Rangers fan numbers still add up for McCoist

[Bothwellbear 1,392]

Rangers fan numbers still add up for McCoist

RANGERS manager Ally McCoist has claimed Ibrox is still the best venue to play at in football - even when it is only half-full.

Matthew Lindsay Sports Journalist

Saturday 20/09/2014

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Ally McCoist can afford to salute his troops after some good results

And McCoist has predicted his side's bid to land the SPFL Championship will not be affected by dwindling crowds or potential boycotts.

Only 23,000 fans have bought season tickets for second tier home matches in the 2014/15 campaign - a decrease of over 10,000 on last term.

Many fans refused to part with their money unless guarantees were given over the future of Ibrox and Murray Park and are turning up on a game-by-game basis.

But the last two league meetings with Dumbarton and Queen of the South have only attracted turnouts of just over 30,000.

And only 15,208 people watched the League Cup game with Premiership opponents Inverness Caley Thistle on Tuesday evening.

With a section of Rangers fans now threatening to boycott the club, the situation could get even worse in the weeks and months ahead.

Nevertheless, McCoist said: "You can look at it the other way. I would argue that 30,000 is still good if you've been used to playing in front of 4,000 at your previous club.

"There may be fewer fans going to our games - but our supporters have still been fantastic. Away from home we are going to grounds that are completely full.

"Maybe the crowds at our home games have gone from 45,000 to 35,000. But, for me, it's still the best arena to be playing your football in regardless.

"We have to be positive and these boys have to perform no matter if it's 15,000, 35,000 or 50,000. And I am sure they will. This is a far bigger club than any of them have been used to."

The pressures of being a player with the Glasgow club have taken many members of the current Rangers squad aback since they moved to Ibrox.

As well as the demands on them to perform on the park there has been near-constant speculation about the financial predicament off-field.

McCoist, though, is confident that his players can maintain their seven-game winning run in the coming weeks despite the distractions.

He said: "The players have been great. They have remained totally focused on the job when there has been a lot going on about them.

"I have been asked if it was affecting the players and genuinely, I don't think it is. I keep saying to the players there is no point worrying about things that can't have a bearing on.

"What they can change and affect is performances and results and they have been completely focused on that and they deserve all the credit that's going."

McCoist's players are on a massive high after overcoming a top-flight team for just the second time since Rangers dropped down to the bottom division two years ago.

And the manager has no concerns their standards will drop in the Championship game against Alloa on their artifical surafce at Indodrill Stadium.

He said: "Our game against Raith on Friday night was live on TV, had a fantastic pitch and was played in front of a great crowd. It's all there for you. Then we played Inverness. It was a cup tie, same scenario.

"But we're now going to somewhere, with the greatest of respect to Alloa, that's not as glamorous-looking from the players' point of view.

"But that's where our boys have to be 100% completely professional and play against Alloa as if it is Raith or Inverness. Forget about the surface and just try and get the job done."

McCoist continued: "It probably is an advantage that we have been to smaller stadiums in the last couple of years in the sense that it won't be a shock to us.

"The fact that we have been to all these different clubs over the past two years means that anything we are faced with will not be a surprise. If that's an advantage, we'll take it.

"Having said that, we still have to prepare well. In all these places the opposition fans have made it hostile for us - in a competitive and sporting way - which is great. This will be the same."

Rangers are now just a point behind Hearts at the top of the Championship table - a development McCoist believes that will spur his players on.

He said: "These things are psychological and they do give you a boost. This is probably the first time in two years that we are looking at other results in the league knowing they will have an effect on our position.

"In the previous two years, because of the points margin we built up, we were in a fairly comfortable position in that respect. It wasn't going to be a disaster if another team won four in a row.

"Now that we are in a competitive situation with, say, Hearts, Hibs, Falkirk and Raith Rovers, you are looking at other team's results with added interest.

"Is it driving the players on? I think it is helping them, even if it is psychologically. I'm very conscious of it myself for the first time in a while."

[Drunk and disorderly. 14,515]

Good interview. I'm not going to go on about the boycotters. They are no longer Bears as far as I am concerned.

"Now that we are in a competitive situation with, say, Hearts, Hibs, Falkirk and Raith Rovers, you are looking at other team's results with added interest."

I hardly noticed who was in second place the last two seasons. The higher level of competition seems to be bringing the best out in the team this season. Onwards and upwards!

[govanblue 16,847]

I'm Raging. Not a single paragraph break.

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

I'm Raging. Not a single paragraph break.

They need some hyphens!

[Thewhitesettler 2,711]

I knew there was a reason why we were shite today!

As soon as we start looking like we've 'turned the corner' performance wise, somebody usually comes out in the media and starts talking about how good we are, & have been.

It's a certainty that after that we were gonna perform pish in our next game.

Sometimes you can say more, by saying nothing at all!