Aberdeen fans poke fun at Rangers with banner at Dundee match

The Aberdeen chairman believes a Rangers club statement, released in the aftermath of Derek McInnes’ decision to stay at Pittodrie, was “not befitting” a club with such stature.

Milne also questioned why there was no one in a position of authority at the Glasgow club willing to put their name to the statement when it was published on the official website.

Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne. Picture: SNS

Part of it read: “We were subsequently made aware by Aberdeen’s statement that, at this stage in his career, it would be best for him to remain in his current post. We endorse that position because moving to a massive club like Rangers is a big step with concomitant risk.”

Speaking to the BBC, Milne responded: “I don’t think the statement was befitting of a club like Rangers.

“The other thing that surprised was that when an important statement comes out a club like Rangers it should have ownership. That statement should have come from someone with power and authority at Rangers. Nobody attached their name to it, which was very disappointing.

“Whatever their intentions were or not, it cast doubt on the capabilities of Derek as a manager, which were totally out of line.”

Milne also believed Rangers would have had a better chance of recruiting McInnes if they’d gone about it in a more professional manner.

An approach was finally made for the head coach on Tuesday, almost six weeks after the sacking of former boss Pedro Caixinha.

McInnes was deemed the most likely candidate from day one but speculation was allowed to rumble on for that length of time.

Asked if he thought the Light Blues had “tapped” his manager, Milne added: “As the world of football is, I think the rules can be quite wooly at times.

“Let’s put it like this: I think they could have set about it in a much more effective way, and maybe if they had the result might have been different.”

Aberdeen chief: Statement was unbefitting of a club like Rangers