Former Rangers manager Walter Smith has called for fans to support boardroom changes at the club after stepping down from his position as chairman of the Scottish giants.
Smith resigned late on Monday following a power struggle over the composition of the club’s board.
A group of shareholders has called for chief executive Craig Mather to be removed from his post, along with directors Bryan Smart and Brian Stockbridge.
In a statement, Smith gave his backing to the proposed changes, but said Mather should be allowed to stay on.
“It is with the greatest of regret that I have to announce to Rangers supporters that I have decided to step down as chairman of Rangers Football Club. It is, I am convinced the correct thing to do under the circumstances,” he said.
“It is clear that boardroom change is required and I would urge Rangers fans to get fully behind the resolutions which last week were presented to the board and shareholders.
“He added: “Craig Mather, as I have said before, is doing a good job. It is unfortunate that this has happened, but when change does come I hope he’ll be allowed to continue the job he has started.”
Smith, who won 21 major trophies in two stints as Rangers manager, stepped down three days after controversial former chief executive Charles Green returned to the Glasgow club as a consultant.
Green subsequently told manager Ally McCoist he had to win a domestic cup competition this season, prompting McCoist to label him an “embarrassment”, and Smith called for the manager to be allowed to do his job.
“As for Alistair McCoist, it is important that we all appreciate that no other Rangers manager has had to work with poorer or more trying circumstances,” Smith said.
“It is my fervent hope that when the dust settles and Rangers have a clearer path and future he is given the chance to manage under conditions similar to those which were afforded his predecessors.”
Smith said stepping away from the club was “heart-breaking”, but praised the club’s fans for their “outstanding” support.
Rangers are about to start the season in the third tier of Scottish football after being demoted to the fourth division in 2012 after the club went into liquidation.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Football Association clarified why Rangers were fined thereafter, while Hearts and Dunfermline both escaped financial sanctions for insolvency.
Rangers were fined 50,000 pounds (80,000 dollars) after entering administration in February 2012 over then owner Craig Whyte’s non-payment of tax.
An SFA spokesperson said: “The Disciplinary Rules of the Judicial Panel Protocol provide a sliding scale of sanctions, with a suggested tariff of low-end, mid-range, top-end and maximum. This reflects the potential variations in seriousness of any breaches and any aggravating or mitigating factors.
“Rangers were fined £50,000 for a breach of Rule 14(g) based on the panel’s view that the evidence presented on both sides merited a sanction at the maximum end of the tariff.
“Rangers were placed into administration following the deliberate non-payment of social taxes, despite – in the evidence provided – having the money to do so when the decision was first taken to withhold the money. This was not a feature in the Heart of Midlothian or Dunfermline Athletic cases,” the SFA stated. thw-cw
'Heartbroken' Smith calls for Rangers change
