Rangers manager Ally McCoist adamant 'club won't die' despite revelations new owners will look to start afresh

Ally McCoist will accept the end of 140 years of unbroken existence for Rangers, providing a new version of one of the world’s most famous clubs emerges in strength.

This week the Ibrox administrators will produce a list of preferred bidders, but there has been strong speculation that at least one of the would-be purchasers – Cloud 9 Sports of Chicago – would prefer to take charge of a ‘phoenix’ club.

McCoist would not be drawn into consideration of the merits of the bidders who have come to light so far – former director Paul Murray and his Blue Knights consortium, the now-withdrawn offer from Brian Kennedy, the owner of Sale Sharks, or the American group – but he was emphatic on his belief that Scottish football will still feature Rangers in one form or other.

“As far as I’m concerned, the club will never die. Even if we came back as a new club, it will never die,” he told The Sunday Telegraph.

“We’d get a bit of stick and there will be a few arguments. I really hope it doesn’t happen but if it does, I wouldn’t see it as anything other than the old club.

“I don’t go along with the idea that 140 years of history would be wiped out, not at all.

"I wouldn’t say I’m concerned with what has happened this week, with Brian Kennedy out of the running.

"There were always going to be twists and turns and there have been a good few before this week and I expect more.

“I knew the administrators would whittle down potential purchasers to two or three, who they see as the real competitors. Some people were always going to drop out.

“Of course, there is concern, but I’ve got to be positive. Last weekend (defeating Celtic) was a big help because it gave everyone at the club a boost but the most important thing is where Rangers go from here and where the new owner will take us.

“I’m still hopeful that we’ll have a new owner to take us forward in the not too distant future but as positive as I am, I’m also cautious.

“We are by no means out of the woods yet and liquidation is still lurking in the background.

“No one really wants it, even if a potential new owner might want to from a business point of view. We don’t want that stain on our club and it would mean no European football for three years.

“It would not be a complete disaster but I do not want it to happen. Paul has Rangers at heart.

"He’s just interested in getting us out of administration and taking us forward but it doesn’t matter who buys the club, as long as their view of the future is positive.

“The current owner is a Rangers fan from Scotland and that hasn’t worked out. So that doesn’t have to be the criteria for a new one.

"The important thing is their hopes for Rangers’ future. It’s not about where they come from – but I can understand some preferring a Rangers-minded person.

“That’s what Paul is, as well as being a good businessman. He’s a Rangers fan and that might not be the case with someone from abroad. I don’t think the big English clubs have lost their identity with foreign owners.

“If someone was at that Old Firm game who was thinking about buying us they’d have to be blind and deaf not to realise what it means to so many people.

“Look at Roman Abramovich at Chelsea. Watching him at games, he genuinely enjoys it and wants to see them winning. Was he a Chelsea fan as a boy? Of course not but he knows how important they are to so many people.

“I haven’t met the Americans, I’ve only spoken to Brian and Paul. But the administrators are keen for me to speak to another couple of the interested parties.”

On the pitch, things are looking rosier, though, and yesterday Lee McCulloch grabbed a late winner against Motherwell to ensure that Old Firm rivals Celtic will have to wait at least until next week to clinch the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title.

Elsewhere, a Jon Daly double helped Dundee United to a 3-0 victory over Dunfermline. United moved into fourth in the table, while Dunfermline are now adrift at the bottom.