Despite their sticky start to the season, the best betting sites still rate Rangers as the second favourites to claim top spot at the end of the season. Many fans wagered on the team to win the title before a ball was kicked, and that level of support is still forcing the bookmakers to take evasive action. Sports betting is not the only way Rangers fans engage with the club as it strives to regain its status as the undisputed number one in Scottish football.
“Football clubs have a unique relationship with their fans, and this relationship is critical to the success and sustainability of the club.” While those twenty-two words from their official website could have been written about any club in the world, they take on special resonance when applied to Rangers.
Fans of the Scottish giants have been put through the mill over the past 12 years, with liquidation and a subsequent resurrection putting their loyalty to the test. Although the re-emergence of Rangers as a force has been well-documented, it is fair to say the rise from the ashes would not have happened without the supporters.
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Despite constant barbs from the other big Glasgow club, Rangers fans have more than done their bit to help their heroes climb back to the top of Scottish football. Attending games and buying merchandise are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to recognising how strong the Rangers community has become. The support is unflinching – a point highlighted by the latest outright odds available on Rangers to win the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership title.
The Fan Advisory Board (FAB) plays an integral role in shaping the future of Rangers, offering invaluable insights and guidance on club matters and policies. They regularly meet with club management to represent the views of the wider fanbase and ensure their voices are heard on key issues.
Supporter Collaboration Sessions (SCS) are another initiative where supporters have the opportunity to engage in dialogue with members of the club’s staff. Attending SCS gatherings is a great way to for fans to meet people behind the scenes at Rangers and share their thoughts directly with them.
The sessions have been utilised by the club to gain a better understanding of elements such as accessible seating, singing section trials and more. Rangers also boast a global network of official supporters’ clubs, which are hubs of communal identity for fans located all over the world.
Those clubs have official lines into the club, thus creating a strong community bond which ensures fans can have their say about club matters. While each of these initiatives are important in their own way, the support of Rangers fans on matchdays is what truly shapes the club. Politics undoubtedly impacts how that support manifests itself and Rangers fans have historically worked hard to ensure they shape their own narrative.
They did that in style recently by transforming a Scottish National Party (SNP) anthem into a song extolling the virtues of supporting Rangers. Dougie MacLean’s folk classic ‘Caledonia’ is loved by SNP acolytes and they will be fuming that the song has been rewritten by Ibrox ultras group Union Bears.
MacLean’s ditty was widely sung by SNP supporters during the independence referendum campaign, but has now been adopted by Rangers fans, albeit with different words.
They have been revelling in the irony of converting a nationalistic tune into a heartfelt song which ends with the line ‘Glasgow Rangers is everything I’ve ever had’. That sentiment truly sums up the power of the Rangers community and how fans shape the club.
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