Martin praises 'brilliant' fans for their backing despite protests calling for him to be removed alongside CEO Patrick Stewart

RUSSELL MARTIN offered a bizarre 'thank you' to the fans who carried out a protest calling for his head ahead of Rangers' 2-0 Premier Sports Cup win over Hibs and brandished posters and banners calling for his dismissal.

Around 1,500 supporters gathered outside the front of door of Ibrox before kick-off to call for the removal of Martin and CEO Patrick Stewart and those chants continued during the match - with the game being stopped after just 10 minutes as a result of the Union Bears group throwing balls onto the pitch and raising a banner which read 'Delaying The Inevitable - Martin Must Go'.

Goals from the recalled Nico Raskin and Bojan Miovski gave the home side a much-needed victory with Martin emerging afterwards to state that he felt the fans were 'really good' after his side got their noses in front and offer them his gratitude.

Asked about hearing loud calls for his head on a plate in the home dressing-room before the match, Martin replied: 'It was actually right during the team talk, but like I said to the guys, I can't control any of it.

'Like I said about some family stuff this week, it's been really difficult to put it in perspective but we had control of the performance and we had control of not the start of the game but the fans at the end of the game.

Russell Martin watched his side defeat Hibernian to reach the League Cup semi-finals

Rangers fans protested against head coach Martin and chief executive Patrick Stewart

'I have to say I thought the fans were brilliant. They made their feelings really clear and then, once that was done and we started playing with a bit of flow, I think they were really good, really, really good.

'So I have to thank them for that. This football club comes about one person really quickly. I think it's probably (like that) at both clubs here, but it's just not. It's about so many people on the staff, the players. It's become about me, not by my choice.

'Now, hopefully, it will become more and more about the team if we put in performances like that.'

Martin met with chairman Andrew Cavenagh, who had flown in from America, after the match along with the likes of Stewart, 49ers Enterprises representative Gretar Steinsson and sporting director Kevin Thelwell.

'They're really happy. I'll have to go back in so we can have a chat,' he said.

'It was probably the performance I enjoyed the most. The team looked how we wanted it to look really. Loads to improve and loads to build on.

'We could maybe have scored a couple more goals as the team grew in confidence. I'm really proud of them. I'm really grateful for the players that are together this week, the support, the staff as well, how happy they were for the group to win.

'I think to do that in these circumstances is not easy, so I'm really proud of them. We have a lot of young men finding their way, trying to grow into their career here, but they've been amazing this week and they took it onto the pitch.

'There's so many of them that have to use today as a springboard and something to build from.

'Once the lads started really freeing up and we scored, you saw some really great stuff. Maybe we could have created a bit more early on in the game, but they found their way and they built their way into the game. Now we have to build our way into the season.

Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh was in attendance for Saturday's Cup win over Hibs

Nico Raskin celebrates after giving Rangers the lead against Hibernian

New signing Bojan Miovski scored his first goal for Rangers against Hibernian

'But it gives us something tangible to feel, some evidence of success that will be important for them.

'I think it can be something to build from, for sure. It needs to look like that more often than not. I can't control anything else but, in terms of performance and us and how we work, I think it will be really, really important for us.'

Martin had spoken about simplifying things after last weekend's league defeat at home to Hearts and believes that paid dividends.

'I think so. They took the ball, they passed the ball,' he said. 'We didn't force it too early. We waited until the gaps opened. We were patient, but we were quick.

The players played in their position and the team looked coached this week.'

Martin offers bizarre 'thank you' to fans who protested against him