RANGERS chief executive Charles Green has told the Ibrox club's board he is standing down as chief executive.

The resignation has not yet been publicly confirmed and it it understood that paperwork would need to be completed before the Stock Exchange can be formally told.

Green, who is currently abroad, will remain as the club's single largest shareholder.

Today's shock news comes after the club announced last Saturday that it would commission an independent investigation into Green and Imran Ahmad's management of the club and recent allegations in the media.

Green has come under intense recent scrutiny over the extent of former Rangers owner Craig Whyte's involvement when his group took control at Ibrox last year.

The Rangers chief executive also apologised to his fellow directors at a board meeting over the interview which saw him receive a Scottish Football Association charge accusing him of using "racist and offensive language".

The club released a statement last Saturday, which read: "The board has announced today it is to commission an independent examination and report in view of recent allegations in the media concerning the chief executive, Charles Green, the commercial director, Imran Ahmad, and their management of the club.

"The decision to commission the examination was taken unanimously by those in attendance at today's meeting including non-executive and executive directors.

"The chief executive will not be involved in the conduct of the examination."

Green has been forced on to the defensive in recent weeks following allegations by Whyte, which were accompanied by taped recordings between himself and both the Rangers chief executive and Ahmad.

Whyte claimed he was behind the new company which bought the assets and business of the club when they were consigned to liquidation following his failure to pay tax.

Green then denied he had ever been Whyte's "front man" and claimed he and Ahmad had told him what he wanted to hear because they needed his co-operation to acquire shares if the club had secured a Company Voluntary Arrangement.

Rangers also revealed last week that Green had apologised to board members and the wider Rangers support for any offence caused by remarks he made in an interview last week regarding Imran Ahmad.

Saturday's Rangers statement added: "The board is satisfied that the chief executive did not act in a racist manner but reminded him of the importance of all office bearers at Rangers upholding the standards expected by the club."