GLASGOW: Rangers manager Russell Martin said he will not accede to fans’ demands to resign after a 2-0 home defeat to Hearts saw the Glasgow giants get off to their worst league start since 1978.
A double from Lawrence Shankland delivered a first win at Ibrox since 2014 for top-of-the-table Hearts, who open up a nine-point lead on Rangers.
Celtic can also go nine clear of their local rivals should the Scottish champions win at Kilmarnock on Sunday.
Martin was hounded with chants for his exit during the 90 minutes after failing to win any of his first five Scottish Premiership matches.
“The fans are entitled to their opinion so I can’t come out here and criticize that,” said Martin after replying “no” to whether he will resign.
“I don’t think many of them (the supporters) wanted me here in the first place.”
The appointment of the former Southampton boss appears to be a misguided first move from Rangers’ new American owners.
Despite overhauling the squad with 13 new signings, Rangers’ hopes of adding to their sole league title in the past 14 years are already fading fast.
“We have a lot of new guys in there. We have a lot of players trying to feel their way in an environment that’s really difficult to feel their way into,” added Martin.
“There’s anxiety at the moment. The players are not the same team we see in training on Thursday and Friday when they go out and play in this environment right now.
“And that’s not a criticism of anyone. But we have to just keep working.”
To rub salt into the home side’s wounds, it was a long-time Rangers target in Lawrence Shankland who did the damage for Hearts.
Shankland spun onto Claudio Braga’s pass to fire the visitors into a deserved lead on 21 minutes.
Rangers showed flashes of sparking into life as Thelo Aasgaard’s effort came back off the crossbar.
However, their first league defeat of the season was sealed when Mohammed Diomande pulled down Harry Milne inside the box eight minutes from time.
Shankland’s penalty was saved by Jack Butland but the Scotland international was first to the loose ball and slotted in.
After investment from Brighton owner Tony Bloom to buy a minority stake in the Edinburgh club in June, Hearts are now aiming to become the first club outside Celtic and Rangers to win the Scottish top-flight since Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen in 1985.
“It is an important win for us in terms of giving belief to a lot of the new lads and the lads who have been here a while who have been scarred by not winning at places like Ibrox,” said Hearts boss Derek McInnes.
Hibernian edged up to third after coming from two goals down to salvage a 3-3 draw with Dundee United.
At the other end of the table, Aberdeen remain rock bottom and without a goal this season after a 0-0 draw at home to Livingston.
