WHEN a small section of the Rangers support turned on Lee McCulloch at Ibrox last Saturday and started booing their own captain it was by no means a new experience for Stuart McCall.

 

McCall had seen the same situation many times before, as a fan, a player, a coach and a manager, during a lifetime spent in the game in a variety of different guises.

Yet, at no stage during the last four decades, either as a Leeds United supporter standing on the terraces at Elland Road or as the Motherwell manager sitting in the dugout at Fir Park, has he seen the sense in it.

The 50-year-old, whose objective is to get the Ibrox club promoted via the SPFL Premiership Play-Off matches this month, yesterday expressed hope no individual in his side is singled out in the remaining games of the 2014/15 campaign.

He believes it will be detrimental to his side's chances of securing a place in the top flight of Scottish football alongside their Old Firm rivals Celtic next season if there is a repeat of the incident in the weeks ahead.

"I was a fan as a boy at Leeds United and I remember Terry Yorath and Ray Hankin coming in for stick," said McCall. "As a teenager I used to get into fights because of it. I could never get my head round why people would boo.

"I remember standing at the back of Leeds Kop, maybe I was 15 or 16-years-old, and Yorath, who had just taken over from Billy Bremner, was booed when his name was read out. Tell me, how's that going to help any individual?

"I also remember a game against Dundee United at Tannadice when I was in charge at Motherwell. This fan started caning Michael Higdon three minutes into the game. I had to put out a message saying: 'Lay off Michael!' He ended up with 27 goals and being voted Player of the Year."

He continued: "Now, I understand there are frustrations as a fan but if you go to a game and start booing a player is that going to help him or hinder him mentally? Is it going to make him feel good and feel like he's going to flourish or is he going to go into himself?

"It doesn't help anybody if a player is booed. Yes, we all understand and accept frustration in the stands. But booing one of your own players isn't going to help.

"I fully accept that when you boo your team at half time and full time that's everyone's prerogative. But it's certainly not going to help anyone by scapegoating an individual.

"I've no problem with a team being booed off at half time or full time, that's fine. People pay their money. But I think the individual thing is not on. It was sad to hear last week."

As he finalised preparations for the Championship match against runaway league winners Hearts at Tynecastle tomorrow, McCall once again praised the Rangers fans who reacted to the abuse of McCulloch by applauding the skipper.

He claimed that response was instrumental in the late fightback his side produced against Falkirk - who had been leading 2-0 with under 10 minutes remaining - and earn a point that may prove vital in their bid to finish in second place in the second tier table.

"The good thing last week was that within minutes of it happening most of the supporters actually turned it round and he was getting backing again," he said.

"We were 2-0 down and I think people thought: 'You know what? We need to help the team.' It spun itself round and then the majority of the supporters were clapping. I don't think if hadn't turned itself round that we would've got back in the game."

McCall has no concerns about the impact the experience may have had on McCulloch, the 36-year-old former Scotland internationalist who has been the subject of much criticism for his performances this term, entering the closing stages of the season.

"Lee's been fine," he said. "He's an experienced player. "I haven't had to speak to him. He just wants to get on with it. There's not a lot you can say anyway. What happened last week, for a short period of time I may add, wasn't nice to hear.

"I don't know. But Lee's had highs and lows, he's been there, he's seen it. He's represented Rangers terrifically well in his career. I don't want to make a big thing out of it. But it happened last week. The overriding thing for me was that the supporters then turned it on its head. That made it better."

"It's good he's not one of the younger ones. He has had highs and lows and he has been there and seen it and he has represented Rangers terrifically well in his career.

"Hopefully that's it and although it happened, the overriding feeling from me was that other supporters turned it on it's head and that made it better."