FORMER Rangers' finance director Brian Stockbridge has received shares in the club worth about £215,000 under a deal made when he joined the board along with Charles Green, it has emerged.

The club announced to the Stock Exchange that Mr Stockbridge, who left Rangers in January, was given more than 714,000 shares in the company due to a clause in the contract he signed in 2012. It is understood the windfall is a 'legacy' of deals signed in the wake of Mr Green's takeover and the current board had no control over the share issue.

The shares mean Mr Stockbridge has a 1.1 per cent interest in the club, but it is not known if he will hold on to it or sell the shares.Their current value is about 30p, meaning Mr Stockbridge is in line for about £215,000 if he cashes in.

The Rangers announce­ment said: "The New Ordinary Shares are being issued pursuant to an exercise of the options granted to Brian Stockbridge (a former director of the company) on admission of the company's shares to trading on AIM pursuant to Mr Stockbridge's original contract of employment with The Rangers Football Club Limited, dated September 17, 2012."

Mr Stockbridge came under heavy criticism from shareholders at the club's AGM last December after the club reported a £14 million operating loss for the 13 months to June.

He was re-elected to the board with support from just 65.3% of shareholders, the smallest margin of any of the five board members.

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