Director turns to lawyers over Rangers shares

Andrew Ellis claims he was promised a quarter of Rangers' shares by Craig Whyte (Getty Images)

The Rangers director Andrew Ellis has instructed his lawyers to take legal action against Craig Whyte, after claiming that he is due a quarter of the club's shares.

Ellis claims he was promised a 24.9 per cent stake in the Ibrox club by Whyte when the owner completed his takeover last May. Ellis said the legal move would not impact on a potential sale of the club for which the administrator, Duff & Phelps, is set to name a preferred bidder this week.

Ellis said: "It certainly will not hold up the sale of the club. I'm suing Craig – not the football club. I've been trying to sort it out for the last nine or 10 months and I haven't got anywhere so I've handed it over to the legal team."

Ellis, who is confident he has a strong case, said: "Without question, I am owed 24.9 per cent of the entire club's shares and I will be suing Craig Whyte for it. This was part of the initial agreement prior to the takeover and I have correspondence to prove it.

"At the time the solicitors sent all the documents through, Craig accepted the fact that I was getting 24.9 per cent of the club.

"My lawyers wrote to Craig on Thursday about this and we are awaiting his response. I do not trust his intentions for the football club and I want to do what I can to make sure the best interests of Rangers are being looked after."

Meanwhile, the Singapore-based businessman Bill Ng has spoken of his ambitions for the club if he succeeds with his takeover bid.

Ahead of the expected announcement from Duff & Phelps, Paul Murray's Blue Knights and the American tycoon Bill Miller are also in the running.

Ng – who is apparently a Rangers fan since witnessing their European Cup Winners' Cup success on television in 1972 – was quoted in a number of newspapers as saying: "My mission will be accomplished when another young boy watches Rangers lift a European trophy. I'm already thinking about the day I can sit down with Ally McCoist and the staff to discuss new signings. We want to show that we're not just the type of owners who go in with no understanding and are in it just for the money.

"We will install a board of directors made up of Scottish businessmen who support the club."