Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh jetting in to face anti-Russell Martin fan revolt head on and take control of crisis

Andrew Cavenagh, the Rangers owner, will face a furious fan protest upon his arrival at Ibrox on Saturday, as supporters demand the removal of manager Russell Martin and chief executive Patrick Stewart due to the club's deepening crisis. Cavenagh is set to jet in from the USA on Friday to take full control of the situation, which coincides with planned demonstrations.

The Union Bears fans group has confirmed they will stage a protest ahead of the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Hibs, urging fellow fans to join them at the main entrance of Ibrox before kick-off. This action is driven by Russell Martin's failure to win any of his opening five Premiership games, resulting in Rangers' worst start to a season in 47 years, which has left fans fed up and vocal about their dissatisfaction.

The Rangers Fan Advisory Board met with CEO Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell on Wednesday, engaging in a two-hour discussion where they urged the club to dismiss Martin. They emphasized the fans' strong feelings against the manager's performance and other first-team issues, challenging the club's stance of backing Martin. Stewart, who missed a recent 2-0 defeat to Hearts, has had his decision to appoint Martin branded "catastrophic" by the Union Bears.

The Union Bears have issued a public statement promising a series of protests, declaring Stewart's position "untenable" and Martin's performances a "disgrace to the club's standards." They are using a graphic with red circles and lines through both men, similar to previous protests, and have scheduled the demonstration for 4:30 PM on Saturday at the Ibrox entrance, where Martin recently faced significant anger from the stands.