Ibrox View: Rangers shoe on other foot ahead of St Mirren as manager exit likely

Rangers are currently preparing to face a potentially managerless St Mirren side on Sunday.

It was confirmed on Wednesday that permission has been granted for Stephen Robinson to speak with Aberdeen regarding the vacancy at Pittodrie, following the sacking of Jimmy Thelin earlier this year.

Across a turbulent period in recent years, Rangers have gone into matches with their fair share of caretaker managers themselves.

With Danny Rohl’s side looking to hunt down Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premiership, it will be refreshing for the shoe to be on the other foot, with St Mirren likely to be without Robinson.

Rangers to have upper hand against managerless St Mirren

Following Steven Gerrard’s 2021 departure, Rangers have struggled when it comes to getting the right man in at Ibrox.

Steven Davis, Barry Ferguson and Steven Smith have all had temporary stints at the helm, following the departures of Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Phillipe Clement and Russell Martin, respectively.

Robinson took over at St Mirren in 2022, leading them to three top-six finishes in a row, European football, and the League Cup win in December 2025, making him a hard man to replace in Paisley.

Though St Mirren have dropped off since the turn of the year, the Saints are now sitting just three points ahead of Kilmarnock, who occupy the relegation play-off spot.

Facing a potentially managerless side also threatened by relegation, Rangers simply have to get back to winning ways as they look to put back together a title challenge on Sunday.

Rangers handed opportunity that they must capitalise on

Recent weeks have been wounding for Rohl’s side.

After leading 2-0 against Celtic at Ibrox, a second-half comeback saw the Old Firm rivals share the spoils, before their neighbours won 4-2 on penalties in the Scottish Cup quarter-final on Sunday.

Since then, the post-match scenes have taken up all the headlines, placing both clubs in the spotlight as they look to challenge Hearts for the title.

With just four matches remaining until the split, it is now or never for Rangers when it comes to piling on the pressure at the top.

They have been handed an opportunity to get back to winning ways on Sunday, and Rohl’s side simply must take that, leaving the circumstances of recent weeks in the past.

Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Govan.