Rangers have announced the club’s new CEO but in doing so John Gilligan has confirmed that links to a new chairman are not exactly cut and dried.
Rangers have appointed Patrick Stewart as the club’s new CEO following the ex-Manchester United chief’s exit from Old Trafford earlier in the year.
Stewart will not start the job until mid-December, missing the club’s impending Europa League visit of Tottenham Hotspur and Premier Sports Cup Final v Celtic in the process.
Attentions at Rangers will now turn to securing a new chairman but according to the club’s current interim boss, things aren’t quite as close as they seem.
‘Rangers in Malcolm Offord talks’
Prior to the new surrounding Patrick Stewart breaking at Rangers, all the talk was focused on apparent chairman target Malcolm Offord.
According to reports, Tory peer and parliamentarian Offord was set to become the new chairman of Rangers and replace the outgoing John Bennett.
It comes after Rangers shareholder Bennett was forced to step down from the role in September due to health reasons.
John Gilligan has been in interim charge ever since, with Malcolm Offord’s links to the City of London and role in the House of Lords making him an attractive option.
But in the statement confirming the appointment of Patrick Stewart, Gilligan has pulled the brakes on the reportedly imminent move by suggesting Rangers are still in discussions with ‘several excellent candidates’.
This would suggest the club is yet to strike a deal with a new chairman and the situation is still very much live, with an announcement expected in the ‘coming weeks’.
Rangers chairman hunt goes on
“On behalf of the board, I’m delighted to welcome Patrick to the club as CEO,” Gilligan told Rangers following the appointment of Stewart.
“Patrick comes with an excellent reputation and background, bringing extensive experience of operating at senior levels during his 20-plus years in football.
“The board continues in discussions with several excellent candidates for the role of Chairperson and expect to make an announcement of an appointment in the coming weeks.”
