RANGERS fans’ anger towards under-fire boss Russell Martin is only going in one direction.
But in truth, he’s been fighting for his Light Blues life since day one.
Russell Martin was presented as Rangers manager in early June
His choice of footwear caused a stir
Martin is now under huge pressure at Ibrox
Former Southampton manager Martin, 39, is under immense pressure from the Rangers supporters after a dismal start to the campaign.
Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Hearts made it five league games without a win to start the campaign.
That’s the Gers’ worst league start for 47 years.
Many Rangers fans have well and truly seen enough.
Loud chants of “Martin, Martin get to f***” broke out at Ibrox on Saturday, while the home supporters also joined in when fans chanted “sacked in the morning.”
SunSport exclusively revealed on Sunday how the Gers’ US supremo Andrew Cavenagh had held crisis talks with Martin earlier that day.
We told you how Martin retained the backing of the chairman despite the desperate run of form.
In the days that have followed, two leading Rangers supporters groups have come out demanding the removal of Martin, with the Union Bears also calling for the exit of chief executive Patrick Stewart.
The ultras group have also revealed plans for a protest against Martin and Stewart outside Ibrox on Saturday ahead of the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final clash with .
Martin – as he himself has acknowledged – wasn’t the most popular choice among the fans when he was appointed head coach in early June.
On Saturday, he said: “I knew coming here wouldn’t be easy. The majority didn’t want me here in the first place.”
Martin was unveiled on June 5 at a press conference at Ibrox, appearing alongside CEO Stewart and new sporting director Kevin Thelwell.
While many Gers fans watching were at least impressed with what Martin had to say at the time, others weren’t so pleased by what he’d chosen to WEAR.
Martin was smartly dressed in a suit and tie, but what he had on his feet was all the rage.
He arrived at his unveiling wearing a pair of white soled trainers and it’s fair to say this isn’t what Gers fans were expecting to see.
Traditionally, most Rangers managers have been known to wear brown brogues both at their unveilings and on the touchline.
Legendary Ibrox bosses Walter Smith, Graeme Souness and Dick Advocaat were synonymous with the footwear.
Steven Gerrard, too, laced up his brown shoes on the sidelines.
Martin’s lack of brown shoes left a number of fans unhappy at the time.
And it’s fair the ‘break from tradition’ had him on the back foot with many from the off.
One fan blasted: “Get that man a pair of brown brogues.”
Another added: “Should be the brown brogues. If Steven Gerrard wasn’t allowed to change the traditional manager outfit then he shouldn’t be either.”
Other had much less of an issue with it, with another fan saying: “Some people will complain about anything.”
Martin’s lack of a more formal choice of footwear was somewhat cleared-up in the aftermath.
It was said that everything had happened a lot quicker than had been anticipated, with Martin cutting short a holiday with his family to jet in to seal the deal to become Gers boss.
As a result, it was claimed he simply didn’t have his formal shoes with him for his unveiling.
In his first competitive game in charge, Martin changed outfit twice.
The Gers beat Panathinaikos 2-0 in their opening Champions League qualifier, with Martin arriving at Ibrox suited and booted.
As well as the suit, shirt and club tie, Martin WAS wearing the brown brogues on this occasion.
Once the game kicked-off, he’d changed into a more casual look with a black T-shirt and the same shoes he had worn at his first press conference.
Martin then changed back into his smart gear to conduct his post match media duties.
Former Newcastle and Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given, a former Celtic trainee, reckons not having the brogues on for his first appearance as Gers boss had Martin on the back foot from the off.
Given told the BBC Monday Night Club : “I was up at Loch Lomond a couple of weeks ago at a charity event and there were a lot of Rangers fans at that, a lot of season ticket holders.
“They were saying – from day one – that every manager in the history of the football club, on the day they sign, they do the press conference with a navy suit and brown shoes.
“I know that might sound a bit out there but Russell Martin wore a pair of trainers.
“Straight away, he’s broken the tradition of Rangers managers and straight away, this is going to sound ridiculous, he’s on the back foot with the wrong shoes.
“He’s not helping himself in that sense and some of the stuff he’s said after games.”
While fans were quick to notice Martin’s choice of footwear on day one at Ibrox, he is NOT in fact the only manager not to break away from the traditional brown shoes.
In fact, his predecessor Philippe Clement didn’t do so either.
Like Martin, the Belgian wore a suit and club tie at his unveiling.
However, he was spotted wearing a pair of black Hugo Boss trainers as he was presented as the new Rangers manager in October 2023.
Legendary Gers boss Walter Smith with the brown shoes
Steven Gerrard also wore the familiar footwear during his first appearance as manager
Philippe Clement wore black trainers for his unveiling 
