19:00, 06 Jun 2025
Rangers squad 2021
Patrick Stewart has shot down fears Rangers’ links with Leeds could threaten their European involvement.
Ibrox is under new ownership following last week’s £75million takeover by US health insurance tycoon Andrew Cavenagh and the San Francisco 49ers.
Paraag Marathe, a senior exec with the NFL giants and chairman at Elland Road, has also taken up a seat next to new boardroom chief Cavenagh as Gers’ vice-chairman.
But Marathe and the 49ers' controlling interest in the Premier League new boy’s forced the American consortium to gain SFA approval before they could take hold of the keys to Ibrox.
But Light Blues CEO Stewart insists the new arrangement in Govan is nothing like the set up that could see FA Cup winners Crystal Palace blocked from next season’s Europa League.
Eagle Football - the multi-club group owned by John Textor which includes a minority shareholding in Palace - owns a majority stake in Ligue 1 side Lyon, who have also qualified for the same competition.
Article continues below
Palace chiefs have been forced to fly out to UEFA headquarters in Switzerland for talks over a deal to save their Euro ticket - but Selhurst Park chiefs are far from confident they will get the green light.
Stewart, though, is certain Rangers will face no such hurdles should Leeds end up booking a continental trip next season.
He said: “I think firstly that this isn't a multi-club ownership model. It just simply isn't.
“There is no common parent club. There is a limited amount of overlap.
“Paraag Marathe is the chairman of Leeds and the vice-chair of Rangers.
“We have a couple of other individuals that have interests or roles in both clubs.
“There's commonality, but there's not any control from one club to the other.
"I see it as there could be opportunities, but the directors of Rangers are always going to operate in the best interests of Rangers.
“The Scottish FA is part of that process. They made it very clear, for example - which we are grateful for - that Rangers' participation in UEFA competitions cannot be harmed by any of this overlap.
“I just see opportunity, and now having experienced working with Parag and 49ers, I think that opportunity is real.”
Rangers fans have faced taunts from the opposite side of Glasgow since last week’s takeover, with mischievous claims their team might end up as a feeder club for Leeds.
Paraag Marathe has a plan for Rangers
But Stewart is adamant the loose tie-up with the Peacocks and their Gridiron counterparts in California will only benefit the Light Blues.
He said: “What the 49ers have got is a high degree of expertise in a number of different sports, including football obviously at Leeds and obviously in the NFL.
“What we tap into is a network of expertise where we can grow together. I've had several discussions with counterparts at Leeds, at 49ers Enterprises, just sharing information but also really importantly networks and those networks can be helpful from a technical perspective or from a commercial perspective.
“We very much see 49ers role in the consortium as providing that level of expertise that will help fill in some of the gaps we've got, complement what we've got as well but the strategic significance they can have shouldn't be underestimated.”
Stewart has proved to be a divisive figure at Ibrox since taking up his post last December.
He’s taken a new hard-line stance on the behaviour of fans - including a scathing statement aimed at the Union Bears and their tifo depicting a gun-toting Graeme Souness ahead of last month’s Old Firm clash at Inbox.
But he is confident he remains on good terms with the club’s supporters.
“We had a really good meeting with the Fan Advisory Board after what you're referring to, predominantly the tifo that we made a comment on as a club,” he said.
“There’s lots of aspects about Rangers which are a cause for celebration. There's some aspects that we think standards are important all across the club in every aspect.
Article continues below
“I think the Union Bears did a really interesting statement last week where they talked about standards and their tifos being befitting of the standards of Ibrox.
“I think all aspects of the club, supporters, employees, management, ownership, we all want to drive the best standards and that can mean different things to different people. I thought it was a really interesting statement from the UB and actually a really positive statement.”