Rangers boss Russell Martin thanks protesters after 2-0 Cup win over Hibs

Rangers beat Hibernian 2-0 to advance to the League Cup semi-finals on Saturday, a result shadowed by protests outside Ibrox from about 1,500 supporters calling for manager Russell Martin to be sacked. Posters and banners were displayed around the front of the stadium, including a banner reading Delaying The Inevitable – Martin Must Go. The match was briefly halted around the 10-minute mark after the Union Bears threw balls onto the pitch, prompting a stoppage. Nico Raskin, recalled to the starting XI, gave Rangers the lead before Bojan Miovski added a late strike to seal the win.

After the final whistle, Martin appeared among the talking points and thanked the fans for their conduct. 'I have to say I thought the fans were brilliant. They made their feelings really clear and then, once that was done and we started playing with a bit of flow, I think they were really, really good.' He added that the club’s focus should be on the team rather than individuals and that the result provided tangible evidence to build on. 'This football club comes about one person really quickly. I think it’s probably like that at both clubs here, but it’s just not. It’s about so many people on the staff, the players. It’s become about me, not by my choice. Now, hopefully, it will become more and more about the team if we put in performances like that,' Martin said.

Martin also said he had a post-match meeting with chairman Andrew Cavenagh, who had flown in from America, along with Patrick Stewart, Gretar Steinsson and sporting director Kevin Thelwell. 'They’re really happy. I’ll have to go back in so we can have a chat,' he said.

Martin had signaled after last weekend’s league defeat to Hearts that he wanted to simplify things and let the ball do the work. 'They took the ball, they passed the ball. We didn't force it too early. We waited until the gaps opened. The players played in their position and the team looked coached this week,' he said. The win sends Rangers into the League Cup semi-finals, providing a tangible moment to build on as they push for consistency this season.