EMOTIONS have been building amongst Rangers supporters over the course of the campaign and the defeat to Celtic at Hampden has been the tipping point for a lot of people.

So it was no surprise to see the banners in the stand before the game and at half-time against Hearts.

There were two messages - ‘No fight, no pride, nowhere to hide. Incompetent on and off the pitch. We deserve better’ and ‘Mindless behind the scenes. Heartless on the pitch. We deserve better’ - on display in the Broomloan.

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If you are a player walking out at Ibrox and you see those banners, you have to have the mentality to rise above it and focus on your job.

That is a warning sign that, even before the first whistle, the fans aren’t happy. You know you need to show 90 minutes of sheer grit and determination and, to be fair to them, the boys did that.

It is not good to see it as a player but the fans have got every right to vent their frustration after what has been a disappointing season.

In situations like that, you need to show how mentally strong you are. You need to keep taking the ball, express yourself and do everything to win the game because results are the easiest way to get the fans back on side.

The next game after an Old Firm fixture, as I said the other week, is so important and it was a good win over Hearts.

It was a very strange atmosphere but I thought the players did create their own tempo and played well overall.

Hearts didn’t really get out of their half that often. They got their goal through Christophe Berra and Kyle Lafferty hit the post but they didn’t have much about them to be honest.

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It was strange to see patches of empty seats around the stadium and there wasn’t much noise either. That famous roar wasn’t there.

It was weird but that is when it is up to the players to generate their own atmosphere and tempo. It is up to them to be creative and to win games no matter what is going on off the park.

You can’t control what is happening in the stands but you can control what is happening on the park and your team-mates round about you.

That is the biggest thing for me. Everyone has to pull together and have that sort of mindset.

The fans have got every right to come out and tell everyone how they are feeling. If that is through a protest or through banners, then so be it.

There have been protests before regarding different aspects of the club and they are well within their rights to make their voice heart. I would hope that everyone at Ibrox has taken note of what they are saying.

From the players’ point of view, they responded in the right manner and got the win in what would have been a difficult situation for them.

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When the game is live on TV and the banners are being shown, you know there is a spotlight on you to perform and win the game.

Those banners said everything and the fans are certainly entitled to make their frustrations known.

There has been a lot of focus on the board and the fans are demanding answers and a bit of insight into where Rangers are heading.

The one thing you can’t say about the directors is that they don’t back their manager. Mark Warburton was allowed to rebuild the squad and then Pedro Caixinha was given millions to spend last summer.

They have backed their managers with money but those appointments and those signings have backfired on them.

Their decisions haven’t paid off and we know how important this next stage is for Rangers on and off the park. This is a massive period for the club.

The chairman said he was looking for ‘immediate success’ under the new manager so, first and foremost, they have to get that appointment right.

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If he is saying he wants to win the league and Rangers don’t do it, that is something else he has said that people will use against him.

I don’t think Graeme Murty will be the manager but, whoever it is, next season, for a variety of reasons, is huge for the club.

I think it is only natural when you are not winning games and things aren’t going well that the crowds will come down and dwindle a bit.

But you can’t fault the Rangers fans. If there is one thing you can’t criticise about the club, it is the support.

Home and away, all the way through the Third Division, League One, Championship and back into the Premiership, the fans have been there.

There have been bad spells, of course there have, but they have always turned up and that has been really pleasing to see.

So when the support have got banners up, when they have got something to say or have an opinion on any matter, you have to listen to them and you can’t judge them.

Read more: Rangers fans group's right to protest at running of the Ibrox club against Hearts defended​

There can be a tendency for clubs to see the fans as customers but you can’t take a support like the Rangers fans for granted.

They will keep turning up, they will keep supporting the club. In effect, they are customers because they pay their money and buy the strips, but they certainly shouldn’t be treated like that.

They create a great atmosphere at Ibrox, they make it a very hostile and difficult place for opposition teams to go and hopefully that is the case again next season.