DAVE KING last nighthit back at Sandy Easdale and provided what he claims is proof that the Rangers director sought guarantees over his boardroom position during discussions over a multi-million pound investment package.

A war of words has erupted over the circumstances surrounding the rejection of King's £16million Ibrox bail-out.

Emails seen by SportTimes show a conversation between King and Easdale last month in which the former Gers director forwards comments from Paul Murray and George Letham, two members of the King consortium.

King states that Easdale, chairman of Rangers' football board, has asked him to clarify his intentions for him and his brother James, who is a director of RIFC plc.

And King confirms to Easdale that there were no plans to remove him or James from their positions at Ibrox should their plan win approval from shareholders.

The pair also discuss the members of the King alliance, three of whom did not wish to be named during the negotiations, and the futures of former chief executive Graham Wallace and finance director Philip Nash.

George Taylor, Andy Ross and Barry Scot are named as part of the group who were prepared put up £8million to match King's contribution.

Easdale this week accused King of destablising supporters with a 'phantom bid' and urged him to provide proof to back up his claims.

A spokesman for the consortium of investors said: "Mr Easdale, through his PR man Jack Irvine, has chosen to question our account of his request to retain his and his brother's board positions in the event of our £16m investment in the club going ahead.

"At all times during negotiations we have maintained proper corporate standards of confidentiality, despite regular leaks of the detail of those negotiations.

"But Mr Easdale has now requested that we produce proof of his concern over his own position.

"As a result of his request, we have released an email which minutes a conversation between Dave King and Mr Easdale and includes Mr Easdale's request for assurances over his and his brother's board positions."

The email trail is the latest twist in the long-running saga that has seen tensions between the camps rise.

Chairman David Somers confirmed the reasons why the Ibrox board turned down the offers from King and Brian Kennedy in favour of Ashley earlier this week.

Kennedy then hit back by revealing the details of his £3million loan bid.

The businessman wanted Murray to be given a seat on the plc board for a period of two years and his offer had various conditions over Rangers' assets, including Ibrox and Murray Park.

The King consortium have now called a ceasefire and the spokesman added: "Having now proven that our account was, as it always is, truthful, we will no longer engage in tit for tat with Mr Irvine and Mr Easdale.

"We will leave it up to the fans and shareholders to decide who is giving them accurate information on our ongoing attempts to put Rangers back on a secure footing."

Easdale's spokesman Jack Irvine said last night: "Mr King's most recent claims have been examined by Mr Easdale's legal adviser, Professor Peter Watson.

"Mr King has already been contacted by Professor Watson over his comments and asked for clarification. We will be saying nothing further on the matter."