AliousRangers are in danger of making unwanted history as they face the prospect of losing four consecutive home matches for the first time in their 153-year existence. The Glasgow giants will host Fenerbahce on March 13, and unless they can turn their fortunes around, they risk setting an unfortunate new club record.
The club’s recent struggles have already led to managerial upheaval, with Philippe Clement shown the door following shocking home defeats to Queen’s Park and St Mirren. Interim boss Barry Ferguson, a former Rangers captain, was unable to steady the ship in his first game in charge at Ibrox, as the Light Blues suffered a 2-1 loss to Motherwell.
Now, Rangers must regroup for their Europa League last-16 first-leg clash in Istanbul on Thursday. With no domestic fixture scheduled for the weekend, their next outing at Ibrox will be the return leg against Fenerbahce, led by Jose Mourinho. Beyond a spot in the quarter-finals, Rangers will also be battling to avoid an unprecedented fourth straight home defeat.
The club has endured three consecutive Ibrox losses on only seven previous occasions. The most recent instance was in 2012, when Ally McCoist’s financially stricken team suffered Scottish Cup elimination at the hands of Dundee United before falling to Kilmarnock and Hearts in league matches. That streak was snapped in dramatic fashion with a 3-2 victory over Celtic, which also denied their fierce rivals the chance to secure the title at Ibrox.
Earlier instances of three-game home losing streaks include 2001, when Rangers were beaten by Dundee, Dundee United, and Celtic, as well as a difficult spell in 1994 under Walter Smith, when they lost to AEK Athens, Celtic, and Falkirk in just one week. Prior to that, Rangers suffered three straight home defeats in three successive years—1971, 1972, and 1973—with one of those losses coming against East Fife. Their first recorded streak of this kind dates back to 1957, when they fell to Celtic, Hearts, and Kilmarnock.
Now, with the visit of Fenerbahce looming, Rangers must rally to prevent their name from being etched into club history for all the wrong reasons.
Alious
