Gers chairman urges caution

Johnston (right): Urges caution

Related links

Teams

• Rangers

Also see

• Rangers fixtures
• SPL table
• Rangers stats

Rangers chairman Alastair Johnston is determined to prevent the club being saddled with debt by new owners.

The Gers chief has issued the warning as London-based property tycoon Andrew Ellis examines the club's finances as he considers making an offer for Sir David Murray's 90 per cent stake.

Johnston is keen to avoid a repeat of the events south of the border at Manchester United, where the Glazer family have saddled the club with debt.

And although he has no formal power to veto any move by Ellis, his advice to Murray could persuade him not to surrender his stake at Ibrox.

Johnston told The Times: "The club's board are charged with upholding the reputation of Rangers, and so, if any deal is in the process of being done, we will be in a position to examine it thoroughly and determine in our own minds whether it was for the good of Rangers.

"What is not of interest to us are the benefits of any deal for the Murray Group - it is the viability of Rangers under any new owner that is of supreme importance to us. We have a responsibility - morally, ethically - to be the guardians of this club.

Questions

"When any such deal like that is reaching agreement, then it is game on as far as we are concerned. We will ask any potential new owner: how committed are you? How much money do you intend to put into Rangers? And how verifiable is that money?

"We would also want to ask any buyer: how do you propose to finance your deal for Rangers? Because what we don't want is any Glazers/Manchester United situation at Ibrox."

He admits any takeover could spell the end of his spell as Rangers chairman, having only taken the baton from Murray in August last year.

"I might be at this club for years to come, or I might be here for just a matter of weeks - it depends what happens," he added.

"It is not a condition or even necessarily an ambition of mine that I am with Rangers for a long time. If it works out that way, fine, but I've left my briefcase by the door.

"I'm not in this for myself. I'm in this, I hope, for the good of Rangers, to secure the best possible future for the club."