dailyrecordLoad mobile navigation
Buy a Paper
Road Record
Property
Public Notices
Competitions
Horoscopes
Deals
Funeral Notices
Jobs
Crosswords
Advertise With Us
Newsletter signup
The biggest danger facing Rangers as even fan anger gives way to something far more damaging
Keith Jackson has warned the under fire Ibrox hierarchy that after rage comes something much worse
Share
ByRoss Pilcher
21:22, 17 FEB 2025
Bookmark
Rangers fans at Tynecastle
Daily Record logo – whatsapp community
Get the latest Daily Record breaking news on WhatsApp
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
Join us
on WhatsApp
As Rangers drift towards the end of a “dead duck” of a domestic campaign, the biggest danger is now complete apathy from the fed up fans.
That’s according to Record Sport’s very own Keith Jackson, who spelled out what comes next to the Ibrox hierarchy on the latest episode of Hotline Live. Philippe Cement’s side were back in Premiership action for the first time since their Scottish Cup calamity against Queen’s Park, and they not only survived the trip to Tynecastle, but left with all three points.
That they did so owed a lot of goalkeeper Jack Butland, Elton Kabangu’s finishing and John Beaton missing, then VAR not reviewing, Clinton Nsiala shoving James Wilson over in the box at 1-1. That’s before you factor in Jamie McCart’s two own goals. It was not the fast out the traps reaction that would have been demanded after being dumped out of the cup, and on another day Hearts would have been out of sight before half-time.
READ MORE: Who will win Bayern vs Celtic? Our writers deliver their predictions for Champions League showdown in Germany
READ MORE: Rivals smell Rangers fear as former Ibrox hero tells Philippe Clement his team are a ‘million miles off it’
Little appears to be changing on the pitch, and Clement is still speaking like a man absolutely sure it won’t off it either. And that, Keith says, is what could lead to fans simply having enough of seeing the same old pattern repeat itself and they stay away not because they care so much, but becasue they simply don’t any more.
“I think the big danger now for Rangers in terms of where they go from here and how they move forward is that apathy becomes the overriding emotion amongst the Rangers supporters,” he said. “They just lose the stomach for it and find something better to do with their Saturday afternoons.
“Through all the moments and obviously Rangers had the financial chaos in 2011/12, the fans stayed with it through thick and thin and they’ve continued to do so. The little moments where they see that this could be getting better or moving in the right direction, I think they’re just looking at this and shrugging their shoulders and losing heart.
Top Stories
1
Who will win Bayern vs Celtic? Our writers deliver their predictions for Champions League showdown in Germany
2
Rivals smell Rangers fear as former Ibrox hero tells Philippe Clement his team are a ‘million miles off it’
3
Daizen Maeda presents Celtic stick or twist choice for Brendan Rodgers but one man is tailor made for Munich
“Something needs to happen to make them re-engage with their football club. Right now, it just seems like hard work for them.”
Even the protests of the 600 odd travelling fans in Gorgie at the weekend lacked any sort of conviction. A few choruses aimed at the board and extremely subdued goal celebrations pointed to a fanbase that has had the fight sucked out of it over recent weeks.
Keith continued: “The fans have reached a point now where they’re just close to switching off from the thing. That would be the really alarming thing from the Rangers perspective. If they lose, they’re not even angry any more. They’re just scunnered with it. They’ve hardly got the energy to complain.
“You saw the Rangers fans, they were supposed to protesting and they sang at Tynecastle: ‘Rangers Football Club, is in the wrong hands.’ But it was a sort of half hearted thing. It wasn’t an angry, full scale revolt. It was oh, we should criticise the board here, that’s right.
“You look at Rangers and there’s a lifelessness about them just now. Let’s not forget, they’ve had a really quite successful and impressive European campaign and that’s still got some legs in it.
“But domestically it’s a dead duck. The season’s over.”
READ NEXT:
Who will win Bayern vs Celtic? Our writers deliver their predictions for Champions League showdown in Germany
Rivals smell Rangers fear as former Ibrox hero tells Philippe Clement his team are a ‘million miles off it’
Daizen Maeda presents Celtic stick or twist choice for Brendan Rodgers but one man is tailor made for Munich
Jamal Musiala names Celtic star Bayern Munich fear most as wunderkid tips him to make a massive career step
Kasper Schmeichel reveals Bayern transfer near miss that broke his heart as Celtic No 1 dares to dash THEIR dreams
Follow Daily Record
X (Twitter)
More On
Rangers FCPhilippe ClementHearts FCJack ButlandScottish Premiership
Up Next
Who will win Bayern vs Celtic? Our writers deliver their predictions for Champions League showdown in Germany
Sport
all
Top Stories
Police in Scotland record almost 3,500 child sex abuse image in five years
Child sex abuse
Staff at haunted Scots castle reveal chilling encounters with ghost of ‘weeping young woman’
The supernatural
Council tax rises in Scotland – more affected areas confirmed
Taxes
Delta Air Lines plane crash as jet flips upside down during landing with 80 onboard
Transport
Exact date cold weather will end as Scotland braces for latest snow and ice warnings
Weather
Mum has all four limbs removed after being ‘left to die’ following abortion
Abortion
Delta Air Lines plane crash passengers filmed fleeing jet after horror incident at airport
Social media
Scotland’s ‘James Bond glen’ alcohol ban proposal following ‘horrific’ behaviour
Tourism
Thug punched girlfriend in the face as she recovered after giving birth
Domestic violence
Keir Starmer gives chilling message to Donald Trump over Putin risk
Sir Keir Starmer
Headteacher receives 10k payout after suing parents for harassment
Courts
‘I met my fiancé at a funeral home after giving up career in hairdressing’
Funerals
News
Sport
Celebs
Life & Style
Follow us
mynewsassistant
In Your Area
About Us
Contact Us
Work for us
Got A Story?
Local News
Cookie Notice
Advertising
Marketplace
Book an Ad
Marketplace
Beauty Box Subscription
Yimbly Shop
Jobs
Buy a Photo
Competition Rules
How to Complain
Corrections & Clarifications
Google Survey
Privacy Notice
AI Notice
Sunday Mail Centenary Fund
Paper Subscription to the Daily Record and Sunday Mail
Paper Subscription to the Paisley Daily Express
Newsletters Signup
Syndication & Li
censing
Terms and Conditions
Notifications and alerts help
Do not sell or share my data
© 2025 Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd
Be the first to comment