How fan £540,000 Boycott May Finally End Russell Martin’s Rangers Reign | OneFootball

Rangers have been hit hard by the financial impact of over 12,000 unsold tickets for a Europa League match. The loss has sent shockwaves through Ibrox because this ownership is all about money, Americans and capitalism. Rangers have been hit hard by the financial impact of over 12,000 unsold tickets for a Europa League match and it matters more than the result. Rangers have been hit hard by the financial impact of over 12,000 unsold tickets for a Europa League match and that reality leaves Russell Martin exposed.

A broken tradition

For decades the one big guarantee for Rangers coffers was a full house for European nights. The club could always bank on lucrative matchday income as a reward for qualification. Those seats have now gone empty under Martin. The attendance fell below 38,000 and that is the first drop of this kind since 2017. Supporters sent a clear message that faith has collapsed. For the owners, though, the concern is not pride but pounds.

Money talks louder

This board and its American investors care only about the balance sheet. They can stomach defeat on the pitch but they cannot stomach red numbers off it. Empty seats cut directly into profit margins. The figure lost from ticket sales, food, and merchandise is huge. They will not ignore that. Martin can defend his football all he likes but the collapse of attendance now speaks louder. For these owners the lost revenue is the true problem.

Martin under the spotlight

That reality puts Martin under deeper risk than any result ever could. Reports across Europe showed how empty stands marked a new low. The directors are loyal only to their wallets. They will not keep faith with a manager who drives fans away from the turnstiles. The anger of the support has hit them in the language they understand. It is money that talks in their world, not football.

Martin’s frosty interviews mean little when pundits insist the board must act. Rangers once filled Ibrox even during poor spells but the boycott has cut through. Martin is now the man associated with financial loss.

The danger for him is that the board sees falling revenue as the one line they cannot allow. Sky Sports analysis highlighted that the board’s patience is not endless. They can tolerate embarrassment but not empty accounts. Rangers have reached a stage where the manager is judged more by balance sheets than scorelines. Unless the seats fill again, Martin’s time could be cut short by the very people who once claimed patience.