A FANS' boycott of Ibrox has been hailed a success as one of the lowest crowd in recent years watched Rangers reach the League Cup semi finals by beating St Johnstone 1-0.
Supporters registered their disgust over the board's rejection of a £16 million investment for a £2m emergency loan from Sports Direct tycoon Mike Ashley by turning their back on the quarter-final last night.
Little more than 13,000 fans turned up for the club's biggest match of the season.
It came as Mr Ashley and Rangers football board chairman Sandy Easdale were branded "bullies" and Rangers International Football Club plc directors "cowards" as further power at Ibrox was handed to Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley.
Mr Ashley's trusted lieutenant, former Newcastle United managing director Derek Llambias, held talks with board yesterday as "a consultant". It was widely mooted that he was being lined up as chief executive or managing director.
It is also understood that Sports Direct executive Barry Leach, head of brands, has also been taken on as a consultant.
Craig Houston, of the Sons of Struth supporters group, which orchestrated the boycott said: "This proves it is not just that us that are not happy with the things that are going on. It is obvious with the empty blue seats there that there are a lot of Rangers fans out there with the same opinion."
Last night's attendance was only 2,000 more than that for the 8-1 defeat of Clyde in the Petrofac Training Cup in August - the lowest home crowd for 29 years at Ibrox.
Talking earlier about the possible boycott, Mr Easdale, who is chairman of a RIFC subsidiary, said: "I think they (the fans) can make their own mind up. I'm not going to comment on fans."
The £2m loan, which has to be paid back in six months, gives Mr Ashley effective control of the subsidiary Rangers Football Club Ltd board - that holds the club's retail rights. The terms give him security over the Albion car park and Edmiston House facility next to Ibrox.
Phillip Nash quit in protest at the plc directors' decision to accept the loan, secured over six months on two Rangers' property assets, in return for allowing the Newcastle United owner two seats on the RFCL board. Chief executive Graham Wallace followed.
A bigger £3m loan from Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy and former Rangers director Dave King's £16m takeover offer, preferred by the Union of Fans was rejected.
The group stopped short of calling for a boycott of home matches or of Rangers merchandise sold through Ashley's Sports Direct retail chain, although supporters were invited to consider whether their custom would strengthen Mr Ashley's position.
The UoF said the club had been the subject of "corporate pillaging" from "corporate vultures".
They said the club had "again been betrayed" by those tasked with overseeing "the health and success of our great football club".
"The decision by the non-executive directors of the plc board, Mr Somers, Mr James Easdale and Mr Norman Crighton, to effectively hand control of the club to Mike Ashley in return for a £2m, short term loan, is an absolute disgrace.
"They have acted in a cowardly way and have been bullied by Mike Ashley and Sandy Easdale into giving them precisely what they want with no regard for the club," the fans group said.
Rangers would not comment.
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