As the Football Writers’ Awards nominations come out this week, Rangers are at an interesting juncture with the press.
The club has taken a decidedly different approach to media outlets and journalists who Rangers believe are covering the club vexatiously by revoking press rights and assistance.
For many fans, it has them wondering if this might affect the decision-making of the writers invited to vote.
This season alone there has been at least eight major disputes with Scottish news outlets with fans fully endorsing the club’s stance when it comes to traditional media.
BBC Scotland, the Daily Record, Clyde One, Michael Stewart and Andy Walker have all experienced the club’s position this season as the Gers look to use their own power of co-operation to douse the flames of a fire ten years in the lighting.
What is clear is that Rangers are in a good position on and off the pitch and gone are the days of speculative coverage and negative association. Rangers want change.
But in doing so there is growing frustration and distance between Rangers and some elements of the media, something summed up by that Scottish Cup double-page spread in the Sunday Post which took aim at the club.
The newspaper was left frustrated before the St Johnstone match after the Gers never provided interviewees for the clash.
This might have some believing there could be some ill-feeling when it goes into these awards as a manager, young Scottish player and leading footballer are set to be recognised.
Writers will have no choice but to vote for a Rangers star in the Player of the Year stakes, with Allan McGregor, Connor Goldson, James Tavernier and Steven Davis providing a clean sweep of Gers stars [Four Four Two].
In the young player of the year category, even the staunchest bluenose in Govan will struggle to argue Nathan Patterson’s case vehemently enough against the likes of Hibs’ Josh Doig.
Patterson’s Covid-19 breach probably stands against him here, in multiple ways, not least in that it has prevented him from playing for the rest of the season.
The main debate probably surrounds Steven Gerrard and the Manager of the Year award, plenty already turning to Callum Davidson of St Johnstone for the gong.
For many Rangers fans, it is ludicrous to suggest Gerrard shouldn’t be recognised for stopping the apparently unstoppable 10 and securing 55 for the legions of Gers supporters whilst failing to lose a league match.
But for many others, it’s also somewhat uncouth to suggest professional journalists would use this as an opportunity to smite the club’s achievements this season, plenty talking down any suggestion it is a political tool to send a message to the club’s comms department.
The very crux of many of the arguments levelled in the context of the Rangers media approach – balance, honesty, independence – will be tested by this awards show.
Whatever the outcome – true to form in Scotland – not everyone will be convinced that it passes the exam, Rangers disputes in the Scottish press or not.
Here’s more on the Rangers press disputes as the Ibrox club tries to engineer fundamental change to the way they are represented in the media.
