Ally McCoist offers to resign as Rangers manager after coming under pressure at Ibrox despite leading club from bottom tier

Rangers manager Ally McCoist is believed to have tendered his resignation although it is unclear exactly when he will be leaving the club.

The Ibrox boss has been under pressure after a string of poor results left Rangers nine points behind league leaders Hearts in their quest from promotion to Scotland's top flight.

Reports suggest McCoist, 52, is willing to step down at the end of the season but the Ibrox board may now negotiate a swift exit. 

The speculation came just hours before Friday's game against Queen of the South in Dumfries. 

Rangers declined to make any comment on McCoist's position on Friday afternoon, other than to confirm that he will be at Palmerston for tonight's game.

Crowd numbers have dwindled on the back of a season-ticket boycott sparked by anger over the current board's handling of the Glasgow giants.

But recent results - most notably the shocking Cup exit to part-time Alloa - has tipped many supporters over the edge.

Earlier this week, McCoist warned his players not to use the silence from the stands as an excuse.

He said: 'It's definitely a different stadium when the crowds are down.

'When I first went to Ibrox there were crowds of less than 10,000 and there is something eerie about it.

The crowds at Ibrox have fallen in recent weeks, despite Rangers lying second in the Championship

'Make no mistake about it, our players would much rather play in it when it is full to capacity.

'But whether it is 1,000 or 50,000, the job is still the same. The focus on getting results can't change and won't change.

'Every team can do more, no matter if it is Rangers or Real Madrid.

'We set out to win games and the best way to do that is to score goals and to play attractive football.'

Rangers had 36,000 season-ticket holders last season - but that figure has dropped to 17,000 this term.

McCoist was a real Ibrox favourite as a player, scoring 355 goals in all and was part of the Rangers team which won nine league titles in a row in the 1980s and 1990s. 

He took over the managerial reigns from Walter Smith in 2011 but the club were plunged into administration in his first season with Rangers deducted 10 points before finishing 20 behind their bitter rivals Celtic.

Worse was to follow, however, as the club was liquidated with the Rangers taki

Rangers celebrate winning the League One title last season as they took another step up the ladder

McCoist led his side to the title by a staggering 24 points but an even more facile victory was to follow as the League One title was won by a phenomenal 39 points the following year.

But Rangers' cup woes continued as they suffered an extra-time defeat to Raith Rovers in the Challenge Cup final. 

The club were among the favourites for promotion from the Championship, along with relegated Edinburgh duo Hearts and Hibs.

But supporters' criticism of his tactics and signings have increased this season in the wake of some poor performances and results.

Aside from defeats to Championship rivals Hearts and Hibernian, the Gers have failed to beat Alloa in three attempts, with the recent 3-2 Challenge Cup defeat to The Wasps - after blowing a two-goal lead - bringing McCoist's managerial abilities under even more intense scrutiny.