Latest news with #DaveKing
Ottawa Citizen
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Hockey Huskies heading on a European excursion
Article content The University of Saskatchewan Huskies are going on a European hockey excursion for the first time since the Hustlin' Huskies days of Dave King. Article content That goes back — way back — to the early 1980s. Article content The Huskies will do a four-game European tour through Hungary and Slovakia, with exhibition games lined up against UTE Budapest, HK Nitra, Ferencvaros Budapest and HK Spišská Nová Ves from Aug. 31 to Sept. 5. Article content Article content 'It's been one of those things that has been in the makings for a while,' Huskies head coach Brandin Cote said. Article content Article content 'The last couple of years, I've wanted to take a look at some of the different things we could do. I know other (U Sports) teams have done it. I know the U of S did it way back when, when Dave King was here, and that's kind of where the thought process came along from a long time ago.' Article content Cote said he spoke with King and other Huskie hockey alumni from that time period about how they enjoyed it. Article content '(King) felt that, at that point of time, it was a good way to bolster the program and thought it really helped them. That was the historical piece of it.' Article content UTE Budapest includes Saskatoon native Keegan Danserou, former Regina Pats forward/defenceman Dyson Stevenson, and former Melville Millionaire and Regina Cougars forward Ian McNulty. Article content HK Nitra has former University of Alberta Golden Bear defenceman Elias Carmichael and former Notre Dame Hound/Kamloops Blazer goalie Dylan Ferguson. Article content Article content HK Spišská Nová Ves has former Saskatoon Blades defenceman Samuel Barcik as well as one-time and Blades draft pick and prospect Jonny Tychonick. Article content Article content Cote noted the Huskies were considering new ways to bring more value to their program. Article content 'I just felt this was a really good opportunity. It helped our recruiting for sure. We're getting three guys from pro hockey who want to continue to play pro hockey once they're done their degrees or whenever that may be; we have other guys on our roster who are more than capable and would like to do that, and experience something like that when they're done with our program. Article content 'To be able to expose them to that and see what it's all about, to maybe get a little bit of exposure when they're over there and meet some people, it just felt like the right time to be able to pull the trigger and do it. It'll be exciting for us,' Cote said.
The Herald Scotland
23-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
What Ibrox chairman Andrew Cavenagh said as he addressed Rangers fans
On the day that John Gilligan, Dave King and Paul Murray were finally elected to the board 10 years ago – a move which successfully ousted a reviled hierarchy which comprised Mike Ashley associates Derek Llambias and Barry Leach – at an Extraordinary General Meeting there were jubilant scenes down Govan way. One Bear even turned up wearing a rat mask and holding a sign which read, 'Glasgow Airport is five miles. Rataway. Taxi for Ashley, Llambias, Leach.' There were no such unruly scenes, no animosity, at an EGM in the Doubletree by Hilton hotel in Glasgow city centre this morning as an important staging post in the successful £75m takeover by a consortium which comprises American health insurance billionaire Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises was reached. The duo's proposed £20m investment into Rangers was dependent on one ordinary resolution and three special resolutions being accepted by shareholders. It was all a formality. Still, with new chairman Cavenagh and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe in attendance and making themselves available to shareholders to answer questions there was a bumper turnout. The decision by the likes of John Bennett, Dave King, Douglas Park, and Barry Scott to sell part or all of their stakes to the Cavenagh-49ers Enterprises alliance met, after another wretched, trophyless season with the complete approval of the vast majority of supporters. Hopes are high things will be different on and off the park moving forward. The gathering proved to be a bit of a love-in. Chief executive Patrick Stewart, former chairman Fraser Thornton, vice-chairman Marathe, and chairman Cavenagh received a warm ovation from several hundred supporters when they took to the stage. Cavenagh stood and started with a quip about why he wasn't sitting as he spoke. "I figured it wasn't the right way to start this relationship with a low block," he said. He added, "Last October I got a phone call and I will never forget it. It changed my life. Would you and your group have an interest in investing in Rangers. I said, 'Absolutely'. "The breadth and depth of the passion is the number one thing I love about this club. No 2 is Ibrox. I think of it as our castle. It gives us a competitive advantage. It is a magical place to play. "Let me be clear about our ambitions. Our ambition is to win leagues and cups and do it in a financially self-sustaining manner. It is our goal to make sure that the club is in that position over the next 10 years. It is incredibly important that we continue to attract the best talent." Marathe said, "Our philosophy is pretty simple and it is - is about making data-based decisions. It has worked for us in different organisations and I believe it will work for us here." Rangers fan ad former MP Sir Brian Donohoe was , "I welcome the input of the 49ers consortium. I am a long-term shareholder of the club. I would ask that you would give the 49 per cent some respect. I still can't see where the 49 per cent of the shareholders are being represented in the Articles of Association." Cavenagh said, "There are so many supporters shareholders in the club and we think that is fantastic. We really value that. There are a couple of different ways the minority are protected. "In UK law there are certain things that can't happen unless 75 per cent agree. George Taylor and John Halstead will make sure the minority shareholders are represented. Our focus is on making sure the club has our resources." Resolution One dealt with the allotment of shares and effectively enables Cavanagh and the 49ers Enterprises to invest fresh capital in return for shares. Resolution Three and Resolution Four, meanwhile, concerned the move to a Limited Company and the new Articles of Association. Cavenagh confirmed that it is the new Rangers hierarchy's intention to continue to hold an AGM when they become a PLC and to continue to consult with the Rangers Fan Advisory Board. A fan asked if stadium expansion was something that would be considered. Marathe said, 'Right now our first priority is improving us on the pitch, that is the urgent priority. But absolutely. We have a tremendous supporter base. We have already been looking at different things from an expansion perspective." One fan then asked, "What players are we going to get? Are we going to get someone who can pass the ball to our centre forward." Marathe said, '"It is best for all of us that we keep our efforts private. Our goal is to make the club as successful as possible. That doesn't necessarily mean throwing money at it, it means being smarter, being more wise and building a plan for sustained success. We hope there are a lot of trophies and cups for us within our lifetime" Cavenagh stated, "This is not and will never be about me or about Paraag. Football decisions will be made by football people." One fan asked if the new board realised that Rangers would be under pressure to perform from their first game of the season. Marathe said, "Every manger is under pressure to win. We all feel it, Russell [manager Martin] feels it. There is no such thing as a honeymoon period in professional sports." Asked how much money Martin would have to spend on players this summer, Cavenagh said, "Echoing what Paraag said earlier, we will be as transparent as we can be. In other areas, we are going to be really opaque and this is one of those areas." One fan asked how Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises planned to monetise their investment. Cavenagh said, "I will give you a really blunt answer - we do not have an exit plan, we have a growth plan. We will figure out the exit plan once we have achieved the growth plan." One fan accused Rangers of being weak in their dealings with the SFA and referenced the fine the club were hit with for John Brown's comments on RTV about a disallowed goal at Easter Road last season. "You make a good point," said chief executive Stewart. "We have made two pretty forceful statements. We do believe what the SFA did is inconsistent. But we do need to work with the SFA. We will fight the fight when we think there is a clear case. We will stand our ground when it is justified." It was revealed that Marathe and Cavenagh will meet with the SPFL tomorrow and the latter said, "Working together with the other clubs is important."
The National
23-06-2025
- Business
- The National
What Ibrox chairman Andrew Cavenagh said as he addressed Rangers fans
On the last occasion that power was seized at Ibrox back in 2015 there had been months of protests in the stands, ticket boycotts and online agitation and at one stage a baying mob even tried to storm the front door of the stadium. On the day that John Gilligan, Dave King and Paul Murray were finally elected to the board 10 years ago – a move which successfully ousted a reviled hierarchy which comprised Mike Ashley associates Derek Llambias and Barry Leach – at an Extraordinary General Meeting there were jubilant scenes down Govan way. One Bear even turned up wearing a rat mask and holding a sign which read, 'Glasgow Airport is five miles. Rataway. Taxi for Ashley, Llambias, Leach.' There were no such unruly scenes, no animosity, at an EGM in the Doubletree by Hilton hotel in Glasgow city centre this morning as an important staging post in the successful £75m takeover by a consortium which comprises American health insurance billionaire Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises was reached. The duo's proposed £20m investment into Rangers was dependent on one ordinary resolution and three special resolutions being accepted by shareholders. It was all a formality. Still, with new chairman Cavenagh and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe in attendance and making themselves available to shareholders to answer questions there was a bumper turnout. The decision by the likes of John Bennett, Dave King, Douglas Park, and Barry Scott to sell part or all of their stakes to the Cavenagh-49ers Enterprises alliance met, after another wretched, trophyless season with the complete approval of the vast majority of supporters. Hopes are high things will be different on and off the park moving forward. The gathering proved to be a bit of a love-in. Chief executive Patrick Stewart, former chairman Fraser Thornton, vice-chairman Marathe, and chairman Cavenagh received a warm ovation from several hundred supporters when they took to the stage. Cavenagh stood and started with a quip about why he wasn't sitting as he spoke. "I figured it wasn't the right way to start this relationship with a low block," he said. He added, "Last October I got a phone call and I will never forget it. It changed my life. Would you and your group have an interest in investing in Rangers. I said, 'Absolutely'. "The breadth and depth of the passion is the number one thing I love about this club. No 2 is Ibrox. I think of it as our castle. It gives us a competitive advantage. It is a magical place to play. "Let me be clear about our ambitions. Our ambition is to win leagues and cups and do it in a financially self-sustaining manner. It is our goal to make sure that the club is in that position over the next 10 years. It is incredibly important that we continue to attract the best talent." Marathe said, "Our philosophy is pretty simple and it is - is about making data-based decisions. It has worked for us in different organisations and I believe it will work for us here." Rangers fan ad former MP Sir Brian Donohoe was , "I welcome the input of the 49ers consortium. I am a long-term shareholder of the club. I would ask that you would give the 49 per cent some respect. I still can't see where the 49 per cent of the shareholders are being represented in the Articles of Association." Cavenagh said, "There are so many supporters shareholders in the club and we think that is fantastic. We really value that. There are a couple of different ways the minority are protected. "In UK law there are certain things that can't happen unless 75 per cent agree. George Taylor and John Halstead will make sure the minority shareholders are represented. Our focus is on making sure the club has our resources." Resolution One dealt with the allotment of shares and effectively enables Cavanagh and the 49ers Enterprises to invest fresh capital in return for shares. Resolution Three and Resolution Four, meanwhile, concerned the move to a Limited Company and the new Articles of Association. Cavenagh confirmed that it is the new Rangers hierarchy's intention to continue to hold an AGM when they become a PLC and to continue to consult with the Rangers Fan Advisory Board. A fan asked if stadium expansion was something that would be considered. Marathe said, 'Right now our first priority is improving us on the pitch, that is the urgent priority. But absolutely. We have a tremendous supporter base. We have already been looking at different things from an expansion perspective." One fan then asked, "What players are we going to get? Are we going to get someone who can pass the ball to our centre forward." Marathe said, '"It is best for all of us that we keep our efforts private. Our goal is to make the club as successful as possible. That doesn't necessarily mean throwing money at it, it means being smarter, being more wise and building a plan for sustained success. We hope there are a lot of trophies and cups for us within our lifetime" Cavenagh stated, "This is not and will never be about me or about Paraag. Football decisions will be made by football people." One fan asked if the new board realised that Rangers would be under pressure to perform from their first game of the season. Marathe said, "Every manger is under pressure to win. We all feel it, Russell [manager Martin] feels it. There is no such thing as a honeymoon period in professional sports." Asked how much money Martin would have to spend on players this summer, Cavenagh said, "Echoing what Paraag said earlier, we will be as transparent as we can be. In other areas, we are going to be really opaque and this is one of those areas." One fan asked how Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises planned to monetise their investment. Cavenagh said, "I will give you a really blunt answer - we do not have an exit plan, we have a growth plan. We will figure out the exit plan once we have achieved the growth plan." One fan accused Rangers of being weak in their dealings with the SFA and referenced the fine the club were hit with for John Brown's comments on RTV about a disallowed goal at Easter Road last season. "You make a good point," said chief executive Stewart. "We have made two pretty forceful statements. We do believe what the SFA did is inconsistent. But we do need to work with the SFA. We will fight the fight when we think there is a clear case. We will stand our ground when it is justified." It was revealed that Marathe and Cavenagh will meet with the SPFL tomorrow and the latter said, "Working together with the other clubs is important."
Daily Record
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
I was the last Rangers takeover manager but it doesn't need to end for Russell Martin like it did for me
A new boss and a new regime in charge at Ibrox sounds familiar and no wonder because this is what happened 10 years ago A new boss and a new regime in charge at Ibrox, sounds familiar right? For today's Rangers faithful, the arrival of Russell Martin, Andrew Cavenagh and the San Francisco 49ers offers at the very least hope for a brighter future. Unfortunately for Stuart McCall, events 10 years ago this summer only provide bitter regrets. A legend of the club's nine-in-a-row thrill ride, McCall didn't hesitate to accept when offered his chance of a return to Govan. The call came in March 2015, just six days after Dave King, Paul Murray and John Gilligan had swept up the Marble Staircase to boot out the Mike Ashley-backed gang masquerading as the Rangers board. The former Motherwell boss agreed to take charge of the team for the final three months of the season and attempt to salvage a faltering promotion push from the Championship. Bit by bit, the Yorkshire-born but fiercely proud Scot got a team that had fallen so far below recognised standards at Ibrox that it was sitting third in the second tier, a massive 22 points behind eventual winners Hearts, going again. A disgruntled fan base were won over but in the end, the rot that had set in during the years of mismanagement that preceded King's takeover proved too deep-rooted to weed out. That was made clear during a humiliating play-off final defeat to Motherwell in which a team McCall had been in charge of only six months earlier ran riot over two legs. Now 60, McCall doesn't regret accepting the role of caretaker boss, only the way it ended as his hopes of landing the opportunity Martin now has to reshape a broken squad were crushed. 'It's been 10 years, wow,' said McCall as he sat down with Record Sport to look back on his brief stint in the Ibrox hotseat. 'I don't know if I can remember last week never mind 10 years ago! 'The first contact I came when I was actually travelling up on the train. 'I'd left Motherwell and was out of work. I wasn't actively looking to get back in. 'I'd had a good four years at Motherwell and was probably going to wait until the end of the summer and then start having a little look about. 'When the call came, I didn't recognise the number, it was an American one. Turns out it was Richard Gough. He says, 'You know Dave King's just taken over Rangers. They're looking for a manager and want to know if you'd be interested?' 'Obviously I said of course. So I got a call the next day from John Gilligan asking if I could meet him in Glasgow. 'They told me the situation at the club at that time and told me Walter, Goughy and John Brown had all put my name forward. 'My thinking was that it'd be silly not to go and have a crack at it. 'It was only ever pitched to me as a short-term thing until the end of the season. A contract for four months. 'Listen, I'd seen what had gone on at Rangers. I knew what I was walking into. 'Any way I could help the club, I was willing to do that. It didn't matter if they said to me it was for two weeks, two months, whatever. 'I don't even think we talked about money or anything with John Gilligan. It was just about, 'can you come and help?. 'And the answer was '100%, of course'. 'I didn't give it a second thought. I just wanted to try to help the club. 'I'd seen what was happening. 'I'd never have ever gone anywhere near the club if it was still in the hands of the previous owners. I used to speak with Coisty, so I knew what had been going on behind the scenes. 'But it was a new start with Dave King, John Gilligan and Paul Murray in charge at that time. 'There was still a shock walking into the club and finding the state it was in. The biggest of which was the environment. It was the lowest morale I'd ever known at a football club. Even the likes of Jimmy Bell. He could be doom and gloom at the best of times. But he was so flat. 'Ian Durrant, Gordon Durie and big Jim Stewart were still on the backroom staff but the morale around the place was so low. 'So going in, it was just a case of let's see what we can do in these few months. 'There's no doubt, though, that there was a massive disconnect between the fans and the players. Maybe not the club, because as a fan, you'll always support your club no matter what happens. 'There was a chance to change the mood, though, because the new owners had come in. But you still needed to produce an upturn on the park as well as off it. 'There was obviously a celebration when Mike Ashley departed the club. 'But that's when you realise how much work there needs to be done. 'Listen, the day I got the call to take the job, the team had drawn with Cowdenbeath. That's where they were at at that time. 'So there was a total breakdown in positivity throughout the football club. Coisty had left. Kenny McDowall had gone in next but he doing it reluctantly. 'So that opened the door for me. 'We hit the ground running, with a brilliant one-all home draw at Livingston! 'And then an even better f***ing 2-2 home draw with Alloa! Again that showed where we were. 'But things changed. The next game we went to Hibs. In there three previous league games that season, Rangers had shipped a total of nine goals against them. 'But we changed the system, went with wing-backs and got a 2-0 win. 'I remember the players going over to give the fans a clap at the final whistle and getting a huge ovation. 'There hadn't been much to celebrate that year but that seemed to be a little bit of a turning point. 'With the fans behind the team, we built some momentum. We beat Hearts at home 2-1 and went into the play-offs in decent form. 'We got past Queen of the South and Hibs and I just remember walking out for the final against Motherwell and the place was bouncing. 'The first game I had in charge, the crowd was something like 28,000. 'But the last three games in the play-offs were full houses. So we'd got the support back onside.' That showdown with Well pitted McCall against a Fir Park squad he'd helped construct. With Rangers working their way back up through the lower leagues, it was expected that Aberdeen would provide the challenge to Celtic's league ambitions in the top flight. Yet it was McCall's Steelmen, built on the flimsiest of budgets, that stood strongest to finish as runners up two years running in both 2013 and 2014. But a frustrating start to the season after saw McCall quit. Well limped home second bottom under Ian Baraclough - setting the Fir Park side on a collision course with their former boss and his new Ibrox charges. 'It was bittersweet for me because I was going to against lads that had given me everything when I was at Motherwell,' said McCall. 'It had been one of the most successful periods Motherwell had ever had, getting to Champions League, getting to Europe all the time, finishing best of the rest three times on the bounce. 'There were lads like Keith Lasley and Stevie Hammell who I'd worked with for a long time. It was either going to be us or them. 'And I knew what the consequences would have been for Motherwell if they'd gone down.' As it turned out, it was McCall's fate that was sealed on an awful night at Ibrox which saw Well stun a packed Ibrox by winning the first leg 3-1. 'The key that night was getting the first goal at Ibrox - then you'd have seen the place really erupt,' said McCall. 'Motherwell had barely been in our box but from nowhere they scored just before the half hour mark. 'I don't regret one thing about my time at Rangers - other than 15 minutes of football either side of half-time. 'When you talk about sliding doors, it was 15 minutes that really wrecked the chance of me ever being the permanent manager. 'I'd never given that prospect a thought. 'But looking back that 15 minutes where we lost the three goals just sort of summed up the season, really. The first was a breakaway, the second a free header and the third another breakaway. 'The club's luck was rotten. I mean, typically Lee Erwin scored the opener after I'd given him his debut. 'Stephen McManus scored the second. I was the one who brought him to the club. And then Lionel Ainsworth, who I'd signed on 1200 quid, scores a rocket just after half time for the third. 'We managed to make one back but we knew going to Fir Park for the second leg, we've got to get the first goal. But that second game obviously was another nightmare.' If the Ibrox opener had been bad, what followed in Lanarkshire was even worse. Cammy Bell's howler allowed Marvin Johnson to increase Well's advantage. A 6-1 aggregate route was then completed by further goals from Ainsworth and John Sutton before Rangers defender Bilel Mohsni sparked chaos at the final whistle as he cracked Erwin with a right hook. The Tunisian later had to be restrained after attempting to rush off the Gers team bus to invite Erwin for another square go in the car park. McCall missed most of those crazy scenes - but recognised immediately that his chances of landing the job permanently were gone. 'When I came back to the club, I never thought about it for getting the job permanently for second,' he said. 'I promise you, I just went in there looking to do my best every day and win every game … and whatever came about, came about. 'Deep down, I think there'd have been a really, really strong chance I would have been given it had we got promoted because it wasn't as though I was a rookie 'I'd done well in SPL with Motherwell. We didn't have a top six budget at Motherwell but finished second, second and third. 'Obviously, the gaffer - Walter - had put me forward as did John Brown. It was an honour for me to have those guys think that I could go in and do the job. 'But obviously, the only regret I've got is the 15-minute spell.' In the end, it was Mark Warburton who was handed the task of reconstructing a new-look squad that summer. This year, it will be Martin performing a similar overhaul, only this time the former MK Dons, Swansea and Southampton gaffer will have a £20million transfer kitty to spend. The huge cash injection from the club's new American owners will have to be spent wisely if it's to make any impact on the huge lead Celtic currently hold of their rivals. But McCall said: 'I'm excited about it 'it's nice just to get a bit of positive news because the supporters have been through it in the last few seasons. 'When the club won the title under Steven Gerrard, everyone thought, 'That'll be the platform to go on and be successful and to build'. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. 'I watched almost every Rangers game this season gone and it's been a tough watch. 'But like the summer after I left, this might be an opportunity to clear things out and start again. 'Looking in, the recruitment in the last couple of years has not helped. It's been really poor. 'When when you're recruiting for Rangers, you're not recruiting just good players. First and foremost, it has to be guys who can go through the shit and come out the other side. 'If you're signing for Rangers, you should be a decent player. You're expected to be in the top two teams in that league so you're expected to win most games. 'But when push comes to shove and you need to go to Aberdeen and win, it ain't about being a good player. It's more than that. It's about being a strong character. 'You can win 20, 30 odd games a season in Glasgow but if you don't finish top, it doesn't matter. So, that's why it's about recruitment.'
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Scotsman
07-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Rangers takeover complete as new era begins: board layout, goals, cash injection, next manager latest
Historic moment as American investors take control of Glasgow side Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... At just after 11pm on Thursday night, a new era at Rangers Football Club got underway when the last e-signature was received confirming a consortium of American investors, led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises, as new majority shareholders at Ibrox. The deal is set to trigger a new cash injection of up to £20 million in the club for football operations. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Gone are the days of handing over a pound coin for control of Rangers. From David Murray to Dave King, via Craig Whyte, Charles Green and Mike Ashley, few clubs have endured such turbulent and complicated recent ownership history as Rangers. Supporters will hope that the long-awaited news of new owners will lead to long-term financial sustainability combined with improved on-field performance to an extent that can challenge Celtic's current dominance. Rangers have been the subject of takeover discussions for some months. | SNS Group The consortium have bought 51 per cent of shares, including those owned by Dave King and John Bennett, both former chairmen. As part of the process, Rangers will move from a delisted PLC to a private company. Fans will also hope the change at the top will be closely followed by the arrival of a new manager. An announcement is expected next week, with Davide Ancelotti leading the running. A new sporting director, Kevin Thelwell, will begin on Monday having joined the club from Everton. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Cavanagh, meanwhile, will take his place as chairman and will work closely with Paraag Marathe, who becomes vice-chairman in addition to his current role as chairman of Leeds United. Cavenagh has written an open letter to Rangers supporters where he outlined the aims. 'Simply put – our goal is to win trophies in Scotland and be able to compete at a high level in Europe, while laying a foundation of financial sustainability for the future,' he pledged. He also promised to take the responsibility of leading the club 'seriously'. SFA approve new owners The Scottish Football Association approved the new majority ownership late on Thursday night. Although there are some dual elements in the deal, Rangers have stressed they are not part of a multi-club operation and will function independently of Leeds United and other sporting entities in the 49ers portfolio, as per Uefa rules for European participation. The deal is subject to shareholder approval at an egm on 23 June. Current chief executive Patrick Stewart will remain in the role. Alastair Johnston, former chairman, is among those stepping down from the board. Fraser Thornton, who was named chairman in December, will remain a board member. Pennsylvania-based Cavenagh, Thornton's replacement as chair, is a business leader and healthcare executive who has attended several games at Ibrox in recent months during the long-running negotiations. He is described in a short biography released by the club as having had a 'four-year collegiate football career as an award-winning goalkeeper and captain'. It points out that he was drawn to Rangers by Ibrox and the passion of the fans. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Andrew Cavenagh's goal for Rangers is simple: win trophies. | SNS Group 'We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by the Rangers Board, shareholders, staff, and supporters,' Cavenagh said in a statement. 'This club's history and traditions speak for themselves, but history doesn't win matches. We know that the true way to honour the club's heritage will be to drive performance. Our focus is simple: elevate performance, deliver results, and bring Rangers back to where it belongs - at the top." Marathe has recently experienced football success in his role as Leeds chairman. The Elland Road club secured promotion back to the English Premier League this season amid renewed excitement at the club. As Rangers vice-chairman, he will now split time between Ibrox and Elland Road as well as the San Francisco Bay Area. However, Cavenagh is expected to be the most visible of the new owners. Mark Taber, Andrew Clayton and Gene Schneur, who is a co-owner of Leeds United, will join Cavenagh and Marathe on the Ibrox board. No fans rep on Rangers board As it stands, there will be no place for a fans' representative on the board. Fans' group Club 1872 were the eighth largest shareholder in the club. Supporter engagement is a key strand of the American sports ethos though what it will look like at Rangers, time will tell. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'At 49ers Enterprises, we have built a track record of sporting and business success, but our driving motivation is our deep connection to the clubs and communities we serve,' said Marathe. 'We are excited to join Andrew and our other consortium of investors in a new era for this iconic club, and we are determined to build something that supporters can be proud of for years to come.' Thornton described what he called 'the new ownership phase' of Rangers as a 'significant step forward'. He added: The incoming shareholders bring not only funding but also deep expertise in strategic planning, infrastructure development, and sporting excellence. On behalf of Rangers, I also want to put on record our appreciation to the outgoing board members who have selflessly served the club. Paraag Marathe will also be heavily involved at Rangers. | Getty Images 'I also want to acknowledge our major shareholders whose backing has brought the club to this point, the vast majority of whom have chosen to reinvest in the club and continue with us on the next stage of the journey.' The journey, of course, is a slightly loaded term these days when used in association with Rangers. It speaks of a long, often fraught odyssey back up the leagues following the club's descent into financial oblivion in 2012. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Even when a return to the top tier was attained, it has rarely run smoothly save for a spell under Steven Gerrard when they won the Scottish title for the first time since 2011. They also reached the Europa League final under Giovanni van Bronckhorst in 2022.
