JIM McCOLL insists new Rangers chief executive Graham Wallace will be no pushover in the boardroom.

The former Manchester City CEO was named as Craig Mather's replacement a fortnight ago and won backing from the shareholder group aiming to win seats at the Ibrox top table.

McColl held talks with the largest shareholders in Rangers International Football Club plc, Laxey Partners, last week but was unable to convince them to vote against the new-look board at next month's AGM.

David Somers and Norman Crighton have recently been appointed to the Gers hierarchy as chairman and non-executive director respectively but McColl remains confident that members of his group - Paul Murray, Malcolm Murray, Alex Wilson and Scott Murdoch - will receive the backing of investors.

And the Glasgow businessman reckons the club are on the right track with Wallace and Crighton in position.

McColl said: "I went to see Laxey last week. I knew what they were going to do but I wanted to speak to Colin Kingsnorth to see if I could convince him to maybe support [us].

"His view was that the three new guys in are reasonable enough guys, I want to give them a chance. I believe that, particularly in Wallace and Crighton, you have got two strong individuals there that are not going to be pushed about by people or be anybody's patsy.

"He was quite happy to say, 'I will back them and give them the chance to sort it out'. If that doesn't happen, I am sure they would be back in to get change.

"His view, and I share his view, is that Wallace is a very strong financial guy.

"Wallace will get to the bottom [of it].

"We know all the salaries and the bonuses and things like that. I think Wallace is a blue chip guy."

McColl and Murray this week called for the resignation of finance director Brian Stockbridge, labelling his position 'untenable'.

The appointments of Wallace, Crighton and Somers have strengthened the board's hand ahead of the shareholder summit on December 19 and McColl is willing to let the new directors make an impression at Ibrox.

He said: "I believe that they have started to build the board, the start of a new board is there. I don't think we can rubbish that board. I said a couple of times during the meeting, we want to work to get the club

stable going forward, not to be demonising people.

"I know a lot of people think that that is taking us off the line but I think that is the practical way forward. There are three new bodies there and they have started to strengthen the board.

"I know there are people with the theories they are all bad guys but I believe you have got to give the guys a chance."

McColl joined the four Rangers requisitioners at a meeting with supporters in Glasgow on Thursday night as the current Gers board turned down the chance to face the fans.

Laxey Partners have become major players in the Ibrox boardroom battle and McColl, who dismissed fears that Rangers could be heading for administration again, said: "Colin Kingsnorth is a switched-on guy. He thinks this is a good investment, which I agree with.

"It is a very good investment to invest in Rangers. They will build up, they won't slip back again."