JACK Gillespie, once Rangers' largest single shareholder and a former vice-chairman who had ambitions to become chairman, has died aged 87.
Mr Gillespie was the man who facilitated the deal that meant Rangers for the first time in its history had one owner with a controlling stake.
Mr Gillespie made his fortune in the motor trade, latterly running a Vauxhall dealership in Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire until 1995,
He died on Tuesday. A funeral for the former vice-chairman and director of Rangers will be held on Friday at Lenzie Old Parish Church. He leaves two children, Ian and Anne.
In 1985, the garage owner said it was still possible for him to become chairman of Rangers despite selling most of his shareholding in a £1 million deal which gave the construction company John Lawrence (Glasgow) outright control of the club.
While he never made it to the top seat, his decision to accept an offer for reputedly 29,000 of his shares turned the structure of the club on its head, giving businessman Lawrence Marlborough's firm a holding of 52%.
He was also once a director at Airdrieonians. An Airdrie spokesman said the club was "shocked and saddened".
Mr Gillespie, a goalkeeper in his early years, was a former team-mate of the former Celtic legend Jock Stein when they played for Albion Rovers. But he suffered a broken leg, losing thechance to sign for Hibs.
Mr Gillespie was first elected to the Rangers board in 1976, 24 years after buying his first Rangers share and at a time when his business portfolio had expanded to include two bars and a handful of other enterprises. He became the largest single shareholder with a 20% stake reported to have cost £550,000 to assemble.
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said Mr Gillespie once called him to offer him the manager's job at Ibrox.
Sir Alex said: "I was flattered but declined with thanks. John Greig was a good friend of mine and I had no intention of being involved in ousting him."
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