RANGERS fans will stage a protest against controversial Ibrox investor Mike Ashley ahead of the Championship clash with Alloa this afternoon.

The Light Blue legions are boycotting Sports Direct stores and official merchandise to highlight the retail contracts in place between the Ashley-owned firm and Rangers.

The Rangers Supporters Trust claim the club receives just 50p from every £10 spent as part of the agreement through Rangers Retail Limited, a contract that Ibrox chairman Dave King is keen to renegotiate sooner rather than later.

Tensions towards Ashley, who has an 8.92% stake in Rangers, and supporters have escalated once again this week and fans will now gather at Ibrox in their numbers this afternoon.

Craig Houston of the Sons of Struth told SportTimes: “We will meet at Ibrox at 2pm and we have arranged for a banner that outlines the reasons why we think supporters should boycott Sports Direct and Rangers merchandise.

“We have also requested that Rangers Supporters Clubs and other fans groups that are in support of it bring their own banners to show a bit of unity.

“The feedback that we have had has been phenomenal. It could be one of our biggest ever protests.

“A lot of fans have been boycotting for some time now but after the news that has come out this week about Mike Ashley and Sports Direct, all of which shows them in a bad light, more and more people are saying that enough is enough.

“We can’t stop any Rangers supporters from buying Rangers merchandise or visiting the Megastore on Saturday. That is not our intention.

“We want to provide the facts to the people who have got a decision to make. It is perfectly evident to me, and others, that the only interest Mike Ashley has in Rangers is the pounds in the pockets of the fans. We feel this is time for some unity amongst the supporters.”

The release of the latest set of accounts for Rangers International Football Club plc have given fans another insight into how Rangers were being run by the former Ibrox board before the regime change in March.

And Houston hopes more supporters will join those who are determined to play their part in a bid to force change once again.

He said: “The accounts show a worse situation, in terms of the percentage Rangers receive from merchandise sales, than it was last year.

“The figures of 50p for every £10 spent in the club shop is absolutely ridiculous.

“People in business should make profit but we have to be in a partnership that is beneficial to both parties and there has to be a fair distribution.

“I don’t think that anyone would say that the current arrangement provides a fair distribution for Rangers.”