Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart confronted by Rangers fans in hotel after defeat to Sturm Graz

Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell and chief executive Patrick Stewart were confronted by angry fans in the wake of the team’s defeat to Sturm Graz.

The 2-1 Europa League defeat at the Merkur Arena continued a poor start to the season under head coach Russell Martin, and fans’ groups have already called for the Englishman to be sacked.

Following the latest defeat, which leaves Rangers with a record of only five wins from 16 games, furious supporters took the club hierarchy to task after seeing them in the lobby of a hotel in Austria.

As the Rangers party left the hotel, one fan was captured on video saying loudly: “That’s f****** garbage. That’s f****** rotten.”

Thelwell stopped to speak with the supporter, who told him: “I’ve spent thousands of pounds every f****** week. It’s f****** garbage.”

The sporting director continued his discussion with the fan while another Rangers fan approached Stewart, telling the chief executive to “get a manager who can actually coach boys,” and then adding: “It’s your job to find a good manager, this is rotten. It’s rotten to the core.”

The two then appear to discuss alternatives to Martin, with Stewart seeming to ask the supporter who he would appoint. The angry fan replies: “Why are you asking me who I would bring in, that’s [not] my job. That’s your job.

“Why are you bringing it back on the fans. It’s rotten. Michael Beale would have beaten every one of these teams.

“Philippe Clement would have beaten them too. Michael Beale would have beaten Genk. Michael Beale would have beaten Dundee.”

Thelwell then joined the conversation and the supporter is heard telling him: “I want you to make a decision. I want you to make things better and get rid of him.”

In his post-match media conference, Martin said he was “frustrated” and put defeat down to the players’ “mentality”.

“Yeah, we hurt ourselves tonight, for sure,” he said. “Because in the first half they didn’t create anything from open play.

“It was set plays and throw-ins and it’s hurtful and frustrating.”