Russell Martin has made an unwanted bit of history as Rangers manager, becoming the first permanent boss in the club’s history to win just three of his first nine games in charge.
A 1-1 draw in Paisley against a well-drilled St Mirren side means Rangers now trail Celtic by six points heading into next weekend’s first derby of the season – despite their last-minute U-turn on a previously announced plan to postpone this very fixture.
It was a match that showed once again how fragile this Rangers side still looks under Martin. St Mirren were direct, aggressive, and pressed hard from the off. They took the lead and unsettled Rangers early, forcing Martin’s men to respond in the second half. While they did grab an equaliser, the overall performance raised more questions than answers.
After requesting a postponement earlier due to European commitments, Rangers backtracked when they realised skipping the game would leave them seven points adrift of Celtic going into the derby. In the end, they played… and are now six points behind regardless, with the derby at Ibrox still to come.
Chris Sutton, never shy in assessing the Ibrox side, took to X with a typically cutting remark: “Good point for Rangers in the end…”
Good point for Rangers in the end…
— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) August 24, 2025
It’s a result that piles pressure on Martin heading into next weekend. Lose to Celtic and the gap would be nine points before September even begins.
