Rangers hero Derek Johnstone highlights the irony of Scottish Premiership sides complaining about scheduling of fixtures against the Gers

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Some teams are seemingly unhappy about how many times they will play Glasgow Rangers at their own grounds, rather than at Ibrox.

Rangers manager Mark Warburton

Rangers hero Derek Johnstone has pointed out the irony of some sides in the Scottish Premiership complaining about the scheduling of their fixtures against Mark Warburton’s side, the Evening Times reports.

Motherwell and Partick Thistle both issued statements expressing their disappointment about the amount of times they will face the Old Firm sides at home this season in comparison with some of the other teams in the division, the Evening Times reports.

But Johnstone has only a little sympathy for teams that complain about the lack of home games against Mark Warburton’s men after the stance they took when the Light Blues were demoted down to the bottom of the pyramid four years ago.

“I am sure the Rangers fans will see the irony here, though. It is only a few years since clubs across the country were saying that they didn’t need our supporters going to their grounds and didn’t need the money that Rangers fans generate,” he told the Evening Times.

“For years, they didn’t bother about Rangers but now that we are back there are clubs fighting to get money that we will bring.

“But there is the sporting side of it as well and they do have a point there. It is unfair if some teams have the Old Firm at home three times and they only get them once.”

If the Gers have any resentment over the disappointment that some clubs currently have, Warburton will be hoping to use it as motivation for when they begin their campaign.

Their journey back towards the top, and the success that has come along the way, has been helped by the defiance they have had to prove that those who they felt kicked them when they were down would not keep them down.

And with Johnstone’s suggestion that it is slightly hypocritical of some sides to make these statements, Warburton may be trying to convince his squad to use that defiance to move themselves back towards the top of the table.