under-fire Rangers directors have held out an olive branch to the influential group of investors calling for boardroom changes by saying they could work with a key figure in their camp.

The Ibrox club opened the door for Frank Blin, the former executive chairman of accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers Scotland, to join the board in an attempt to head off calls for an Extraordinary General Meeting which have been led by engineering tycoon Jim McColl.

In a statement, the club also appeared to echo Mr McColl's desire to see people with more corporate boardroom experience at that level in the club.

The compromise offer between the rival groups came yesterday, hours after the board unanimously agreed to end former chief executive Charles Green's consultancy role.

It effectively means the group headed by Mr McColl must now decide to accept the compromise or push for an EGM. He was unavailable for comment.

They had previously called for the removal of chief executive Craig Mather, finance director Brian Stockbridge and non-executive director Bryan Smart from the board, and the appointment of former Ibrox director Paul Murray.

However, the Rangers statement fell short of those demands, saying: "The directors can state categorically that they have always been open to adding to the current size of the board and are actively seeking a new chairman, one who will bring instant and significant benefits.

"In particular it will be necessary to connect strongly with corporate Britain if the board's ambitions for Rangers are to be fulfilled.

"This board has been working tirelessly to find an intelligent solution to the request for a general meeting and all of the directors are open to sensible and reasonable additions. For instance, the board are not against Frank Blin becoming a director but do have reservations about other proposals."

It added: "The directors remain hopeful compromise can be reached and that everyone, the fans especially, will see this club emerge a much more stable and vibrant operation."

Earlier, Mr Green offered investor Sandy Easdale first refusal on his 7.7% stake in the club.