Rangers administration: Staff wait to learn their fate as cuts loom

ANXIOUS Rangers players and staff were still in the dark last night over the timing of an announcement on job losses at the financially stricken club.

Administrators Duff and Phelps are expected to reveal details of redundancies, including those among the playing squad, this week. Tomorrow is believed to be the likeliest day for the most traumatic development yet in the crisis gripping Rangers as it marks the end of the month which has already seen all employees’ salaries paid. Director of football Gordon Smith and chief operating officer Ali Russell have already been informed of their redundancies which will become effective tomorrow.

But staff at both Ibrox Stadium and the club’s training ground Murray Park have not been told when they will learn their fate from the administrators as they prepare to put in place their cost-saving measures.

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It is believed the Rangers first team squad have held further discussions on taking an across-the-board wage cut, as first mooted by club captain Steven Davis last week, in a bid to stave off or at least minimise the extent of redundancies among other employees. But co-administrator Paul Clark stated at the weekend that he expected to make an announcement this week regarding other cuts which he added would “undoubtedly include playing staff”.

The administrators, meanwhile, have suspended publication of the club’s Rangers Monthly magazine until further notice. Production costs for the magazine are required to be paid in advance.

Rangers do look likely to receive the short-term financial boost of another full house at Ibrox this weekend. There are only around 5,000 tickets remaining for Saturday’s SPL fixture against Hearts.

A further attempt to raise funds was announced yesterday when Rangers confirmed that a Legends side will take on their AC Milan equivalent, namely AC Milan Glorie, at Ibrox next month. The revenue from the match, to be played on Friday 30 March, will be split between the club, the Rangers Charity Foundation and the AC Milan Foundation.

The Rangers Charity Foundation has offered to forego the majority of its share of the proceeds following the crucial support the charity has received from the club over the past ten years and funds raised will help secure the future of the Rangers.

The Rangers Legends side will be managed by Walter Smith and captained by Richard Gough while Italian defensive legend Franco Baresi captains AC Milan Glorie in what looks sure to be an enjoyable night at Ibrox. Ally McCoist, Brian Laudrup, Paul Gascoigne, Andy Goram, Lorenzo Amoruso, Jorg Albertz, Michael Mols, Arthur Numan will all pull their boots on once again at the stadium while Baresi’s squad boasts world-renowned football talent like Paolo Maldini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Christian Panucci, Gianluigi Lentini and Zvonimir Boban.

Rangers manager Ally McCoist said: “Over the last few weeks our fans around the world have shown how much this great club means to them and the numbers who turned out at Ibrox for the recent Kilmarnock game and at Inverness is testament to their depth of feeling for Rangers.

“It is a tremendous gesture by the Rangers Charity Foundation to forego the majority of the proceeds of the legends match to benefit the club and it is going to be an evening of nostalgia for all the fans, players and supporters.”

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Connal Cochrane, manager of the Rangers Charity Foundation, said: “The club and the Rangers fans have been tremendous to us over the last ten years and now it is our turn to stand alongside them. The Rangers Charity Foundation suggested the club should now benefit from the match and we were delighted that the AC Milan Foundation agreed. The Foundation has received unparalleled support from Rangers over the last ten years and many thousands of lives have been improved in Scotland and beyond because of the club’s support for our work.”

Paul Clark, joint administrator at Duff & Phelps, said: “The fans have been absolutely tremendous and we are encouraged by their reaction to the club’s current situation.

“It goes without saying, it is absolutely vital to the administration process that fans continue to support the club directly by coming to Ibrox. Right now, it is quite simple – income generated now will help secure the future of Rangers.”

The night before the match, a Legends Dinner hosted by Sky Sports broadcaster Jim White will be held at the Radisson Blu hotel in Glasgow, with the club and the two charities to benefit.

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