There was some consternation off the pitch at Ibrox on Saturday and periods of satisfaction on it.
Perhaps it was inevitable that the supporters reacted more obviously to the latter, since progress is something to value, and the ongoing saga of the control of Rangers and the state of the club's finances has drained most fans of their willingness to engage.
There were protests against Charles Green and the board, but mostly from the singing section in the corner of the Broomloan Road stand. A couple of chants promoted a response around the stadium - in particular in support of Ally McCoist and Walter Smith - and the most popular banner read: Red, White And Blue, No Green In Rangers. Yet it was evident that many Ibrox fans were in despair at the fractured nature of their club.
They are not roused in anger. This is in part through fatigue, but also because of the complex psychology of a support that has somehow come to rely on exalted individuals coming to their rescue. Once, it was Craig Whyte, then Charles Green, and now the hope is that Jim McColl, a businessman of vast expertise, shrewdness and quiet determination, will help to shape another transformation.
The support is often too introverted, too agitated by disagreements amongst each other, to act as a whole. There was sporadic anger at the notion that almost all of the £22m raised in last December's IPO has been spent, much of it on associated costs rather than seeding new revenue streams, and that Dave King, the former director, has warned that the club will soon run out of money. The club needs robust, transparent and authoritative decision-making that includes, and so generates trust amongst, the support.
Even at a time of infighting, and after a chastening defeat to Forfar in the Scottish Communities League Cup, Ibrox still attracted a little more than 44,000 fans, with the club having sold around 34,000 season tickets.
This level of support is a phenomenon and in contrast to a background of doubt that led to McCoist asserting that he would take a pay cut if it was in the best interests of the club. The team, at least, was not inhibited by its own failings the previous Saturday. Only Emilson Cribari, Nicky Law and Jon Daly did not feature in the cup defeat, yet this was a refreshingly assured, upbeat and confident performance.
Some of that zest faded after the break, but there was still enough residual quality for Ian Black, from the rebound of his own penalty which had been blocked, and Dean Shiels, with a strike of some aplomb, to score in the final 10 minutes.
As with others around him, Black has responded positively to the presence of Law, a midfielder of purpose and assurance. His strike for the second goal was full of power and intent, and flew past a goalkeeper in Graeme Smith who was capable of producing a series of agile saves throughout the game to keep the score down.
Brechin were out of their depth. That is natural, given the vast difference in resources, but they did not suffer a collapse. When Rangers' performance dipped after the interval, the visitors were prepared to be sprightly. Steven Jackson also scored a remarkable goal when he hooked a volley over his shoulder from the edge of the penalty area.
On another day, Daly might have scored a hat trick. His finishing was awry, but there are other qualities to his game and he served the home side well up front.
Rangers benefited from Chris Hegarty's goal in the second minute, because it did not allow any frustration to rise among the players or the fans. The team performed with confidence and a light-hearted air, as though unburdened.
"The rest of the lads thrived on it and we played extremely well," said Hegarty of his early goal. "It set the tempo and with the way we pressed them we could have been six up at half-time. We're knocking the ball about brilliantly at the minute, the tempo's great and we're closing down teams."
It will be September before McCoist can play his strongest XI, but there is still a benefit to having several players sitting in the stand. No individual can rest on his laurels.
"I've got to put it in the manager's mind he has to play me," Hegarty added. "If he does bring Ricky [Foster] in [at right-back] then fair enough, but it's making me more determined to settle myself down into the team and get myself a place."
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