Today saw the latest release from the ‘Four Lads Had A Dream‘ blog in which the author expressed a measured, balanced and appropriate critique aimed at the Rangers FC board.
Author Steven Clifford didn’t miss the target with the title entry firmly directed at the situation around the boardroom, the executives and the squad.
Recent weeks have seen an increase in the level of frustration from the stands with the League Cup disappointment acting as a catalyst for further discontent and open acrimony towards those in power at Ibrox.
As outlined in the blog, managing director Stewart Robertson and sporting director Ross Wilson have taken the brunt of the criticism with plenty of justification.
In what is a recommended read in full, the blog goes through different elements of the recent fan frustration whilst also tempering some of the vitriol that has emanated online. Some facts are presented in terms of the stable financial footing and proper custodianship through the pandemic that has been delivered by the people in control, particularly the investors but pertinent questions are also aimed at what has been done with the finances available from a football perspective as well as off field issues that have not been handled well.
Fan disconnect from a failure to engage properly and a growing discord over several issues at the club is rightly underlined by Four Lads.
The piece ends with the following passage:
“It’s hard to see past the argument that it’s time for change.”
“What level of change may just shape our future but unless the boardroom start listening, fixing past mistakes and engaging with the support, people will only get angrier. It’s a cross roads which now can’t be ignored. That’s what happens when your strategy is simply to ignore the support and hope things go away.”
“This is Rangers. The fans are the lifeblood of this club, start listening or ignore it at your peril.”
It is an appropriate summation of the general feeling across much of the match going fan base and one that can’t be ignored. Supporter power is a formidable force and the club doesn’t want an ongoing theme of continued protests to blight the work and progress on the pitch, led by Michael Beale.
The only way to reverse the trend is to engage, rectify and bring about meaningful positive change that we can all get behind.