Jack Butland says he hopes the Rangers squad understands the demands of the club after dropping more points in the Scottish Premiership.

A 1-1 draw with Dundee United at Ibrox on Saturday leaves Philippe Clement’s side closer to sixth than second and a whole 11 points behind Celtic. Sam Dalby headed Jim Goodwin’s men into the lead before Vaclav Cerny equalised the game after the break but there would be no winning goal for the hosts.

Speaking post-match Butland criticised his side’s intensity from the off and the repeating of old mistakes as further ground was lost in a title race Rangers have never truly been a part of. While the 31-year-old will not concede any trophy yet he did offer a frank assessment when quizzed on whether the entire Rangers squad can deal with the pressures of life at Ibrox.

“I hope so. I hope so. It's something that we try and reinforce all the time,” he said.

“If the building and the training ground aren't reminders of the success, then I don't know what can be. It's not like any other club. It's a special place, and it demands it all the time, day in, day out, from us all.

“That's what it needs to be. I think for most, it's been there the whole time. Others, if they haven't learned it, they need to learn it quick. That's on guys like me, and everybody, to step up and do better, because that's what the shirt deserves.

“[There was a] lack of intensity first half which is frustrating because teams come here to frustrate, they come here to make things difficult. You have to force it, you have to pry them out of positions and you have to set a statement of intent that you're going to make it difficult for them. And we didn't do enough of that in the first half.

“As a result, we get punished for defending a routine situation not very well. They come to make things difficult, try and get something and hold on. From there, the game becomes what it becomes. They hold on. As a result, you have to respond, you have to play with intensity that you should have started the game with. And obviously, then you start to create chances and you start playing the way that you should've have been playing from the get-go. So, obvious frustrations and anything less than a win is not good enough.”

The vice-captain, who wore the armband on the day with James Tavernier consigned to a spot on the bench, believes the only way out of a turgid season to date is individuals taking the initiative. Rangers have been here before and internally, the focus of turning a corner is not new. The tricky part as ever is carrying out that, however.

“You can speak about it until we're sort of blue in the face. It's not for the want of trying. It's not for the [lack of] reminders,” he said.

“People have got to do it. People have got to take the initiative. It's unfair to point fingers and whatever. Everyone has to just step up, as simple as that. Step up, do your jobs better, track your runners better, get forward better. It's on everyone.

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“We've had discussions, unfortunately, already so far this season where we felt that we haven't done enough of that. In games that we've been beaten, in games that we've won, where we feel like we need to have done more. 

“It's on the individual, ultimately, to push and to make sure that their standards are high enough. Then everything else follows collectively. There's no one group to blame. We all just have to step up and start doing our jobs better."

Butland was at pains to point out that fans don't want to hear the same old excuses. He also reiterated that pressure on the manager is something every player needs to shoulder.

“Ultimately, the manager faces that and he has to face that [pressure] more than any of us, but it's on us all," he added.

“We're not going to be pointing fingers, as I've said a minute ago. We've got to stick together.

“ I completely understand the fans' frustration, rightly so. They turn up and support us everywhere we go. Horrible conditions, great conditions, whatever it may be, they expect to see more. That's not just on the manager, that's on all of us.

Asked when supporters will see a better version of the side, Butland replied: "Thursday. That's the reality of it. If it's not today, it's the next game, and it needs to happen. We've done it at times, and at times it's not enough.

“I'm not going to go into excuses. I'm not going to make excuses for anyone or anything. It's just got to happen. I'm sure you're sick of asking the questions, we're sick of having to answer them, but we're putting ourselves in a position to have to answer them."