Angry ultras made a march for the Ibrox exit door long before the final whistle to underline their escalating fury over the running of Rangers both on and off the pitch – as the diehards who stayed let rip at their protest.
The Union Bears – demanding change alongside the Rangers Supporters Association – trudged out in the 55th minute to signal their displeasure of falling 18 points behind Celtic before a ball was kicked on Sunday afternoon. But it wasn’t for everyone, as those who stayed were apoplectic over the ultras leaving. And their digs at the suits started long before they headed for the exits early as the roared ‘Rangers Football Club is in the wrong hands’. Some fans in other stands left but there was venom aimed at the ultras for leaving their team behind.
There was a silent protest before a banner was unveiled. It read ‘Everything from anyone? fans gave all, while you let our standards fall’. That was followed by a rendition of ‘sack the board’ and another bedsheet being unveiled. That one read: “Our loyalty is not a free pass for loyalty.” The Union Bears have made their feelings abundantly clear in recent times.
Their consecutive loaded statements have condemned the under-fire board, called for Philippe Clement to do one and claimed they are a club who have been “destroyed by incompetence”. Clement and Co are feeling the heat, however, the Belgian was backed by new supremo Patrick Stewart on Saturday, for now, as a root and branch external review will get under way on Monday.
The St Johnstone fans in attendance might have been tempted by a protest of their own as they are left marooned at the foot of the Scottish Premiership table. Boss Simo Valakari looked spooked by the three-goal blast in the first half which condemned his side.