Mark Hateley's simple instruction for Rangers to help heal fans' anger

Easier said than done perhaps, but for Mark Hateley the first step to solving the recent discord at Rangers is simple.

“Just keep winning.”

Protest banners and chants were aired against the proposed Sydney Super Cup participation during last week’s win over St Johnstone, and Giovanni van Bronckhorst was even on the receiving end with some fans audibly jeering his decision to replace Alfredo Morelos with Kemar Roofe against Aberdeen.

The growing unrest at a crucial juncture of the season, and in a tightly contested title race, is a far cry from the united front witnessed a year ago to the day when Rangers celebrated title number 55 and regained champions’ status after a decade-long wait.

For a 56th, they will have to follow Hateley’s advice on the pitch, but the former striker says continuing the feel-good factor is just part of repairing the unrest brought to the surface by the planned derby Down Under.

“The fans are obviously disgruntled over certain situations and things that have happened recently, probably the way it has been released. That would annoy football fans because it is their football club.

“There is disengagement because obviously the fans haven’t known about it. You have to have a line of communication into your support or they will turn on the board,” he said.

“I have been involved at every level of the game from player to coach to manager and you have to engage with everybody within the football club. It’s not rocket science. You have to understand people.”

Hateley, a face of the club in his ambassador role until 18 months ago, used to meet the fans regularly. As such, he has an understanding of the support-base and a recognition of their role at Ibrox. It is a bond forged more than a quarter of a