The under-fire boss has been backed by the club’s American owners but one ex-Ibrox star fears for his futureRussell Martin(Image: SNS Group)

Kevin Thomson insists Russell Martin must urgently reward the backing of the Rangers board with results.

Thomson says the embattled gaffer has been fortunate with funding compared to binned bosses Giovanni Van Bronckhorst and Philippe Clement.

Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises helped Martin recruit a dozen new faces since appointing him.

But, as Gers prepare for Thursday’s Europa League tie at Sturm Graz, the return so far has been rotten.

Thomson reckons some of the Ibrox fan fury stems from seeing other clubs hit the ground running after significant summer transfer turnover.

The two-time title winner and former Gers academy coach says Martin got the weapons he wanted.

(Image: PA)

Now he needs to get them firing in his system – or his boardroom backers will think again.

Thomson said: “Russell has been well-backed – I don’t think he could sit there and say he hasn’t been.

“Some other Rangers managers in the past, whether it’s Clement or Gio, they didn’t have the same backing.

“The problem is that, although it’s early, fans want to see results now. There’s been a big turnover of players. He got rid of people he didn’t want and replaced them.

“Look at Motherwell, who play brilliant football, and look at Hearts who have recruited really well. Other teams with less budget than you are doing well.

“Rangers fans see this and are asking why that’s not the case at Ibrox when they’ve spent more.

“Russell signed his own players, so you can’t get away with saying you’ve inherited others and they’re not quite doing what he wants them to do. It’s up to him to put the style of play in and win games.”

Thomson says it’s no shock that the new owners have stood by Martin – so far.

He never expected them to be easily swayed by public protests and personal chants against their first managerial pick. Yet that could change if failure starts to hit the club in the pocket.

Thomson said: “The owners are billionaires; they’re not going to be influenced – if they think they’ve done the right thing.

“They didn’t become the successful people they are by being pushed around. But the bottom line is the Rangers fanbase is very powerful.

Kevin Thomson promotes William Hill’s sponsorship of the Scottish Professional Football League and their weekly YouTube show and podcast, The Warm-Up.

“And when you have thousands of people outside Ibrox protesting or the lowest attendance for years at a European game, people have to take notice.

“You quickly lose money. People always told me guys as successful as this are usually so instinctive and, when things go wrong, they change it quickly.

“So far you could argue that hasn’t been the case because the majority of Rangers fans would’ve wanted to see Russell and his staff go.

“Hopefully they can try to turn the tide and get some sort of run going. If the next hiccup is just around the corner, then I’d fear the worst might happen.”

*KEVIN THOMSON was speaking to promote William Hill’s sponsorship of the Scottish Professional Football League and their weekly YouTube show and podcast, The Warm-Up.