Jack Gillespie

JACK Gillespie, who has died aged 87, was a Rangers fan who never got to wear the famous light blue jersey, but rose to the dizzy heights of club vice-chairman.

He never received the kudos which went the way of others but, during his time on the club board, he played a huge part in the re-development of Ibrox Stadium. He was heavily involved in the financing of the three new stands and the development of the Club Deck, working to ensure the massive task was done speedily and at the best price. He didn't do this for personal advancement but because he was, as Rangers legend Sandy Jardine acknowledged on his passing: "A real Rangers man."

Jack Gillespie was born in Kirkintilloch, the grandson of the keeper of the important Kirkintilloch lock on the Forth and Clyde Canal. As a child, his family moved to Coatbridge, where he attended Coatbridge High School, leaving at 14 to enter the steel industry at the local Lochrin Ironworks.

His industry and enthusiasm was rewarded with rapid promotion and, when he married Nan, a Coatbridge girl, he was, at 25, foreman in the plant, responsible for more than 200 men. He later moved to a nail works before, in 1953, striking out on his own, buying the single-pump petrol station in Lenzie which is still in the family's hands, and run by his son Ian.

Initially he was a one-man operation as a mechanic/petrol pump attendant but, as Lenzie grew, so did the business. He took on a Vauxhall dealership and rapidly built it into one of the largest in west-central Scotland, before selling it to Arnold Clark in 1995 when he retired.

A life-long Rangers fan, he was a small shareholder until 1976 when he acquired the shareholding of former director Matt Taylor, before further enhancing his holding through acquisitions from smaller shareholders and, in September, 1977, he was invited to join the board, an offer he was delighted to accept.

His time on the board might initially have been marked by a downturn in Rangers' fortunes on the field, but he realised this was a good time to invest in the infrastructure at Ibrox and was always proud of his part in turning Ibrox into the benchmark for British football stadia.

He continued to be associated with the club; supporting in turn Lawrence Marlborough, David Holmes and David Murray.

Following the arrival of Graeme Souness and David Murray he was an old-style Rangers man who fully supported the controversial signing of Maurice Johnston. He was at the top table at the tumultuous press conference when Mo-Jo's arrival was announced to a disbelieving world.

Away from football and business, his overriding passion was sailing. He was a long-term member of the Clyde Cruising Club, initially basing his boat at Clynder, before moving to Inverkip with the opening of the marina.

As with everything Jack Gillespie tackled, he went at sailing with 100% intensity, even attending night classes at Glasgow Nautical College to obtain his Master qualifications. He sold his final boat in 1985, after coming ashore for the last time.

He was naturally saddened by the demise of Rangers but he was even more disheartened by the breakdown in relationships between Rangers and Celtic.

Like others involved in the rival clubs at the time, he had made several good friends across the divide.

He was also a devoted family man. He and Nan, who died in 2007, had two children, Anne and Ian. He is survived by them and his grandchildren Ross, Gillian, Pamela and John.