Open Letter to the Rangers Board and Andrew Cavenagh
I write as a Glasgow Rangers supporter of more than five decades, a lifetime bound to this club through passion, loyalty, and pride. I watched David Cooper make many a mazy run as a boy, Laudrup and Gazza dazzle and delight while terrorising opponents, and I admired the honest graft of many a Rangers player in between-from Bomber Brown to Andy Halliday – who whilst they may have lacked the skills of the greats, they knew the responsibility of being a Ranger and the weight of the shirt. To them, my gratitude, admiration, and respect.
However, like many of my fellow Bears, my emotions over recent months have shifted from anger to dismay, and now, after last night, to apathy. That is a dangerous place for any football club and its supporters to find themselves in.
The recent news surrounding Kevin Thelwell’s son has done nothing to restore confidence, nor does it provide the leadership and clarity our club needs at this critical moment.
On the question of the Manager: I was brought up in a different era. I have never booed, sung in protest, or gestured against him. This is something my grandfather, who grew up in the heyday of Struth, would not have approved of. But I do not blame those who have. Football is a passionate sport, and Rangers has been built on two centuries of Glaswegian passion-firm but fair, suffering no fools along the way. That passion must be recognised and embraced, not dismissed.
The issues at Rangers are now evident for all to see. We are told the problem is mentality; we are told red cards and refereeing decisions have been to blame for recent losses. We are even told that the supporters themselves are the problem. These explanations might hold true in isolation, but cumulatively they are disingenuous.
The reality is that the approach, tactics, motivation, and training – however good they are supposed to be during the week-are not delivering the results required. They are failing to deliver even the minimum level that is needed.
We were given the sales pitch for an entirely new philosophy of football, possession-based and designed to dominate the opposition. We were told to have patience, as turning around an oil tanker takes time. Yet if we are to use maritime metaphors, the truth is that last year’s tanker did not look anywhere near as bad as the one I see currently floundering on the rocks.
This letter is not another outburst of anger or frustration – it is an appeal. An appeal to you, the Board, and in particular to Andrew Cavenagh, to act decisively before lasting and irreversible damage sets in. Supporters are the lifeblood of this club, and their passion cannot be allowed to turn into apathy. The longer this situation continues, the deeper the rot will grow.
In my professional life, I have tried to lead by example. That requires me to be honest and to act with integrity and dignity. To have respect, to act with professionalism, and to be responsible and accountable for my own actions and failures is, I believe, what makes exceptional leaders. These are the values of Rangers and epitomise what it means to be a Ranger. It is the code that Struth and Smith embodied.
The facts are evident: this man has failed, and crucially, he has not taken accountability or responsibility. Therefore, my call is simple: appoint a new manager-one who understands Rangers, one who can restore belief, discipline, and direction. Give the supporters and the players a leader worthy of the badge, and provide the Board with the stability it requires to take the club forward.
One thing Russell Martin is right about is that this is not about individuals-it is about the future of Rangers Football Club. The time to act is now.
With respect and the utmost urgency, will you act with accountability and responsibility?
Karen Jardell Loyal.