Rangers management pledge to stay
Published 16:51 07/12/09 By Pa Sports
Rangers fans still worrying about the future of the cash-strapped Ibrox club were handed a boost on Monday when it was revealed that Walter Smith and his management team have vowed to work without a contract - and top scorer Kris Boyd is in talks about a new deal.
Smith, assistant Ally McCoist and first-team coach Kenny McDowall are all out of contract in January and there has been speculation about their future while majority shareholder Sir David Murray tries to sell his stake in the club which is around £31million in debt.
However, chief executive Martin Bain told shareholders: "The situation is this; as the club currently sits up for sale and in between owners, Walter, Ally and Kenny have taken the decision that as such time as a new owner is found, they will work without a contract to protect the club from having a contracted management team that a new owner may not want."
He added: "We are fortunate as a football club to have a management team who are all true Rangers supporters."
Boyd's current deal expires at the end of the season and there are fears that failure to tie him up on a new deal would see him sign a pre-contract for another club in January.
When asked by one shareholder why the club had not yet moved to tie up Boyd on a new contract, Bain explained: "It has been a difficult time for the club in the last few months and there wasn't the time to sit down with players' representatives and have properly-informed discussions.
"However, I am now in the position to negotiate and discuss players' contracts.
"Over the last fortnight, I have spoken to virtually all the representatives of players who are coming out of contract and I have been made aware of their intentions and those discussions have progressed.
"In particular with Kris Boyd, I spoke to his representative and I am aware of what Kris sees as acceptable as a contract.
"I have digested that and I'm in the process of continuing with discussions, but it has only happened recently."
