Chairman King was the driving force on Rangers’ road to recovery

DAVE KING wouldn’t claim to be the man who saved Rangers.

But there is no doubt that the club wouldn’t be where it is just now if it wasn’t for the time, money and effort that Dave has put in over the last few years at Ibrox.

There are, of course, other people who deserve credit and thanks from the supporters but Dave’s dedication to Rangers won’t be forgotten after he announced he will step down as chairman.

Dave admitted himself he was a bit emotional making the decision and giving his speech and that shows you the passion that he has for Rangers and what the club means to him.

I am sure the round of applause he got from the shareholders and supporters at the AGM on Tuesday morning would have meant an awful lot to him.

There are not too many people that get into his position at Rangers, or at any club for that matter, and leave with a standing ovation.

Dave will go out with a heavy heart but he does so knowing that he has done his best for Rangers. So far, that best has been good enough.

He has taken a bit of stick over his five year tenure but what a difficult period it was for anyone to be at the helm of Rangers. He has had to go through so much, had to deal with so much and always done what he felt was in the club’s interests.

Look at the team on the park and the improvements at Ibrox and the Hummel Training Centre. Look at the improvements in the balance sheet and every area of the club behind the scenes.

None of that would have been possible without Dave King. We are not where we want to be yet, but Rangers are getting back to where they should be once again.

The club is in a far healthier place than it was when he, John Gilligan and Paul Murray took control and the fans will forever be grateful and thankful for his efforts.

Dave acknowledged this week that it has been hard for him combining his interests in Rangers with his businesses back in South Africa. He gave up five years of his business career to help the club he loves and he can go back to work there with his head held high.

He leaves Rangers in a good place and having done the right things for the club and the fans. That hasn’t been the case often enough over the years so Dave deserves every thanks that he gets from the support.

Rangers had to survive during their troubles, now they can thrive thanks to the work that Dave and his fellow directors and investors have put in over recent times.

When you have the club at heart, you will do what it is right for it and Rangers are fortunate just now to have a boardroom full of directors that only want was is best for the club, both on and off the park.

Dave has done what he feels is right for Rangers at every juncture and you certainly can’t say that about every chairman that has been there. He has gone in there wanting to get his club back to where it belongs and given Rangers five years of service to try and do that.

The fans are proud of the club and the team again and they can’t wait to go and watch Steven Gerrard’s side every week. They sell out away games and you can’t get a ticket for Ibrox matches.

The supporters have a spring in their step once again this season and that has been a long time coming. It has been a while since they have been so positive about the club and Dave, of course, has played a huge part in making that the case.

The appointment of Steven has proven to be crucial for Rangers and the work that the manager has done, backed up by the board and the executives, has transformed the fortunes of the club so quickly.

You need leadership at football clubs and Rangers have a leader in Steven Gerrard. But the same can be said of Dave King.

The attitudes and standards that you need to be successful have to be in place at the top so that they can filter down through every area of the club and every member of staff.

Dave’s influence has spread through Rangers over the last five years and the club is now in a position where he feels he can leave.

We are not where we want to be just yet, but we are a lot closer than we have been for a very long time.

Dave King has helped rebuild Rangers. Now we must make the most of those foundations in the coming weeks, months and years.