MCGILL'S bus tycoon Sandy Easdale has called for stability at strife-torn Ibrox and condemned a group of influential shareholders for demanding the removal of key Rangers executives.
Mr Easdale, who owns the bus firm with his brother James, met chief executive Craig Mather yesterday after capturing a bigger stake in the company that operates the club by buying 1.2 million shares.
After discussions about the way forward for the club, the Easdales criticised the group of shareholders who forced a general meeting to demand the removal of Mr Mather, financial director Brian Stockbridge and non-executive director Bryan Smart.
The revolt led by leading businessman and entrepreneur Jim McColl calls for the appointment of two new directors, ex-Rangers oldco boardroom figure Paul Murray and Frank Blin, the former executive chairman of accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Mr Mather, consultant Charles Green and finance director Brian Stockbridge have been garnering support in London for the board amid attempts by Mr McColl and his allies to oust the key figures.
Mr Easdale and his brother, a board member since July, have sought to increase their influence at the club and are key allies of Mr Green, the former Rangers chief executive.
Mr Green resigned from that job in April and has recently returned to the club as a consultant.
His future at Rangers will be discussed at a board meeting on Tuesday, with the three main fans groups calling for his removal.
The Yorkshireman has already been involved in a war of words with Rangers manager Ally McCoist since his return, after claiming the manager would have a problem if he failed to win a cup as well as the league this season.
The Easdale family's spokesman, Jack Irvine, said Sandy Easdale believes the general meeting was "an appalling waste of money", estimating that it would cost the club £60,000 to £80,000 to stage.
He said: "We find it a bit appalling that they are going to cost the club they profess to love this money and Sandy thinks it is a complete and utter waste of time. He is very keen that that doesn't happen.
"They will be outvoted anyway and embarrassed."
He said that, while Sandy Easdale does not see himself as a future figurehead, the meeting was organised to "discuss the way ahead as he sees it as he is becoming an important shareholder".
Mr Irvine added: "His vision is for all the strife to stop, for the board to remain as it is and he feels with the football season on we should be talking about football, not about boardroom nonsense.
"He has said in many other businesses this would just not happen and he is pretty appalled by it. He runs a fantastically successful business in McGill's and he thinks Rangers should be run the same way."
Mr Easdale made his latest share purchase after former club director Imran Ahmad, who was ejected from the board in April, sold the majority of his 2.2 million shares in Rangers.
The purchase, worth £498,000, brought Sandy Easdale's individual stake to 2.1%, around a seven-fold increase. His wife Gail and brother are also shareholders.
The development came as Mr McCoist indicated he is open to the idea of fans being involved in running the club.
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