Criticism has never hesitated to gather round Rangers, and supporters were particularly irked by the League Cup defeat by Forfar at the beginning of the season, the Challenge Cup final loss to Raith Rovers and, despite a lively, committed performance, the Scottish Cup defeat by Dundee United.
Having managed through the crises of last season, then the renewed conflict around the club in this campaign, Ally McCoist has found his ability and judgement questioned.
There are legitimate enquiries, such as why Peralta plays on the right of midfield when he arrived at the club with a reputation for being a tigerish central midfielder; why Law’s form has regressed over the course of the campaign; why fewer younger players have featured in this campaign?
McCoist has, though, delivered the principle aim, which was to take another step towards the top-flight, and at a time when the club remains in turmoil.
During both halves at East End Park, Rangers supporters held up red cards in protest at the board, and sang chants against them.
The club’s finances are in a critical state, the chief executive Graham Wallace has been unable to rouse or inspire the support – confirmation of his bonus came at a time when admin staff are being laid off, and while the players receive no bonus for winning the league – and no solution has been achieved.
Rangers have required equity funding, to underpin the climb back to the Premiership and to re-invest in areas of the club that desperately need new financing, since before last December’s annual general meeting.
To have reached May without a funding plan in place suggests an inability or unwillingness to address this major issue.
An extraordinary general meeting could be called at 28 days’ notice to allow shareholders to vote on whether or not to grant the board powers to issue new shares in a rights issue.
It is by this method that the former Rangers director Dave King wants to invest in the club, and he hopes his financial strength will see him take overall control.
Supporters have grasped that they have the power to influence events, and season ticket renewals remain in the very low thousands, with less than two weeks before the deadline.
If the majority of fans withdraw their financial support, the board will likely have no option but to seek a rights issue or enter administration – as highlighted in both last March’s interim accounts and Wallace’s business review.
This uncertainty continues to grip the club, so that much of the on-field drama has become secondary.
