Rangers directors suspended as Ibrox probe begins

DAVE KING has stepped up his restructuring of Rangers’ corporate and administrative management with a clutch of changes to both the plc and football club boards.
Derek Llambias, Sandy Easdale and Barry Leach have been suspended by Rangers. Picture: PADerek Llambias, Sandy Easdale and Barry Leach have been suspended by Rangers. Picture: PA
Derek Llambias, Sandy Easdale and Barry Leach have been suspended by Rangers. Picture: PA

The new Ibrox regime led by the South Africa-based businessman followed up their success at last Friday’s general meeting of shareholders by landing another blow on their ousted predecessors.

Derek Llambias and Barry Leach, associates of Sports Direct billionaire Mike Ashley, have now been suspended along with football board chairman Sandy Easdale from their duties pending an investigation.

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Rangers have also appointed John Bennett, an investment fund manager and former member of the Blue Knights consortium which tried to buy the club in 2012, and Rangers Supporters Trust representative Chris Graham as non-executive directors on the plc board.

Interim chairman Paul Murray said the recovery process 'would take time'. Picture: John DevlinInterim chairman Paul Murray said the recovery process 'would take time'. Picture: John Devlin
Interim chairman Paul Murray said the recovery process 'would take time'. Picture: John Devlin

James Blair, a solicitor and partner with Edinburgh firm Anderson Strathern, who has been providing legal advice to the Rangers First fans group in recent months, has been named as Rangers’ new plc company secretary.

Andrew Dickson, who has worked for Rangers since 1991 and as head of football administration since 2003, has been appointed as a director of the football board.

Llambias and Leach were voted off the plc board at Friday’s general meeting but remain under contract to Rangers as chief executive and finance director respectively. Their positions as directors of the separate football club board were also not directly affected by the meeting which swept King and his colleagues Paul Murray and John Gilligan to power.

Now King has moved towards cutting all ties with the previous boardroom set-up at the club. Greenock bus company owner Sandy Easdale, whose brother James resigned as a Rangers director last month, has been chairman of the football club board since September 2013 after he purchased the shareholding of discredited former chief executive Charles Green.

King has pledged to bring “truth and reconciliation” to Rangers supporters by fully investigating the boardroom management of the club since it was led into insolvency by Craig Whyte three years ago.

It is understood the decisions to accept £10 million loan deals with Ashley and reject alternative offers, including those from American financier Robert Sarver, King himself and the “Three Bears” consortium of Douglas Park, George Letham and George Taylor in recent months, will form part of the probe which relates to the suspensions of Llambias, Leach and Easdale.

“Rangers Football Club announce today that Derek Llambias, Barry Leach and Sandy Easdale have been suspended from their duties pending an investigation,” read a club statement.

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“It is also noted that Mr Llambias and Mr Leach, along with Sandy Easdale, have been advised that a resolution to remove them as directors of the company has been received by the company. A meeting may be required for this purpose but it is hoped that this will not prove necessary.

“Acting chairman Paul Murray, fellow directors Douglas Park and John Gilligan, and the club’s head of football administration Andrew Dickson have been appointed to the board of the company.”

In response to Rangers’ announcement, Easdale’s spokesman Jack Irvine issued a statement which read: “We are surprised at the announcement as you cannot suspend a director under the law of Scotland. We also note that they talk about an investigation. Sandy Easdale welcomes that as he has absolutely nothing to fear.” King intends to become chairman of Rangers plc board but has delayed his own appointment as a director while he awaits approval from both the Scottish FA and the London Stock Exchange to which the club require a new nominated advisor following the resignation of WH Ireland last week and the suspension of share trading ahead of the general meeting.

Previously a director of Rangers from 2000 to 2011, King has consistently expressed his confidence that the £44 million settlement he reached with South Africa Revenue Services for 41 breaches of tax laws in 2013 will be no impediment to him being passed ‘fit and proper’ to take up a formal boardroom role at Ibrox again.

Interim chairman Paul Murray welcomed yesterday’s additions of Bennett, Graham and Blair to the plc board.

“We are delighted to announce the further strengthening of the RIFC board following Friday’s general meeting,” said Murray.

“John’s corporate and financial experience and track record will prove invaluable, whilst Chris and James have been appointed in accordance with the board’s commitment to meaningful fan representation and in order that they can use their abilities to contribute to the company”.

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