'I did take it personally' - Michael Beale lifts lid on recent banner and talks with fans over it

Rangers manager Michael Beale has an opportunity to claim what would only be the Ibrox club’s third trophy in 11 years when his team go toe-to-toe with Celtic in the Viaplay Cup final.

Rangers manager Michael Beale believes that the banner held up by a group of the club's fans last week was the voicing of an opinion, as is their entitlement, in a manner and at a time not helpful. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

And the Englishman will do so continuing to believe a banner unfurled by a section of the club’s support at Livingston last weekend that set out the current haul of two honours in that period - the historic 2020-21 unbeaten championship success for which he was first-team coach in the Steven Gerrard regime and last season’s Scottish Cup win under Giovanni van Bronckhorst - was a dig at him. An assumption based on the sign going on to declare “uphold the standards that matter”, in what was taken as a reference to his sportsmanship in allowing Partick Thistle a free goal in the immediate aftermath of Rangers scoring in what was regarded as unsporting fashion during their recent Scottish Cup tie.

Asked if he considered the banner a “slight” on him, Beale revealed there had been contact with the supporters responsible for it to petition that this was not their intention. An explanation that seemed to cut little ice with the Rangers manager, even as he sought to move on from the incident. “They reached out to me personally to say it wasn’t but I thought it was, to be honest. I did take it personally. It’s one of those things. We have fans all the way around the world. That’s a small minority of our fans, they’re very passionate and I think they do a lot of good things.

“They pay their money and they come and support the team, they’re allowed to voice their opinion. I explained that I would have preferred it not to be in that way and at the moment. But it’s fine, everyone has their own opinions on the game. It’s important we stick together, it’s important our fans are with us and we’re united because when we are, we’re a very strong club. So, it’s fine. The fans are allowed to voice their opinions. I was a fan before I was a manager, so I do get it.”