Empty seats at Ibrox echo fan anger turning to apathy as Rangers slump against Genk

Rangers were met by an unusually quiet Ibrox as Genk defeated them in the Europa League, a development that insiders described as a stark sign of fan apathy toward manager Russell Martin. Official attendance was 37,898, with 13,802 seats left empty, underscoring a day when few in the stands felt compelled to match the usual European occasion with enthusiasm. It followed a weekend crowd of 34,682 against Hibernian, hinting that thousands have chosen other ways to spend their leisure time rather than watch the team struggle for 90 minutes. There was little faith left in the project, and patience has run thin.

Genk went ahead late in the first half after a red card to Mohamed Diomande for a dangerous challenge on Zakaria El Ouahdi, reducing Rangers to 10 men. Oh Hyeon-gyu, the former Celtic striker, struck the winner for Genk, a result that piled more pressure on Martin. Rangers did little to threaten; they had only two shots on target all night while Genk fashioned more clear chances. Manager Russell Martin insisted his side had posed a threat and that Genk did not cut them open, a claim contradicted by the collective mood in the stands and the broader match report. Individual performances were mixed, with Jack Butland, John Souttar and Djeidi Gassama cited as pass marks; the rest were judged average or below expectations.

Postmatch comments did little to appease the crowd. Ally McCoist, club legend, said the atmosphere at Ibrox was not like a typical European night and that an air of apathy hung over the ground. Several former players echoed the sentiment, noting that coupled with the performance it suggested a broader failure to show progress under Martin. McCoist added that something had to change and, from his perspective, not much in the current situation suggested it would. Kris Boyd, a former forward, argued that the disconnect between staff, players and supporters had grown to the point where only a drastic reversal would restore faith.

Rangers now sit second bottom of the Premiership after 14 competitive matches, with a second consecutive defeat marking a worrying trend. The numbers and the mood reflect a club that is not meeting the hopes of its most devoted fans, even when the team has shown occasional signs of improvement in training ground crescendos that few in the stands have noticed. The situation has unsettled even those who have backed the club for years, with critics calling for a more decisive reset of the player group and coaching staff rather than further public recitals of confidence.

Chairman Andrew Cavenagh was in the stands for the Thursday night game, his week in Scotland included a quick inspection under the bonnet of the team’s struggles. After watching the crowd's jeers and the silence at full time he flew back to the United States on his private jet with Martin still in place. He faces questions about his stewardship after appointing the manager only days earlier and now facing a crisis that has become an existential test for the club’s leadership. The sequence of empty seats, jeers and a lingering sense of disconnection between the stands and the pitch is highly unusual for a club of Rangers stature, observers say.

Former players and pundits have framed the situation as a test of loyalty versus prudence. With a public backing from the chair and a manager who has seen his side struggle to return to form, the likelihood of a swift turnaround seems remote given the current trajectory. If the club continues with the present approach, the risk is that apathy solidifies into a wider disconnect that could threaten the morale of both players and the fanbase.

Ultimately the night underscored a plain fact for Rangers: results on the field must be matched by a sense of direction off it. The manager insists progress is being made and that the club will get there, but the mood among the supporters remains one of fatigue rather than belief. As the club weighs its next steps, the question for owners and leadership is whether time is running out for a coach whose tenure has yet to translate into sustained wins, and whether a hard reset is needed to restore confidence among those who fill Ibrox every match night.