Rangers Fans Vent Frustration

Photo by Jeff Holmes Sheer frustration at the current state of Rangers underpinned fans' fury during the Gers' 2-0 defeat by Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday, according to a spokesman for the Rangers Supporters Trust. The 1,300 or so travelling fans in the Roseburn Stand told manager Ally McCoist in no uncertain terms where to go as his expensively-assembled team, albeit reduced to 10 men in the 22nd minute when defender Stevie Smith was sent off, came up short against the Championship leaders. Expectation among the Light Blue legions that they would move smoothly through the leagues after re-emerging at the bottom tier of Scottish football post-administration and liquidation had been diminishing in recent weeks but it was replaced by uneasy hope after the unbeaten Gorgie side moved nine points ahead. Meanwhile, off-field chaos at Ibrox continues. Gers shareholder Mike Ashley, owner of Newcastle, appears to have tightened his grip on the cash-strapped Govan club in the shape of loans worth £3million and with his associate Derek Llambias appointed as a non-executive director. However, with no chief executive and finance director in place following the departures of Graham Wallace and Philip Nash, there remains a lack of clear direction and strategy at Rangers, notwithstanding there is no date set as yet for the club's annual general meeting which has to take place before the end of the year. "The fans were frustrated at the result and the wider condition of the club," an RST spokesman said. "The club is a shambles. The vast majority of the fans' frustration has been directed at the board but Ally knows he has to take responsibility for results. "You have to look at the minimum requirement this season, which is to get promoted. "Obviously we would we want to go up to the Premiership as winners of the league but that is looking less likely after the Hearts result. "We have got to make the play-off at the very least and we have got to go up. "Fans expected to win this league even though it is more difficult with Hearts and Hibs in it and Rangers supporters are making comparisons with Hearts. "Hearts are rebuilding their club with young players and they play decent football and although they are not great, the bottom line is they have beaten us twice this season. "So there was a huge amount of frustration directed at Ally although he is long enough in the tooth to know that. "But to those people who say Ally has to go, fine - but who would pick his replacement? David Somers (chairman)? "We don't even have a chief executive. I don't think the fans would trust this board to pick a replacement and there is no money, no scouting system, nothing. "We struggle on - on and off the park."