Rangers boss Russell Martin defends Patrick Stewart ahead of fan protest

Russell Martin offered up a stout defence of Rangers chief executive Patrick Stewart as Gers fans get set to protest against both men on Saturday.

The Union Bears, the Ultras-style supporters group, will lead the protest outside Ibrox before the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final clash with Hibernian following a dismal start to the season.

Rangers’ 2-0 home defeat by Hearts last Saturday in a toxic atmosphere left the Light Blues 10th in the William Hill Premiership, having failed to win any of their first five league matches – their worst start in 47 years – on top of a 9-1 aggregate Champions League play-off defeat to Club Brugge.

Stewart, who arrived from Manchester United in November 2024, and Martin are in the firing line, but the Gers boss insists both have the backing of the club’s hierarchy.

Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh, who led the summer takeover along with 49ers Enterprises and a consortium of investors, has arrived from the United States to take in the game.

“I have a good relationship with Patrick,” said Martin, who revealed Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin, left out of the last two squads amidst a dispute with the manager, is back in contention.

“Obviously we don’t deal with each other every day, because he’s down here (at Ibrox) and we’re at the training ground.

“But I said to Patrick, I think this club has been used by some individuals over the last however long to come in and progress their career, to add the status of being attached to the football club in the city.

“And I think there’s been a lot of people come and go that have had that bit of it and enjoyed that bit of it.

“And then in Patrick, the ownership, in Kevin (Thelwell, sporting director), you’ve got people that actually really care about making this club sustainable and successful again and to do it in a way that the club continues to have some success.

“We know it’s going to take some work to get back to that. And when you’re in a role that I’m in, Patrick’s in, obviously if it’s not going so well, you’re always going be a target of frustration.

“He genuinely really cares about the people here, who generally really cares about trying to give the club something to build from.

“And also, he didn’t inherit a place that was really flying and ticking along and the culture’s great and all that stuff.

“It takes time, again, off the pitch to change things especially at a level of scrutiny that you have.”

Martin continued: “So my impression of Patrick, the owners, Kevin, the people in leadership, is they are good people, honest people, that are not here to be attached to the fame and the level of importance or status you have with this job.

“They’re here to actually make a big difference and to try and help this club not have the problems that it’s had in the past.

“I’m sure it’s frustrating for him as it is for me, but also I think he’s a strong enough character to deal with it otherwise you don’t find yourself at a club that he was at for a long, long time and also a club like this in the first place.

“So inside the building, he has a huge amount of support, as I feel I do as well right now.

“Obviously we can’t control the rest and he’s a more experienced and wise man than me.

“It’s a nice way to say he’s much older than me, but I’m sure he’s more than capable of dealing with all of that.

“Ultimately we have to win matches and come the end of the season hopefully that noise has died down because we’ve done well.”