Russell Martin slaughters Rangers fans (again) amid confrontation | OneFootball

Rangers fans have had enough. After supporters confronted CEO Patrick Stewart in a tense but fair conversation, Russell Martin stepped in to condemn them instead of listening, as highlighted by Ibrox Noise. Russell Martin condemns Rangers fans. It summed up everything wrong with this Rangers hierarchy. The manager, the CEO and the director all stand shoulder to shoulder, not for Rangers, but for themselves. That unity protects them, not Ibrox, not the fans and certainly not the players. The entire structure reeks of arrogance, with fans now treated as the problem rather than the lifeblood of the club.

Martin’s defence of Stewart

Martin rushed to defend Stewart after that conversation, as covered in this piece. He accused fans of crossing lines and taking things too far. Yet supporters had only voiced legitimate frustration over months of decline. His words carried no empathy, only judgement. Instead of understanding the anger that comes from love for Rangers, Martin chose to turn it back on those who care most. It was a cold move from a man already under pressure. He said things should never “get personal,” but supporters know it is personal when the club they love crumbles in front of them.

The hierarchy stands firm

The problem runs deeper than one remark, as Ibrox Noise made clear. This leadership group defends itself like a fortress while the team disintegrates on the pitch. Stewart shields Martin, Martin shields Thelwell, and Thelwell shields Stewart. They circle the wagons, united in failure. That protection culture is killing the Rangers spirit. Fans can see through it all. They know that the so-called accountability at Ibrox is an illusion. When results collapse, they close ranks. When fans speak up, they condemn the fans. It is not leadership. It is survival instinct.

Fans versus the machine

Supporters do not expect miracles. They expect effort, honesty and answers. Yet instead, they face a club that blames them for asking questions, as detailed in The Guardian. That cannot continue. Rangers are meant to stand for unity, passion and strength, not fragile egos and internal cover-ups. Martin should have stood beside the fans, not above them. His decision to scold supporters for daring to speak with Stewart exposed how far removed he has become from the club’s soul.

The bond between the stands and the dugout feels broken, something even The Guardian acknowledged in recent coverage. Fans will always back Rangers. They have carried this club through disaster before. But they will not back a regime that mocks their loyalty. Until the hierarchy stops defending itself and starts defending Rangers, the anger will only grow, as The Guardian first warned when Martin arrived.