IF some perspective was required for Mark Warburton yesterday it arrived in the form of a visit to the club's training base from selected members of the Nith Valley Loyal Rangers supporters' club.

One man, Ryan Baird, died and eighteen others were injured when a bus carrying fans from the Sanquhar and Kirkconnel area swerved and crashed on the A76 on its way to the home win against Partick Thistle on October 1 and there were poignant scenes at Auchenhowie yesterday when the Englishman met with the deceased's parents and fiancee among other members of the ill-fated coach trip that day. It may not seem like it at times but football really isn't a matter of life and death.

“We had all the boys from the bus in at the training ground today," said Warburton. "The boys suffered some horrible injuries so it was good to see them back to full health and enjoying their morning. It puts everything else into perspective.

Read more: Warburton insists that 95% of Rangers fans remain behind him as Barton meets Ibrox hierarchyThe Herald:

“You realise how close some of them came," he added. "Some were saying they’d sat in the seat where Ryan unfortunately was. You can imagine the stories, there was one young lad coming to his first ever game at Ibrox. So it was good to get them in and show them around - it was the least we could do. You can talk about a game of football but we met Ryan’s mum and dad and his fiancee and it was devastating. It shows this is only a game."

Members of the armed services will visit Ibrox on Saturday to help observe the customary minute's silence for Remembrance Day before the meeting with Kilmarnock but any respite for the manager is unlikely to last for long. Boos rang out around Ibrox on Wednesday night following the club's third home league draw of the campaign, a result which leaves the club's ambitions for a maiden title upon their return to the Scottish top flight looking forlorn even before the end of October.

Read more: Warburton insists that 95% of Rangers fans remain behind him as Barton meets Ibrox hierarchy

They trail Celtic by seven points, having played a game more, and best of the rest now appears a more realistic target. The maths didn't seem quite right when the Englishman said that 95% of the club's supporters remain steadfastly behind him but now would seem a sensible time to manage expectations amongst a supporter base who have grown used to their club racking up league titles and cup wins. Would, for instance, finishing second, albeit if they trail in 35 points behind a treble-winning Celtic, still represent success?

"It has taken me 18 months to understand a lot more about it [the expectation at Rangers]," said Warburton. "New guys are coming in, knocking on the door, bemused by it. We have got to learn that the expectation is high because the supporters have been reared on titles, cup success, and European travels. We have to manage the expectations in the squad and recognise what is good, what is success, in both the short term, and the longer term."

People in football are often scathing of 'projects' but Warburton is determined that his approach long-term can take Rangers to where they need to go. But certain short-term success is a pre-requisite in order to by him time. Talk of cutting the gap between the two Old Firm sides, for instance, ignores the fact that Celtic's coffers this summer will be boosted by an extra £20m in Champions League money.

The Englishman feels that the main source of pressure on his position comes not from the boardroom, nor from the club's fans, but from the media. "The pressure comes from certain papers," he said. "If you read certain papers then you think the pressure comes from the board because we have won four out of ten [in the league]. Had we won last night instead of drawn, where would be in relation to Hearts and Aberdeen? We are ten games in, very early into the season, still players gelling in. After this 'shocking' start ... one reporter said to me last night that if we had lost it would be even deeper into the despair. What was he talking about?"

As much of a benefit as a full Ibrox house can be, young players have to learn to cope with the dynamics of the crowd when things aren't going so well. “When I see people slaughtering a young player, there is no thought of what he is going through," said Warburton. "He has gone from 2,000 last year to playing in front of 50,000 this year and he just has to get used to it." The opening of the January transfer window is still two months away and of those key players with experience of big clubs, Barton's situation is ongoing, Niko Kranjcar will see a specialist in London next weekend while this weekend comes too soon for Jordan Rossiter to return.

Read more: Warburton insists that 95% of Rangers fans remain behind him as Barton meets Ibrox hierarchy

Michael O'Halloran made his first league start of the season against his former club on Wednesday night. He was delighted to play his part, but said he had no idea why he hadn't featured more often. “I joined Rangers to play and I can only work hard in training every day but the manager picks the team so you’ll need to ask him why I’m not being picked," he said. “I’ve never asked the manager whey I haven’t been in the team. I felt I did reasonably well in the game. Of course it was disappointing not to get the result but it’s been a while since I played so I was just happy to play again."

**Rangers Football Club will commemorate Remembrance at the match against Kilmarnock at Ibrox on Saturday, 29 October 2016 with a minute’s silence before kick-off. Representatives from each of the services, Erskine, Poppyscotland and Rangers Football Club will attend a wreath laying ceremony at the John Greig Statue at Ibrox before the game and two veterans will lead the teams out prior to kick-off.