12th August 2026; Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland; UEFA Europa League Qualifier Football, Rangers versus Jagiellonia Bialystok; Rangers manager Derek McInnes
Not even back-to-back wins over Celtic has spared Derek McInnes from the anger of Ibrox fans.
His crime? A 2-2 draw with Dundee on the back of a six match winning run in the SPFL.
McInnes might think that he knows the Ibrox support but the pain, frustration and anger of the last 15 years has left them emotionally scarred and battered.
It only takes the slightest of set-backs to trigger them.
Over the last six seasons there has been times when the bears convinced themselves that they were about to win the SPFL title.
This morning Celtic are four points ahead of their city ‘rivals’ as they look to become champions for a sixth successive season.
It is a far cry from the days when McInnes was on the fringes of the old Rangers.
He played less than 20 league matches over five seasons but such is the spin put forward that you’d think he played as much a part in the ill-gotten successes as Paul Gascoigne or Brian Laudrup.
Almost 30 years on the environment for Ibrox fans is very different.
The old triumphalism has been replaced by fatalism. The bears are just waiting on the inevitable slip. It arrived on Saturday night at Dens Park.
Every thread above spells out the despair felt at Dens Park.
Effectively one slip from Dan Neil ruined the weekend plans and piled the pressure on McInnes.
PRESSURE PILES UP ON MCINNES
Everyone knows how McInnes reacted to pressure last season. From January onwards Hearts never won a match outside of Edinburgh.
Their only away win was against 9 man Hibs who had hyped themselves into a ridiculous state. Hearts were guilty of that after the Derby victory left them in touching distance of the title.
Ibrox will be a nervous place on Saturday when St Johnstone visit. Simo Valakari has his side in the top six and playing confident football.
After that McInnes returns to Tynecastle where the home fans have a lot of unanswered questions and a special welcome waiting.
When was the first approach made over a summer switch to Ibrox made? When did Danny Rohl decide that it was time to get out.
It seemed that McInnes was all but appointed before RB Salzburg had secured Rohl as head coach.
If the gap increases to more than four points the heat will really be turned up on McInnes.
Being one of their own and knowing the songs won’t protect him from the angry mob that chased Rohl, Russell Martin, Phil Clement, Micky Beale and Giovanni van Bronckhorst out the door.
