By Kieran Maguire

12th Apr, 2021 | 1:07pm

Kieran Maguire: Rangers fans in big 'statement of intent' amid £5.5m development

Rangers fans have made a “statement of intent” by announcing their aim to invest £2.5million in the club via investment vehicle Club 1872. 

That is according to finance guru and Football Insider columnist Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively after Rangers issued £2.2m worth of shares in the club on 30 March.

That came after another share issue of £3.25m earlier in the month, taking the total prospective investment in the club to just short of £5.5m.

Club 1872 – a Rangers supporters trust – announced in February that they had been formally invited to participate in the share issue and have set a target of £2.5m.

Maguire claims that it will be “challenging” for Club 1872 to achieve their aim but that doing so would give them real authority in the running of the club.

He told Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams: “The aim of Club 1872 is to achieve 25 per cent ownership because that will allow the fanbase to have the power of veto over some decisions.

“It will be a statement of intent if they can achieve this target because it is going to be challenging for them.

“If they are going to achieve it then they can turn around to the sceptics and say, ‘well, we’ve done this, why can’t we go on to do more?’

“I think that will be their strategy.”

Club 1872 is the sixth-biggest shareholder in Rangers.

The group was formed in 2016 as a coalition between Rangers First and the Rangers Supporters Trust.

In other news, Steven Gerrard will “definitely consider” Rangers exit amid interest from “big club in world football.”