Fans and staff at Glasgow's Rock Radio have hit out at the station's owners following a decision to re-brand it, leading to the loss of around nine jobs.

One fan described the move to rebrand 96.3 Rock Radio as Real Radio XS as "the death of the station".

And one of the DJs who will be let go has criticised owner Guardian Media Group (GMG) for what he calls a "massive cost-cutting exercise'.

A source inside Rock Radio, who asked not to be named, revealed four of the station's "Rock Jock" DJs and five digital staff will lose their jobs as part of the rebranding.

The digital staff work on Rock Radio's sister website RockAAA.com, which GMG has confirmed will be shut down.

Legendary DJ Tom Russell, however, will be kept on.

Rock Jock Donald MacLeod, who is also boss of CPL which owns The Cathouse, Garage and Tunnel nightclubs in Glasgow, hosted his final show for the station on Friday night.

He has taken calls from big-name fans –including Rangers FC manager Ally McCoist – concerned about the future of their favourite station.

Donald, 50, said: "People are very disappointed about this and fans know they won't hear the same kind of music on the station when it becomes Real Radio XS on October 21.

"GMG are getting rid of me, Ted Rock and Billy Rankin and other presenters too, and the station will also be losing the specialist shows from Metal Hammer magazine and Classic Rock magazine.

"The stuff coming from Real Radio XS will be bland in comparison.

"Whatever way it is packaged, this is a massive cost-cutting exercise to bring Rock Radio under the Real Radio banner.

"They can sell more advertising that way, it all comes down to money.

"Fans are not happy and many of them will simply stop tuning in. I even had Ally McCoist call me up to ask what was going on with the station."

The station, launched in 2007, has an official FM audience of 67,000, but many more tune in on DAB or online.

GMG went through a similar rebranding of its Rock Radio station in Manchester.

Fans fear less shows on Real Radio XS will be presented by actual DJs and that computerised shows will be the norm.On the Rock Radio Facebook page, scores of fans have left messages in support of the staff and DJs who will be moving on from the Ballieston-based station.

Thomas McWilliams posted: "This is the end. I have listened to Rock Radio since day one.

"It's not just about the music. It's the friendship and even intimacy between the DJ and the listeners.

"If I want to listen to 'non stop rock' then I can fill a CD with all the mp3s I want and listen to that. But no, I like the zany DJs."

GMG's move comes in the wake of the collapse of negotiations to sell the Rock Radio licence to former managing director for Scotland, Billy Anderson.

He left GMG to launch a management buyout of Rock Radio which, the Evening Times understands, he was planning to rebrand as Rock AAA.

The reasons for the collapse of the deal have not been made public.

GMG Radio's chief executive, Stuart Taylor, said: "The station will continue to have a distinctive rock sound and will cater for all rock music fans in Glasgow and central Scotland, but this move will give it the best possible chance to grow."

Donald MacLeod is hosting a benefit night for the Rock Radio staff at his Cathouse nightclub on Friday, October 14.