THE band Garbage once sang “I think I’m paranoid”. I know the feeling, I’m starting to think my club, its board, manager, and players are out to drive me over the edge.

More on that to come, firstly Happy Anniversary to Rangers Football Club. 150 years at the loom weaving an unparalleled tapestry of triumph, tragedy, and trophies. Bring forth your clubs from the four corners of the globe and we will shock them. Four lads, dreams, vision, and history, by such things are myths made manifest.

Not to be a party pooper but I found the match-day anniversary celebrations somewhat low-key. Thankfully ‘ultras’ group the Union Bears had managed to bring together an eye-catching Tifo display. I don’t think the Club get any natural credit for that. I don’t always agree with the Bears but always applaud the fact these are just fans putting in their time, passion, and energy for the club they love. I do wonder if the board of Rangers should increase their dialogue there instead of using them only when seemingly expedient.

The match itself was less Happy Birthday and more burst balloon. A turgid affair that stung the eyes. Aberdeen brought their usual selves to Ibrox, by which I mean little. Rangers seemed to think this was a friendly given the paucity of their play (friendlies against rivals appears to be a theme), especially in the first half. Finally, with hands being wrung, eyes glaring at the dugout and the happy spirit ready to depart, Kemar Roofe bundled the winner over the line. Poor performance, clean sheet, three points. Lather, rinse, repeat. Giovanni van Bronckhorst vindicated in removing Alfredo Morelos. As celebrations go, I suspect there was more of a party at the fall of Rome to the Vandals.

READ MORE: Why Rangers' victories have been more worrying than recent draws - Jonny McFarlane

Sticking with the ancient world, in those days’ victorious Roman generals (or Consuls) would bring back the captured leaders of the Republics' enemies for show and eventual strangulation. Humiliation and the projection of power was the point, victory by close inspection and dismissal of the vanquished. Powerful optics that still have resonance. So let us come back to the present and a quite frankly baffling decision by our own senate-of-suits in the Ibrox Boardroom. The Sydney Super Cup, what price your pride? Rangers have agreed to play a friendly tournament in Australia which includes that erstwhile Old Firm partner, Celtic. The chief decision-making point is the friendly tournament will provide a commercial fillip to the tune of an entire SPFL season. Heady stuff and a point Rangers’ Commercial Director James Bisgrove was at pains to make during his recent media spots.

Let us not walk past the fact Mr Bisgrove was also "disappointed" by the negative fan reaction. A board connected to the fanbase would have known there has been some low-level noise growing over the last 12 months around the commercialisation of the club and the implied nature that only ‘paying’ supporters are true fans.

It should be understood by all that Rangers are also a business, a healthy balance sheet should support a healthy squad, engineering new income streams is absolutely the type of invention required. I don’t think however that is what most fans reacted to, rather, given this is a first return of Ange Postecoglu to his homeland, the billing has been ‘Ange’s Homecoming featuring Rangers’. To be clear, Rangers are not anyone’s ride-along, to have allowed this is a failure of several departments.

The tournament is in November, and again we drift back to those togate days by the Tiber. What if Celtic win the Premiership this season? That would mean Postecoglu in the mantle of returning Caesar, bringing with him a vanquished foe, forced to play in front of his fans. Conquered rivals dragged across the globe for Celtic fans' delight and a paycheck. A spectacle no self-respecting Rangers fan would wish to see. The converse is also true, however. Should the championship remain at Ibrox (and I hope it does) then Rangers would travel as champions, gifting their lustre to our beggared rival.

READ MORE: How Rangers can accommodate Kemar Roofe's 'penalty box proficiency' in misfiring 4-3-3

Finally, to Thursday and the visit of Red Star Belgrade in the first leg of the Round of 16 in the Europa League. It is hard to think of anywhere East of Germany without the cold realisation Europe is in the midst of a war. My thoughts go to the people of Ukraine in this dark hour. Football matters little in comparison.

For what it is worth I expect Rangers to win but know it will require to be earned. Red Star are currently second in the Serbian Super Liga, just three points off the top. There is effort, guile and talent in their ranks and Rangers will need to be on their game and, crucially, take their chances if they wish to build a lead to take to the Balkans.

The last word to Garbage and Shirley Manson, after “I think I’m paranoid” comes the line “And complicated”. 

So it ever was with Rangers, football, money, and fans.

Tommy is the managing editor of This Is Ibrox.

You can follow them on Twitter @Thisisibrox