A FORMER DJ, who is the matchday announcer for Rangers at Ibrox Stadium, is suing Radio Clyde's owners for unfair dismissal and age discrimination.

Adrian Coll was told in November 2011 he would no longer be needed at Clyde 1.

Mr Coll, 44, who worked for Radio Clyde hosting overnight programme the Adrian Coll Show, is taking the station's owner, Bauer Radio Limited, to an employment tribunal.

However, the company has contested Mr Coll's claims, saying he was never employed by it and was a freelance DJ.

After a pre-hearing review at the Glasgow tribunal offices yesterday, Mr Coll and former colleague Kevin Cameron, who is also claiming unfair dismissal, won their first legal battle after a judge ruled their grievances should be heard and a tribunal will now take place.

At the hearing, it was heard that George Bowie, Suzie McGuire and Mike Riddoch are the only DJs who are recognised employees, with all the others being freelance presenters.

Mr Coll – the voice at Ibrox Stadium for Rangers on matchdays – told employment judge Chris Lucas if he needed time off he could not arrange for cover but had to ask his boss.

He alleged that on one occasion in 1999 or 2000 he was told he had to come in to work despite phoning in advance and saying he was ill.

Mr Coll also claimed that on a day in 2011 he was "so ill he was unable to safely drive his car" and that he caused damage to his car when he drove it, but was told he had to come in.

Both Mr Coll and Mr Cameron were expected to go to meetings and had a key to the door of the Clydebank studios.

They each had a locker and a Clyde 1 email address and were invited to staff nights out and functions. During the 16 years Mr Coll worked for Radio Clyde, he had no breaks except for holidays and on one occasion when he was in hospital.

Mr Coll was the face of Radio Clyde in an article on Fundraiser of the Year on the Big Hearted Scotland charity website which was sponsored by the station and he was pictured with the caption "Adrian Coll; Radio Clyde".

Mr Coll and Mr Cameron were "advertised" as being part of the presentation team and featured on its website as being one of a group of 16 Clyde 1 presenters.

In a written judgment, Mr Lucas ruled each of the men were "as much a part of the respondent's core business as any other on-air presenter, including those presenters regarded by the respondent as being its employees".

A hearing is expected to take place later this year, when more details of the claims will be heard.