From shaky start to statement wins - 100 days of McInnes at Rangers
Derek McInnes has been in charge for 100 days at Rangers - the club he grew up supporting, played for and previously turned down the opportunity to manage.
In his brief but busy tenure, there has been a huge squad overhaul, while a sluggish start led to Ibrox jeers and the failure to qualify for European football for the first time in a decade.
Then came September. A golden start to autumn quietened talk of crisis as a winning streak extended to six games, including two Old Firm derby victories.
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17 June - A new beginning - 'Lot of hard work ahead'
One month and one day after his Heart of Midlothian side were pipped to the title by Celtic on the final day of last season, McInnes is announced as Rangers manager, replacing the departed Danny Rohl.
It is 26 years since his days as a Rangers player ended with a move to West Bromwich Albion and eight-and-a-half years since he turned down the chance to become boss under the chairmanship of Dave King.
"It is no secret that I grew up a Rangers supporter and I am convinced this is the right time to take on this prestigious role," McInnes says. "There is a lot of hard work ahead."
31 July - First night nerves & 'Not good enough to win'
The new era begins at Tannadice with a whimper rather than a bang as Thelo Aasgaard scores a second-half equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Dundee United.
"We worked hard to get back into it, but I don't think we were good enough to win the game," McInnes says. "I thought the point was the right scoreline and we're disappointed with that first half.
"We wasted a lot, we didn't create too much and it was a bit too frantic."
6 August - European debut & 'We beat ourselves'
Curtain up on Rangers European campaign - and it does not start well.
A trip to eastern Poland in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie ends in a 2-1 defeat by Jagellonia Bialystok.
McInnes notes: "I just felt we beat ourselves, to be honest. We got off to a good start, being patient with what we were trying to do. We made two mistakes for the two goals."
9 August - Home defeat: 'We're not as bad as people think'
Rangers' first home match of the season ends also ends in a 2-1 defeat, this time by Hibernian.
A late Callum Wright goal seals victory for the Edinburgh side and, to make matters worse, striker Youseff Chermitti suffers an ACL injury that scuppers any potential big-money sale amid reports of interest from Galatasaray.
"There are little things going against us at the minute, but we have to stay strong - we're not as bad as people think," McInnes insists. "At the minute, we are trying to work boys back to the same level of fitness and trying to manage that situation.
"I understand the fan frustration. They want and expect to see their team win. I share the frustration."
13 August - Europa League exit
Another below-par performance has supporters up in arms.
Shankland scores from the penalty spot, but a second-half goal from Nik Prelec earns Jagellonia a draw on the night and progress on aggregate.
McInnes confesses: "It is not great to watch. My team go from some good highs in the first half to being as poor as we were in the second half and you have to say we didn't do enough. We should be winning this game."
16 August - Five goals in first win
Five games into the new season and Rangers record their first win under McInnes - an emphatic 5-1 thumping of holders St Mirren in the Premier Sports Cup.
"We gave up a couple of chances, which we weren't too pleased about, but there was a good attacking threat from the team," McInnes concludes.
"The players deserved that moment today against a St Mirren team who have been doing well."
26 August - 'Embarrassing' European exit
A penalty shoot-out defeat by the unfancied Czechs eliminates Rangers from Europe altogether.
Missed spot kicks by Findlay Curtis and James Penrice hand victory to Jablonec after a 1-0 defeat. A bitter blow for the balance sheet too as the Ibrox club face up to life without European football proper for the first time in 10 years.
"I'm embarrassed with the performance," McInnes says. "I think the only people who represented the club well tonight were my support staff and the supporters who, to a man, were outstanding, getting behind the team despite watching what we all watched."
30 August - Victory on Pittodrie return
McInnes registers his first Scottish Premiership win as Rangers manager at his old stamping ground of Pittodrie.
A Shankland penalty gets the job done, much to McInnes' relief as he praises Kim Min-Su as evidence that the summer recruitment is beginning to bear fruit.
"It was a tough few days for us all," he says. "I thought we were far more like the Rangers team I want us to be."
5 September - 'We'd have taken any sort of win'
After a 2-1 success at Falkirk, a third successive Premiership win, but it comes at a cost as Shankland tears a hamstring against Motherwell at Ibrox and will be sidelined for months. Ryan Nederi replaces the captain and scores the only goal.
"We'd have taken any sort of win because we're up against a good team, but I really enjoyed how many chances we created," McInnes says.
9 September - Beating Buddies again, with last-gasp goal
It looks like Rangers' winning run is coming to an end until Bojan Miovski comes off the bench to score a stoppage-time winner at home to St Mirren to spark wild celebrations.
Rangers move into second place in the Premiership, five points behind leaders Celtic.
With four wins on the bounce, McInnes is sounding more optimistic.
"There are obviously loads we have to improve on, but we have to keep winning while we are looking for those improvements," he says.
13 September - Old Firm victory
McInnes demanded a big performance from his players in his Old Firm managerial debut - and he got it.
He pulled a few tactical surprises and they paid off as Rangers power into the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals.
Two goals from the inspired Dan Neill and a first for Kelsy set up a meeting with Aberdeen at Hampden.
"It was the performance and result we were all looking for," McInnes says. "It's a good reference point for my players. They're a young squad and they saw how much that result means to the supporters."
20 September - Celtic beaten again
Glasgow's big two meet again, this time at Celtic Park in the Premiership.
A Naderi goal stuns the 60,000 home supporters and moves Rangers two points behind their Glasgow rivals.
Afterwards, McInnes reflects: "It's just three points and it gets us three points closer to Celtic. We understood if we lost the game, that distance just starts to feel uncomfortable for us.
"I like putting my name to this team at the minute and I think we've got a good thing going."
Analysis: Rangers finding togetherness and ways to win
Former Rangers interim boss and Captain Barry Ferguson
"I've been really impressed since exiting in Europe.
"I think the reaction, not just the manager and the coaching staff, the players, I've been very impressed. Even before the two Celtic games, they played well in parts of it, other parts they didn't, but they found a way to win, and that's so important.
"It's always going to take a bit of time because there was a big turnaround of players and some players hit the ground running.
"It takes some players a wee bit of time to get going. But now I think you're starting to see a team that's got a real togetherness. That's the biggest thing for me."
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