Rangers unrest is manifesting and Michael Beale should take a lesson from Ally McCoist's offer to Ange - Hugh Keevins

The words “Michael Beale” and “sacked” were used in the same sentence by an unmistakably infuriated caller. One of those Glasgow citizens who has no time for people who want patience.

The context was straightforward. The disenchanted Rangers supporter insisted on air that the gap between his club and Celtic in the league table had to be reduced to three points by the end of the season. The decoded version of that statement was that Beale had to win the two league games between the clubs that remain outstanding.

Or else. The inference was that, based on historical precedent, the Rangers manager who consistently fails to beat Celtic can’t remain Rangers’ manager. The job is not as “complex” as Beale thinks when it is being assessed by fans. And they don’t want to hear that Rangers are “competing against the odds” either. A temperature check was taken after the Viaplay Cup Final defeat at Hampden last Sunday.

Death traditionally introduces a sense of perspective – or at the very least a pause for reflection. A minute’s applause in tribute to Ron Gordon, the late owner of Hibs, was interrupted by a sectarian sing-song from a portion of the Rangers support.

This wasn’t just a show of shameful conduct. When the picture isn’t pretty the fans’ mood turns ugly – and this was a manifestation of unrest.

Beale must now see the date of the next meeting with Celtic on April 8 in neon lights on his office calendar. He sounded like a man who was publicly expressing his inner concerns when he addressed the media on Thursday and spoke of not having huge amounts of money to compete against those with a spending power normally associated with teams who finish first.

A financial report given in the midst of the same season in which Ibrox