial difficulties. Whether anything transpires on that front remains to be seen.

 

But some kind of real investment in the club, in general, and the playing squad in particular, would go a long way towards instilling faith in Ashley.

 

McCoist has faced growing calls for his resignation following the late collapse and loss to Alloa in the Petrofac Training Cup at the Indodrill Stadium.

 

The legendary striker is under more pressure now than at any other stage in his turbulent three-and-a-half-year tenure as manager after arguably the worst result he has presided over.

 

It has been reported that some senior officials at Ibrox would like to dispense with the services of the present coaching team - even though it will cost over £1m in compensation to do so.

 

But another way for directors to transform the fortunes of the troubled Govan club, both on and off the field, would be to resolve the issues that have led to more than a third of supporters not attending games.

 

AS Walter Smith stated publicly last month, his successor has been forced to work under the most demanding conditions of any manager in the 142-year history of the club.

 

McCoist, whose Rangers side remains nine points behind Hearts in the Championship table, has strived to take the club back to the Premiership against a constant backdrop of turmoil and uncertainty since taking charge.

 

Whether that unsatisfactory situation improves significantly in the near or distant future is doubtful, no matter what Newcastle United owner Ashley and his associates do.

 

You suspect that many Rangers fans will not return until the current board has been seen off the premises and custodians they believe have the best interests of the Ibrox club at heart have taken over.

Edited by chilledbear
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In 86 we had Holmes and his grand ideas at the helm.

 

There's no light at the end of this tunnel and it's beginning to feel like there is no way out from this continued downward spiral.

 

The people calling the shots at Rangers simply don't give a fuck about the clubs prosperity.

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