Rangers chairman Malcolm Murray granted Ibrox board reprieve

Rangers chairman Malcolm Murray has retained his position at the club for the moment after a board meeting at Ibrox on Friday.

A number of directors at the club are keen for Murray to step down.

However, the board will hold another meeting next week as Murray could not attend Friday's meeting in person.

The pension fund manager has been chairman since June but has been caught up in the middle of a bitter boardroom battle.

A number of Ibrox sources have indicated to BBC Scotland that former manager Walter Smith could also consider his position as a director.

A bitter battle for control of Rangers has developed in recent weeks, with shareholder Blue Pitch Holdings, which owns just over 6% of the club, proposing that Murray and non-executive director Philip Cartmell be replaced by current shareholders James Easdale and Chris Morgan.

Former Rangers director Dave King has also been keeping a close eye on the situation and may be offered a controlling share in the club.

Murray's position at the Third Division champions has been under scrutiny for some weeks and he lost a vote of confidence earlier this month, although he has remained in the post.

Easdale and his brother, Sandy, have made it clear recently that they are interested in increasing their stake in the club.

They told the BBC they had a "delicate agreement" to buy up shares as and when they became available.

It had earlier emerged that the club's former chief executive, Charles Green, had agreed to sell his shareholding to the Easdales.

Morgan was one of Green's original investors and, in the list of his particulars, which would be registered should he become a club director, are companies such as RCJ Developers, Rhein Parkland, Neos Interactive, Albert Albela Corporation and Asia Investment Corporation.