Smith consortium want Rangers back

A member of a Walter Smith-led consortium has demanded new Rangers owner Charles Green sell the club to them.

The former Sheffield United chief executive acquired the club for around six million pounds, and purchased the business and assets for 5.5 million pounds on Thursday.

Smith’s group failed with an 11th-hour bid for Rangers, and Jim McColl, one of the former Gers manager’s businessmen, has urged Green to sell the club to them as their group would have the club’s best interest at heart.

McColl said in a statement: “I would like to issue a public appeal to Charles Green to strongly consider selling the club to the Walter Smith consortium.

“This would be in the best interests of Rangers FC, the Rangers fans and all of Scottish football.

“Mr Green does not have the backing of the Rangers support and the longer he delays, the harder the situation will become.”

Indeed, the Rangers Supporters Trust have given McColl’s proposal their backing, adding that ‘Rangers men should be in charge in this critical time’.

The statement read: “The Board of the Rangers Supporters’ Trust welcome today’s bid headed by Walter Smith.

“We firmly support the view that Rangers men should be in charge at this critical time in our history and that no profit should be gained by any individuals owning the club.

“This bid is the only one which will ensure all the Rangers family are united and if it comes to fruition we can pick ourselves up and take the first tentative steps on the long road to recovery and our 55th Scottish League Championship.

“The Rangers Supporters’ Trust board calls on all supporters to hold off renewing season tickets until this situation is resolved.”

In response, Green has said that he would welcome any additional funding at the club and would appoint Smith as chairman should he wish to accept.

He added: “If Walter Smith wants to be chairman of the football club board, I’ll appoint him at nine o’clock tomorrow morning.

“If Walter, Jim McColl, Douglas Park, Uncle Tom Cobley want to be an investor in this club, this man (Ahmad) will take cheques off them and put it in Rangers’ bank account.

“They can come on the board and be party to what we’re doing.”