Former MK Dons head coach Russell Martin has been dismissed by Rangers after a 1–1 draw at Falkirk left the Ibrox club languishing in the bottom half.
The 39-year-old lasted just four months in charge, winning only five matches in all competitions and presiding over a single Premiership victory before his exit on 5 October. His 123 day tenure is a new record for the shortest ever at Ibrox.
Rangers Pull the Plug After Faltering Start
Rangers confirmed Martin’s departure in a brief statement, thanking him and his staff for their efforts but acknowledging that “results have not met the club’s expectations.” Assistant head coach Matt Gill and first-team coach Mike Williamson also left their roles.
Pressure had been building for weeks and boiled over at Falkirk Stadium, where mounted police escorted Martin away amid angry scenes. Despite a late win at Livingston the previous weekend, a seventh league game yielding only eight points proved decisive for the hierarchy, who must now reset early in the campaign.
From MK Dons Blueprint to Scottish Struggles
Martin’s reputation was forged at MK Dons, where he implemented a possession-heavy, patient build-up style that drew plaudits and set passing benchmarks in the EFL. That philosophy carried through subsequent posts, but it failed to translate quickly enough at Ibrox, where transition pains collided with the expectation of immediate results.
Even Martin admitted responsibility for the team’s predicament after the Falkirk draw. “They’re giving us everything they’ve got,” he said of his players. “Ultimately I’m the one in charge of the team, so I have to accept responsibility.”
American-Led Regime Faces Big Decision
Martin’s appointment followed a lengthy recruitment process in the wake of Philippe Clement’s exit, with an American consortium now under pressure alongside chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell to land the right successor.
Supporters’ patience has thinned after a turbulent period of change; with the league campaign still young, the next appointment must stabilise results and reconnect with a fanbase accustomed to competing at the top end.
What Next for Martin?
For Martin, the challenge will be separating the sting of a short Ibrox spell from the broader arc of a coaching career defined elsewhere by clear methodology and development of young talent. His MK Dons tenure remains the reference point for clubs seeking a possession-first identity, though immediate success in pressure cookers like Ibrox can demand compromise as well as conviction.
Writer’s View
Framed as the former MK Dons boss, Martin’s dismissal underscores a familiar tension: ideals versus immediacy. His principles were never likely to be the problem; time was. At Rangers, stylistic build-outs need instant end product; without it, noise grows quickly.
The board now needs a pragmatist who can win while steadying a restless support. Martin, meanwhile, is still a coach of ideas and upside, but his next role may require a sharper blend of philosophy and hard-edged results from day one.
