Pitch invasion for moving up to eighth then Martin sacked at Falkirk | OneFootball

Pitch invasion for moving up to eighth place at Livingston, Martin sacked after dropped points at Falkirk, the banter years continue…

New Rangers Head Coach Russell Martin ninth dressing room at Ibrox Stadium. Russell Martin unveiled as the new…PhotoIMAGO / Shutterstock

Celtic supporters didn’t have much to shout about last weekend when we dropped two points at home to Hibs, a result which confined us to second place in the table, but it’s hardly the end of the world as happier days are well and truly on the horizon.

It could be much worse though, we could be, god forbid supporters of a certain south side Glasgow club who play in blue, who despite earning their first league win of the season, currently occupy eight place in the table after drawing at Falkirk yesterday. Only Aberdeen’s abysmal form prevented them dropping to bottom place in the Scottish Premiership ahead of their match kicking off away to Livingston last Sunday.

New Head Coach of theRangers Russell Martin talks with the media alongside Chief Executive Officer Patrick Stewart, Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell and Nick Thomson. Russell Martin unveiled as the new Head Coach of theRangers at Ibrox, – 05 June 2025 Photo: O Rourke Shutterstock

Aberdeen lost again at Motherwell, following up from their defeat away to Dundee United in midweek, using up their game in hand and leaving the Scottish Cup holders isolated at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership table with just a single point after six games. This time last year Jimmy Thelin had won his opening six matches to sit top of the table so it’s been a remarkable fall from grace for the Swedish Scottish Cup winning coach who was rivalling Russell Martin at theRangers for the first managerial casualty of the season.

Well Thelin’s side got their act together with a 4-0 win over Dundee but for Martin it was time up after his side could only manage a 1-1 draw at newly promoted Falkirk. The travelling support blocked in theRangers team bus after the game, Martin was smuggled away in a car and shortly after that Sky Sports broke the news that the former Southampton manager was the first managerial casualty of the season.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin lifts the trophy during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Final match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Hampden Park on May 24, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Both managers had already lost their support but both – until yesterday – retained the backing of their board. For not much longer after the final was blown at Falkirk around 4.55pm on Sunday afternoon – and the odds on his replacements is certainly narrowing, but as they wait for a replacement it’s still like playing a slot at National bet, the online casino, but without the added risk mitigation of some of the first deposit matched bonuses and free spins on offer. Online casinos are appealing to many fans, but if I were to bet on future manager movements, I’d wager that Thelin will avoid falling on his sword this season and will not be sacked by Aberdeen (but I’m more likely to win on an online roulette table).

Referee John Beaton shows Liam Scales a yellow card during the Scottish Premiership match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Pittodrie on 10 August 2025. Photo Stephen Dobson PSI (IMAGO)

It took an injury time winner – after John Beaton somehow found eight minutes to add on – for the latest Ibrox club to climb out the relegation zone, and boy did their players milk it! Well they’ve been deprived of that winning for so long, so we really can’t blame them. Don Robertson could only bring himself to grudgingly allow Celtic four minutes of added on time on Saturday afternoon, despite there being less than an hour of actual football due to the Hibs play-acting and time wasting.

The celebrations were akin to a cup final winner, some supporters invaded the field of play. It brought back memories of that time they had a mass pitch invasion at Firhill to celebrate clinching third place and we all thought they’d be bringing out a DVD to recognise that achievement. Remember they brought out a t-shirt to commemorate their first ever meeting against Celtic in the League Cup final back in February 2015? How could you forget!

Russell Martin, Ibrox – theRangers v Celtic, 31 August 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Those moments of hilarity took place at the peak of the banter years, after the hysterics at Livingston, it looks like the good old banter era is continuing for a while longer. And long may they continue to provide Scottish football with the hilarity that’s been a constant since founding father Charles Green bought their history back in the summer of 2012.

That history was added to yesterday afternoon as Brendan Rodgers saw off yet another manager of theRangers.

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