RANGERS fans' chiefs hope there will be strength in numbers for the Light Blue legions after discussions over a potential merger of several supporters' groups.

Ibrox director John Gilligan and Managing Director Stewart Robertson held talks with fan representatives last month and a consensus has been reached that could see the Rangers Supporters' Trust, Assembly, Association, Rangers First and Fans' Board come together under one umbrella.

The proposed new body would have two representatives from Rangers on board, but would be independent from the club and be in a position to buy shares, contribute towards capital expenditure projects and comment on issues in public.

Further talks are set to take place later this month over the blueprint, and a spokesman for the RST told SportTimes: “The initial discussions are very positive with regards to the existing groups being happy to essentially form one democratic body, voted in by all of its membership, and to try and move away from having so many bodies.

“We saw with the Union of Fans that these groups can work together successfully. The fan groups can work together, but this is more about formalising the relationship between the fans and the club.

“The groups have different strengths. Some work well with the supporters' clubs, the Trust has a history of being more robust in the media and, like Rangers First, have a substantial shareholding as well. It is effectively, if you were starting again, coming up with a model that works for everybody.”

The proposed new organisation would signal a significant shift in the way the Light Blue legions are mobilised going forward after several groups have come to the fore in recent years.

An initial agreement has been reached between the five groups involved in the discussions, and the Trust hope it will lead to a united front amongst supporters.

The spokesman said: “There are broad brush things that pretty much everyone can agree on, like the fans having a strong voice in the running of the club.

“Some would like us to be able to raise issues about the way the club is being treated or the fans are being treated.

“All of these things are stronger if we are together. If you are trying to lobby for change and you have 50,000 members, you are going to be taken more seriously than if you had 7,000. The strength in numbers will come into play.

“We need to tap into the people that aren’t going to Ibrox all the time. There is a huge latent support for Rangers out there and we want to get them involved and find a way in which they can contribute to the club.”

The discussions between Gilligan, Robertson and the fan organisations are another step in the right direction in regards to relations between the boardroom and the terraces.

Many fans became disillusioned with the way Rangers were run under the former regime before the top-table clear out earlier this year.

And the Ibrox faithful now have a chance to have a significant say in the future of their club and ensure their voice is heard.

The Trust spokesman said: “We need to be careful that we don’t assume that just because everything is fine at the moment with the current board that we can rest on our laurels.

“There has to be a degree of criticism because there will be things that the fans don’t like. It is important that the group remains independent.

“Right now, it is about getting it in place, making sure it is good for the fans and for the club. There are various ways in which it could contribute to Rangers.

“When the fans and the board are on the same page, there is a huge opportunity to create something unique. It is the right point in time to try and do it. It is early days, but it is a positive start.”