Rangers takeover: Alastair Johnston urges bidders to show transparency

Former Rangers chairman Alastair Johnston has urged transparency among the groups bidding to take over the club. Johnston’s preference is for the Blue Knights consortium led by former Rangers director Paul Murray.

But consortia from the United States and Singapore also submitted “best and final offers” and remain in the running to take control of the troubled Ibrox outfit.

Johnston, who opposed the ill-fated sale by Sir David Murray to Craig Whyte in May as he doubted the present owner’s credentials, hopes the same mistakes will be avoided this time.

He says Rangers fans must be told “what the resources are and what their plans are for the club and how they are, on the record, going to handle and manage”.

Johnston explained: “They need to be transparent about who the individuals are, who are part of the consortia. The word consortium is a useful phrase, but it disguises a whole lot of mischief potential and I think that, this time round, Rangers fans need to be told.”

Speaking about the Blue Knights bid, he added: “They are fully disclosed as to who they are and who the other investors are and the transparency will be there. I think the fans at least know what they are getting into and this, at the end of the day, appears to be supported by a broad universe of the Rangers fans and that’s really important.”