RANGERS supporters endured the worst of both worlds last season. Not only were there myriad off-field difficulties to contend with – an unpopular board, cashflow problems, and the growing influence of Mike Ashley and Sports Direct – but on the field it was just as grim. By the end of the season the club had gone through three managers and still failed to win neither promotion nor any plaudits for their style of play. Even the most optimistic of Rangers fans must have struggled to come up with reasons to be cheerful.

This season, off-field distractions remain. The latest club accounts, published last week, show a shortfall of £2.5m that one or more of the directors will need to once again plug. Ashley and Sports Direct show no sign of loosening their grip – the protest by several hundred supporters outside the club store on Saturday is hardly likely to bring about a softening of his heart - and are making a play to have chairman Dave King imprisoned. The SPFL are still to decide on whether sporting sanctions will be imposed following the news that EBTs ought to have been taxable after all, while former chief executive Charles Green and his big Yorkshire hands will try later this week to get Rangers to pay his legal fees for his impending day in court. There is enough material there to produce a short movie. Film noir, perhaps.

Given the context, it is perhaps not a surprise that Rangers fans have warmed gratefully to the much-improved product on the pitch this season. Under Mark Warburton the team has become more consistent and also a lot easier on the eye. Question marks over just how they would respond to their first league defeat of the season to Hibernian were answered in fairly emphatic style on Saturday as they scored four past Alloa Athletic without reply. Granted, top against bottom in the SPFL Championship was always likely to be a one-sided affair, and Alloa did not help themselves either with some slack defending at the worst possible times. Rangers, though, did what they had to, further vindicating their manager’s insistence that he and his players would not allow themselves to become distracted by whatever circus is unfolding in the background.

Rangers can’t afford to take their eye off the ball because Hibs will surely punish them if they do. Despite winning 12 of their opening 13 league games, their lead at the top is still only five points. If none of the other eight teams in the division are capable of taking any points from the leading two – and it doesn’t look like it for now - then their two remaining head-to-heads on December 28 and March 5 could turn out to be pivotal.

On Saturday there was further evidence of Martyn Waghorn’s growing influence at the apex of the Rangers attack. He scored twice in the first half and should have gone on to claim a hat-trick given he also had another four or five chances saved or missed. To date the one-time Sunderland striker has scored 17 times this season and Barrie McKay, who created his second, believes he will go on to add many more.

“Waggy has done well since he came in,” said the winger. “He’s got himself on the scoresheet plenty times and he’s a natural finisher. It’s such a bonus for us to have him here. As a winger, you love having a guy like him to aim at. I’ve probably set up a few of his goals, which is pleasing. But it’s not just Waggy, you saw Nicky Clark coming on and popping up with a goal too.

“If you give it to Waggy, nine times out of ten he’ll hit the net. He can definitely get a lot more goals because there’s a lot of the season still to go. I’m sure there are plenty to come yet.”

McKay has been a player reinvented himself this term. Having spent time out on loan at Morton and Raith Rovers in recent season, the 20 year-old has returned to the Rangers team to good effect this season, becoming a regular starter under Warburton. Although largely content with his performances, he knows he needs to add to the two goals he has managed so far this season.

“I’d like to get my own name more on the scoresheet - it’s nice to come up with assists, but people tend to remember who scored the goals rather than who made set them up,” he admitted. “I definitely need to add more goals, but all you can do is keep working on it in training. The manager’s not pushing me to get more, it’s just a target I’ve set myself. He just tells me to keep doing what I’m doing and that gives me a lot of confidence.”