Rangers '˜resignations' could be headed for the courts

Members of the deposed Rangers management team are taking legal advice over the manner of their departure from Ibrox and are adamant they did not resign.

Mark Warburton is adamant he did not resign. Picture: Alan Harvey/SNS

With Alex McLeish emerging as the early frontrunner to take over at the club, chairman Dave King tried to clarify matters yesterday when he released a lengthy statement in which he said manager Mark Warburton’s “employment” was “terminated” after the Englishman’s agent asked Rangers to waive their right to compensation if a club made an approach for the manager.

Warburton, his assistant David Weir and head of recruitment Frank McParland parted company with the club on Friday evening, with Rangers claiming they had “accepted their resignations”.

However, Scotland on Sunday has learned that the trio have told legal advisers they “definitely didn’t resign in any shape or form”.

In his statement, King claimed Warburton had previously told him he was using Rangers as a “stepping-stone” and that his long-term ambition was to manage in the English Premier League. Warburton had been rumoured to be a serious contender to take over at Nottingham Forest but caretaker Gary Brazil was handed the job until the end of the season on Thursday.

King added that Warburton “did not respond well” to questions over transfer policy. King said he and the directors had invested £18 million.