Rangers CEO Patrick Stewart under mounting pressure as season falters

Rangers’ chief executive Patrick Stewart is facing intensified pressure after a disastrous start to the season, with supporters and some club voices calling for leadership changes as the team lurches through the early campaign. In a meeting with the Fan Advisory Board last Wednesday, Stewart acknowledged that accountability could not rest solely with the head coach and said the leadership group must share responsibility for the club’s performance. The remarks came as the club confronted a run of difficult results and growing discontent among segments of the fanbase over how football matters have been handled since his arrival last December.

The on-field performance has become the focal point of the grievance. Rangers sit well off the pace in the Scottish Premiership, facing a challenging start that has left many supporters questioning whether the squad has been built with a coherent, long-term plan. Criticism has targeted not only results but also the style of play and the ability to create meaningful chances while also limiting opponents. The club has spent heavily in a bid to reassert competitiveness, but the team’s early-season plight has intensified scrutiny of both the coaching staff and the leadership team above them. As the season opened, the mood among some fans grew tense, with banners and public statements underscoring calls for change around Ibrox.

Stewart had commissioned a “root-and-branch” review of the football department soon after taking the role, a plan that promised a strategic assessment of how the club scouts, buys, develops and deploys players. Yet weeks elapsed without a clear public briefing on what the investigation found or whether the club would appoint a sporting director to lead transfer policy and football operations. Those questions have lingered and fuelled suspicions among critics that leadership decisions lack a unifying thread or a transparent timeline for change. As one observer noted, the absence of detailed public conclusions from the review has allowed frustration to fester among supporters who want clarity on the direction of the football operation.

The managerial situation has provided another flashpoint. Stewart publicly backed Philippe Clement when the club was underperforming, arguing that the issues spanned more than the manager’s tenure. He ultimately moved to replace Clement with Barry Ferguson, who had not managed at the senior level for three years after stints at smaller clubs. Ferguson’s appointment was could be described as pragmatic rather than part of a long-term plan, and his time in the dugout produced a mixed record, with occasional highlights but no sustained turnaround. The shift highlighted what critics saw as a lack of cohesive strategy and an insistence on making high-profile changes without a clearly defined roadmap.

The broader leadership dynamic at Ibrox has also drawn attention. Stewart has clashed at times with fan groups over club communications and the tone of official responses to supporter concerns. A notable instance involved his response to Ultras’ banners at a high-profile Old Firm match, which drew internal criticism and public backlash from some corners of the club’s community. Police took no formal action over the display, but Rangers’ official channels issued pointed comments that amplified the sense of friction between the executive office and parts of the fanbase. The episode underscored the delicate balance the club must strike between expressing support for its players and coaching staff and maintaining an environment where supporters feel heard and engaged.

Within the club’s leadership, Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell acknowledged that being under threat is part of senior leadership in football, while stating that he had no plans to walk away. His position has placed him at the center of much of the accountability conversation, with questions about how transfer policy and recruitment will evolve under his watch. Thelwell’s public comments have reinforced the sense that leadership remains in motion, but whether there will be fresh arrivals, departures, or a reshaping of the management structure remains to be seen.

Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh has not indicated imminent changes, even as the club’s results and public sentiment continue to put the spotlight on Stewart. In recent weeks, supporters have publicly linked Martin’s future with Stewart’s, arguing that the duo’s continuity is untenable given the start to the season. While some fans argue for a broader shake-up that would include the top executive role, others caution that the club must first establish a credible plan that can deliver sustainable improvement. The tension reflects a broader debate about accountability in football governance and the challenge of rebuilding trust with a fanbase that has grown impatient with repeated cycles of underperformance.

Looking ahead, the immediate question for Rangers is not only whether the current leadership can steady the ship but whether the club has a clear, compelling plan for the football department that aligns its spending with a measurable pathway to success. In public forums and private discussions, supporters have stressed the need for transparency about the outcomes of the club’s strategic review, a clearly defined leadership structure, and a timetable for decisive actions if performance does not improve.

For now, there is no definitive resolution in sight. The club’s leadership remains under pressure from a vocal segment of supporters and some stakeholders who argue that both the head coach and the chief executive should be held accountable for the run of results. As the season proceeds, eyes will stay fixed on Ibrox to see whether the club can articulate a credible strategy, implement it with discipline, and restore a sense of confidence among fans that Rangers are moving in the right direction.