Rangers board to decide Malcolm Murray’s fate

Malcolm Murray (left) welcoming the appointment of Craig Mather as the interim chief executive last month. Picture: PA

• Fears that Walter Smith could leave position at Rangers

• Increasingly uneasy relationship between Murray and the board.

The embattled chairman has been under intense pressure following a bitter power struggle for control of the Ibrox club, and it is thought the meeting could spell the end for Murray.

The Rangers board have accused Murray of inappropriate conduct such as leaking sensitive club information to newspapapers and to former director Paul Murray. He is also accused of plotting to oust finance director Brian Stockbridge, who appeared to “stitch up” the chairman by releasing video of Murray drunk on a night out.

Murray, still has backing from sections of the board - most notably former manager Walter Smith - but his increasingly precarious position with other quarters is likely to signal the end for Murray.

Walter Smith has threatened to leave his role at Rangers over the way the board has handled the attempt to remove Murray. A source told the Sun: “Murray would probably have gone by now if it wasn’t for the fact that the board are desperate for Walter Smith to stay.

“There are a lot of dirty tricks behind the scenes and at least this meeting should make people come clean about what they want.”

The 57-year-old spent most of his career in investment and pension fund management. Murray is a life long Rangers fan, so was seen as an ideal figure head for the board when appointed as non-executive chairman last June, two months after Charles Green led the purchase of the club.

Last week secret recordings were unearthed which appeared to confirm that Charles Green ally Imran Ahmad had fired Murray months ago, but Green and Ahmad had given the chairman a stay until the end of the season.

The relationship soon turned sour, with reports of unrest between Green and Murray leading to the board giving Murray a vote of no confidence after in emerged Green had made attempts to remove him.

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