Rangers chief executive Patrick Stewart defended the club's decision to keep manager Philippe Clement despite their "disastrous" Scottish Cup loss to Queen's Park.

Stewart added that it was about "the long-term interests of the club, not to save money", amid growing pressure on Clement's position after an inconsistent run of results.

Rangers find themselves 13 points behind leaders Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, with their miserable season compounded by their defeat to second-tier Queen's Park.

Indeed, Rangers lost a game in the Scottish Cup against a side from a lower division for the first time in their history, with supporters making their feelings known at full-time.

Their hopes for a trophy now hinge on their Europa League campaign, something Stewart cited as key to sticking by Clement.

"We have been underperforming for several seasons now and that's not down to the manager. We have changed the manager, and it has not made a difference," Stewart said.

"Until we sort out the root causes, then it's akin to trying to fix a broken house and starting with the ceiling instead of starting with the foundations.

"For all that the Queen's Park result was disastrous, we do also have to give credit to Philippe and the team for the Europa League run.

"I don't want to take a step that would put further progress in the Europa League at risk."

1 - Rangers have lost a home Scottish Cup match against a side from a lower division for the first time in their history, while their 1-0 defeat to Queen's Park today was the first time overall since a 1-0 loss away at Berwick Rangers in January 1967. Shock. pic.twitter.com/dhj7aF6hhp
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 9, 2025

"I'm not here to make popular decisions and get quick wins. I do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past."

Asked if the club's finances make it difficult to remove Clement, Stewart replied that was "absolutely not the case".

"I've said consistently that we are not refusing to make changes because of finances," he said.

"To keep somebody in a position to avoid a termination payment is a false economy. That's not a way to run a club.

"Decisions have been made for the long-term interests of the club, not to save money.

"We've got to stick to the plan, but there are no free passes. We are all judged on results."