TAILOR OF THE TAPE

Martin's jacket on shoogly peg ... now he must show he's made to measure

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A PROPENSITY for perspiration is the reason why Russell Martin has ditched the shirt and tie synonymous with his Rangers predecessors.

But frankly, the Ibrox boss has enough issues to be dealing with on the park without getting hot under the collar about what he's wearing off it.

The Light Blues folded like a cheap suit on Tuesday as a disastrous opening 20 minutes left hopes of reaching the league phase of the Champions League creased and crumpled.

It was a ragged performance that sparked fury in the stands as seething supporters let rip.

Now, fewer than 80 days since Martin was fitted out for his club blazer, he knows there is likely to be another angry outburst should his team fail to measure up against St Mirren in Paisley tomorrow.

If that happens, then the 39-year-old really will have something to sweat about.

But the gaffer did his best to put on a display of calm as he held his pre-match press conference yesterday.

Here are five takeaways from the Auchenhowie sitdown.

PAISLEY PRESSURE

It seems ridiculous to be painting tomorrow lunchtime's trip to the SMISA Stadium as a crunch match for Martin only eight games into his tenure.

But with his team already four points down in the Premiership title race and hanging on to their Champions League ambitions by a thread, it does feel like a game with real peril attached.