Gerrard always took blame for US in public but Martin won't hold hands up on HIS tactics. He's achieved impossible... these players all look 10 times worse now than what they are

GREG STEWART sat in the Ibrox changing room in the wake of the darkest moment of Steven Gerrard's spell as Rangers boss and watched a manager prepared to take full responsibility.

- BY ANDY NEWPORT

Five-and-a-half years on from that 1-Ohome defeat by Hamilton in March 2020, Stewart can remember the vitriol and hostility that was thrown at the Light Blues squad as if it was yesterday.

The scenes that followed David Moyo's shock winner didn't quite match the froth and fury witnessed at Ibrox on Saturday as Russell Martin's side lost to Hearts, but it wasn't far off.

But what really sticks out for Stewart is the way Gerrard handled the fallout from that disastrous defeat.

It came hot on the heels of a Tynecastle defeat to Hearts, after which Gerrard admitted he had some serious thinking to do about his Gers future as another Premiership bid collapsed.

But after some deep soul searching, he vowed to redouble his efforts to restore the club to title-winning heights. And even as the boos rang out at full-time, Gerrard refused to throw his players under the bus.

“Look, we're all in this together.” he insisted that night. “I've put that team and squad together. So if that means me taking the heat away from the players, no problem.”

It was that protective shield which allowed the group to regather when Covid struck before mounting a remarkable drive all the way to Premiership glory the next season.