McCulloch wants to win as thank-you to loyal fans

LEE McCulloch believes there is a simple way in which Rangers can repay their supporters for the backing they have given the club during the trauma of administration – and that is beating Celtic tomorrow to prevent Neil Lennon’s team from lifting the title at Ibrox.

The midfielder knows that a home victory will not be required to do that if Motherwell beat Kilmarnock today, but he explained that he and his team-mates have prepared for their own game without regard to that fixture. Instead of relying on others to keep the title race alive for at least another week, Rangers, he said, must be prepared to carry out that task themselves.

“We definitely don’t want to see a Celtic title party,” McCulloch said. “It’s all about concentrating on ourselves and not worrying about results elsewhere.

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“It’s all about getting that result on Sunday. It doesn’t matter if Motherwell win or lose on Saturday, as long as we look after ourselves. This is going to be our biggest game of the season. This is the chance to repay the fans for everything they’re going through. Hopefully we can do that by getting three points.”

Rangers have never before lost four consecutive home games, and they would certainly hope for easier opponents than Celtic as they bid to avoid setting that unwanted record. But, while acknowledging that Neil Lennon’s team will arrive at Ibrox in buoyant mood, McCulloch suggested that Rangers have been steadily improving over the last few weeks, even if their results do not show that.

“They’ll come and have a go,” he said of Celtic. “They’ll fancy their chances. They’re a good team and they’ve been on a good run outwith their last match. They’ve got quality right through their team, so they’re quite within their rights to come and have a go at us.

“It’s certainly the worst run of results before we face Celtic, but Old Firm games can change the mentality from the rest of the season. I think second place is what we have to go for now and we can start off with a result on Sunday.

“We just want to get a result, because we haven’t had one for long enough. There would be no better time to start than against Celtic.

“I just don’t know why we have been so poor at home this season. Every season for the past four we have gone through patches of not playing well at home. I think a lot of teams come to frustrate you at home, while this season it comes at a time when we are not at our best.”

The uncertainty of administration and the loss of some players has clearly had an effect on Rangers’ play, but McCulloch suggested that the players had to take responsibility on the ptich for improving results. “It’s hard to say whether it is all down to what is happening off the park.

“As a group of players we try to win every game, but there’s no doubt we have been low with everything that has happened. Most of it has been outwith our hands, but we have still got to deal with it. I think last week against Dundee United our performance was a lot better, but the result still wasn’t.”

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Even if Rangers do fend off Motherwell’s challenge and claim second place, they will be ineligible for European competition – something which McCulloch admitted was hard to accept. He recognised, however, that at present, mere survival has to be the priority.

“It is a huge blow, because Rangers pride themselves on being in Europe and enjoying big European nights. The most important thing just now is getting the club safe and hopefully getting somebody to come in and buy it.”