McCoist has no axe to grind with supporters ignoring call to stay away from Tannadice

Chief football writer

Saturday 2 February 2013

Ally McCoist last night refused to criticise Rangers fans who have defied the club's official boycott and bought tickets for today's Scottish Cup tie at Dundee United.

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Michael Grant

United have sold just under 350 tickets to visiting supporters on top of around 9400 tickets to their own fans. The Rangers chief executive, Charles Green, had refused to take an allocation for the fifth-round tie and McCoist has previously backed the decision by the vast majority of Rangers fans to stay away from the game.

But when asked if he was disappointed with those who will be there against the club's wishes, McCoist said he would not criticise them. The boycott is a response to United voting against newco Rangers' application to join the SPL last summer."I am certainly not going to be critical of our fans at any time this season," the manager said. "Our fans have been the real story of our club in the last year. They will certainly not be getting any criticism from me, because they've been nothing but fantastic for us."The absence of the usual huge Rangers away support has been the defining aspect of the build-up to the tie and McCoist admitted he was pleased the boycott would be a one-off event."It does not really suit us long- term, not having any support. We have supporters who travel all over the globe, never mind the country. As manager it suits me better having supporters who are backing the team. I hope it is a one-off. It will be odd. There were one or two dotted around the place at Leeds United [when no way tickets were sold for the Champions League tie in 1992]. We don't have a final say on who buys tickets. We totally appreciate that."You'd better believe that a lot of our fans will be watching it on television. All the suites at Ibrox are just about sold out and I know a few watering holes where they are expecting a large turnout. I think it's safe to say there will be televisions getting pored over throughout the country. They will be there in spirit."Animosity between the two sets of fans – some of United plan to wear masks with Craig Whyte's face on them – and the absence of a working relationship between Green and the United chairman Stephen Thompson has created tension around today's game.On the eve of the match, though, McCoist attempted to diffuse some of that. "I think it's time to take a bit of heat out of the situation," he said. "The job for you boys [the media] is to build the game up and sell tickets and make it a spectacle. I am fully appreciative of that. I just think maybe a wee bit of the build-up has gone a wee bit over the top."On the tie itself, McCoist said: "I'm not sure the pressure's on United, but the expectation is. What we've got is a great bunch of lads who are doing well in our division, that's what we've got. "We lost a squad that, ironically, was beaten twice by United in the cup in three years, a team full of internationals with McGregor, Jelavic, Davis and all those boys. As good a team as they were – and they were a good team, they proved that – they still got knocked out of the cup by United twice. Now we're not in great shape sadly."McCoist meant in terms of injuries: Lee McCulloch, Kevin Kyle, Lewis Macleod and Darren Cole will all miss the game, with McCulloch's ankle problem requiring a second scan given that there seems to be no visible problem and yet he cannot fully train.Lee Wallace, surprisingly recalled to the Scotland squad this week, claimed dropping into the third division had done him more good than harm. "I believe I am a better player that I was in the summer," he said. "I feel I have adjusted and improved my game and hopefully the new manager has seen that improvement."

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McCoist has no axe to grind with supporters ignoring call to stay away from Tannadice

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