Pedro Caixinha was absolutely right to go over and acknowledge the Rangers supporters who have followed their side through thick and thin after the win over St Johnstone last weekend.

Any criticism that it was over the top is, frankly, a load of old nonsense. What was he supposed to do?

He had just finished his media duties and was at the mouth of the tunnel. The Rangers fans had stayed back to applaud the team despite a disappointing season, was he just meant to ignore them?

No, I’m not having that.

Of course, it has been a disappointing season for Rangers on their return to the top flight. Everyone with a connection to the club had hoped that they might be able to fight it out with Celtic for the title, but the team were clearly a long way short of capable of mounting any sort of challenge.

But it will take more than a disappointing season for the Rangers fans to stop supporting their club. Just look at their reaction after the club were put down to the Third Division, as it was at the time.

There was media coming over to Ibrox from all over the world because they couldn’t believe that a club in Scotland’s fourth tier were pulling in crowds of 50,000 every other week, not to mention the thousands who followed them all over the country to some far-flung places.

Obviously, the days are not quite as dark now as they were then, but this season too has seen its fair share of disappointing and embarrassing results.

No matter what though, the Rangers supporters stuck by their club, as we all knew they would. The least they deserve at the end of another long, hard season is to have a bit of thanks from their manager.

From Caixinha’s point of view, it was good to see him bonding with the supporters. He has been dealt a terrible hand since arriving at the club, but he has dug out some results and he deserves the summer at least to put his own stamp on his team, and fingers crossed Rangers will be more competitive next season under his charge.

If he wants to share a moment with the loyal fans who have backed him since he arrived in this country then he is fully entitled to do that.