Rangers 'set' to offer director of football operations role to chief with 30 years of service to Everton and Man United
He has links to both sporting director Kevin Thelwell and chief executive Patrick Stewart, who have come under fierce scrutiny in recent weeks
Rangers are understood to be weighing up an offer to a well respected senior figure who has worked closely with both Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart to fill the key role of director of football operations.
According to the Scottish Daily Express, David Harrison is among the frontrunners to land the vacancy, which is currently being advertised with sporting director Thelwell overseeing the appointment.
Harrison spent over 27 years working at English Premier League side Everton, where he started as manager of the club's box office in 1995. He became assistant club secretary in 1998 before being promoted to director of football operations and club secretary in 2000 - a position he held until February 2023.
The following month, he became director of football operations at Manchester United, a position he left back in August.
Kevin Thelwell tasked with appointing new director of football operations
Harrison worked alongside Thelwell - who hasn’t endeared himself to the Ibrox faithful since his appointment following some questionable recruitment - at Goodison for a year. Chief executive Stewart was on the Manchester United board when Harrison moved to Old Trafford.
Stewart held the same position on an interim basis at the Red Devils from November 2023 until August 2024.
Under-fire duo Thelwell and Stewart have been the target of intense fan protests in recent weeks, with banners depicting the pair in crosshairs being unfurled during the Europa League defeat to Roma last week.
The decision to appoint someone they have both worked with previously will do little to quell supporters anger. Thelwell has already faced criticism for hiring his own son, Robbie, as the club’s chief scout despite his underwhelming record at Norwich City.
He has also appointed allies from Everton and Wolves to fill key background roles, while the Englishman’s record in the transfer window has raised plenty of eyebrows, with only Djeidi Gassama and more recently Mikey Moore being the only players from the 12 signed over the summer to have made a positive impact.
The director of footballing operations job description has confirmed that the successful candidate will report directly to Thelwell. The job advert states: “Working closely with the Sporting Director, Head Coaches, and players, the Director of Football Operations will ensure the seamless and efficient running of all operational activities across the Men’s First Team, Women’s Team, and Academy, fostering resilience and the sharing of best practice.
“The role leads a multi-disciplinary team encompassing Football Administration, Operations Executives, Kit Logistics, and Player Liaison, ensuring every detail supports on-pitch performance and aligns with the Club’s strategic objectives.”
Rangers sit fourth in the Scottish Premiership table heading into the final international break of the year with new head coach Danny Rohl managing to steady the ship in Govan after the Light Blues won just one of the opening eight fixtures under previous boss Russell Martin.