Former Rangers star faces financial peril at current club as he admits 'we haven't been paid' in dark address

A former Rangers star is currently navigating financial turmoil at his current club - with players and management left unpaid.

Jon Daly had a prolific spell at Dundee United and moved to Rangers in 2013, having also had time at Stockport County, Bury, Grimbsy Town and Hartlepool United. He scored 29 goals with 12 assists in 72 Rangers outing and since retiring, he has embarked upon a coaching journey.

That started at Hearts, where he initially started out as their U20s boss after agreeing to join in 2015. He was joint-interim boss after Robbie Neilson’s first exit and he took up the caretaker mantle again when Ian Cathro was sacked.

Daly left Hearts in 2020 soon after the appointment of Daniel Stendel as manager, since having stints at TPS Turku, St Patrick’s Athletic and Dundalk, where he is now boss. But he is having to work through testing financial parameters in the League of Ireland.

It came clear this week that owner Brian Ainscough was considering his options after just nine months in control of the club. Daly has admitted after a 2-1 Premier Division defeat to St Patrick's Athletic that management and players have not been paid on time.

He said to LMFM: “I'm not going to stand here and tell lies to you. We haven't been paid, but we've been informed that we will be paid, just there's going to be a bit of a delay on it.

“It's not easy. Footballers - especially in the League of Ireland - aren't on huge money and will have bills like everyone else. There's that little worry for some of them, mortgages etc coming out. We've been told that it should be a couple of days to get sorted so we have to take their word for it and believe that's going to happen. It's not a nice situation to be in.

“The owner is looking for investment or was looking for investment and that's kind of where I'm led to believe that it's at. It's obviously not ideal that it comes out, and all the rumours that come off the back of it, it's not ideal.

“Credit to the players, they've held themselves to high standards. Hopefully over the next few days, there's a bit more clarity for everyone. Peter Halpin (CEO) has been great, very straight up. Any information he gets, he tries to pass on. He's similar to myself, he doesn't know an awful lot.

“The hardest part is the uncertainty and not knowing. I do like to plan and prepare and have as much knowledge of things as I possibly can. I have to be up front with the players on what I do know.

“Hopefully in a few days time, there's better news coming out of the club. We're disappointed to come away with nothing from the game, it compounds the bad week that we've had.”