Over the last week, there has been a huge clamour to dismiss Rangers’ success of last season. Apparently, after an early rough patch, this team cannot play in front of fans and therefore the success in empty stadiums means nothing.

For some reason, this team are apparently excellent during a pandemic but cannot play in front of crowds. Apparently, the rest of Scottish football went to sleep while Rangers excelled.

This is, of course, comfort blanket nonsense from opposition fans who are desperate to rationalise the collapse of 10-in-a-row from a position of strength.

What remains indisputable is that 20/21 was the season without fans which did create a different dynamic. It was a term during which they were rarely discussed or debated as they watched games from home. The inevitable issues that arise from supporters being in and around grounds in their thousands didn’t exist and clubs were able to take in season ticket money without having to manage them.

There was a sharp jolt back to reality for Rangers last week.

On Tuesday night, a number of fans were unable to enter Ibrox due to ticketing issues. Some missed a minimal amount of the match but others missed the majority as they waited in ticket office queues. While the result of the game didn’t match expectations, the frustration of those unable to enter the ground has been understandably palpable.

READ MORE: Rangers hero Paul Gascoigne was an enigmatic genius but what was he like to play against?

As some took to social media to tell their stories, Rangers issued a short email communication apologising for the ticketing issues. A part of that message pushed the blame back to Rangers fans who attempted to enter the ground without a valid ticket.

Not only does that provide no consolation to the £29 ticket holders who missed a large chunk of the game, but it is also felt like an attempt to absolve themselves of some responsibility.

Ensuring a new system is robust and fit for purpose is the club’s sole responsibility and it detracts from any attempt at an apology when pushing the issue back at an unquantifiable portion of fans.

The rest of the apology email offered little reassurance this was a one-off situation that wouldn’t be repeated: “Rest assured, we continue to invest resources in upgrading and improving our systems and processes.” This explains nothing about why fans were impacted on Tuesday or what will actually happen to address the problem.

And why is it still a problem? The club had additional time in recent months to work through potential issues, yet come the first time 50,000 fans attempted to enter Ibrox in seventeen months, the ticket system quickly unravelled.

As Rangers took on the Castore deal and several other contracts in huge steps to function as a normal club again, the club’s commercial output naturally escalated. I don’t think anyone can blame Rangers for wanting to maximise income opportunities, but right now the club feels relatively removed from the fan base in their communication.

Emails to buy kits, training gear, investment opportunities and hospitality tickets are endless, yet meaningful communication is scant.

Rangers fans’ unbelievable commitment to the club was unwavering during the Covid season, yet there appears to be little acknowledgement of this from the club. 45,000 bought a season ticket and watched the game from their living room. This was outside the control of Rangers in the midst of a pandemic, but it has been disappointing that no meaningful gesture has been forthcoming as fans return, perhaps in the form of a ticket price reduction.

This coming Thursday could have been the perfect opportunity - £10 tickets for Rangers v Alashkert. Issue a communication about how this is a thank you for last season and an apology for the ticketing issues on Tuesday. Instead, Rangers fans will be hit with an eye-watering £28 price to watch their team play the Armenian champions in a consolation match following the Champions League exit.

READ MORE: Cedric Itten Deep Dive: Swiss striker faces Rangers crossroads - Craig Vickers

Since the EGM of 2015, Rangers fans have loved having the controlling owners of the club as Rangers fans. It has been evident during the reign of Dave King, Douglas Park and other board members, as significant investment has been made to keep a loss-making club afloat and push the team on to finally win a title again.

The other benefit of having Rangers fans in charge of the club is they should understand how communication and a connection between the club and the fans is significant.

The board have plenty of credit in the bank for facilitating last season’s title win, and they should now use this time to ensure fans stay on side. They should:

  • Improve communication
  • Acknowledge fans’ significant contribution in recent years
  • Develop MyGers so it feels like a genuine reward scheme
  • Hold more events to take on board fans’ concerns and suggestions to improve the fan experience
  • Expand the supporter liaison department
  • Own mistakes when they happen

Some of these aren’t particularly difficult things to do and would only take minor financial investment. A short term outlay is worth it for the development of a strong long term relationship with the fans.

Supporters want to support their club and the board in their actions. Now is the time to reinforce that rather than assume unwavering backing regardless of circumstances.