RANGERS Football Club belongs to the supporters.

They are the ones who have kept the Ibrox club going for 143 years.

And in the last few years it is the fans who have bailed the Gers out when they have been struggling.

So I think the fan ownerships schemes which have been launched, Buy Rangers and Rangers First, are fantastic and can give the fans a real say in their club.

Several high-profile supporters have lent their backing to them in the last few weeks.

Jim McColl, one of Scotland's richest men, has donated 10,000 shares to Rangers First.

George Taylor, a member of the Three Bears consortium, has signed up to Rangers First and has expressed the hope fans will become THE major shareholder in the future.

And now Lynsey Sharp, the Commonwealth Games silver medalist, has joined the Rangers Supporters Trust and endorsed Buy Rangers this week.

I think Rangers need wealthy businessmen and investors - those, that is, who have the best interests of the club at heart - to drive the club forward and keep it going.

But these schemes have enormous potential. These are difficult times for many people financially.

So for Buy Rangers and Rangers First to sign up so many people in such a short space of time is impressive.

They already own around two per cent of the club between them.

It might not seem like an awful lot in the grand scheme of things. But with Dave King and the Three Bears buying up over 34 per cent of Rangers in the last few weeks they can make a difference by siding with them.

I would also like to see the fans get at least one representative on the board.

I think they are due that with all the money they put into the club.

I think the board should start to take the fans seriously and accept their representative onto the board.

It can only be a good thing for everyone involved.

By taking that step, they can ensure there will be far greater transparency in the club's affairs.

They money that is collected by these initiatives, too, does not necessarily have to go on shares.

It can, if contributors agree, be used on projects which are to the betterment of Rangers.

Say, for example, the fans decided they wanted to erect a statue to an icon like Davie Coooper, they could fund that.

It is a way that Rangers fans all over the world can make a real difference to the club they love. If somebody is living in the Middle East or Australia then there is a fair chance they will have good jobs and will have disposable income.

They are every bit as passionate as those supporters who own season tickets and go to games every weekend.

Ex-pat fans can influence what happens at the club by signing up to these schemes and putting their money in. I think the time when fans have a say in the running of the club is long overdue.

Barcelona members are set to remove their current board a year early at elections at the end of this season.

If supporters of a club like that can have a direct say in who runs things then why can't Rangers.

Meanwhile, I know that Robert Sarver has said that he has pulled out of his bid to buy Rangers after his £20 million was rejected.

But I wouldn't rule out the American banker coming back in at a later date.

After all, he did say: "If they need me in any way they just need to pick up the phone."

That suggests to me he still wants to be involved. And I know for a fact that he has struck up good relationships with both The Three Bears and Dave King.

The way the club is set up just now made it difficult for Sarver to invest.

But look for him to come on board in the future. The coming weeks are going to be massive for Rangers.

There is an awful lot of talking to be done as the short-term future is sorted out. But I still believe things are looking up and we can go forward with optimism.

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