Michael Beale has paid a glowing tribute to former Rangers chairman Douglas Park – and predicted it would be “business as usual” at the Ibrox club under his successor John Bennett.
Motoring tycoon Park spent three years in the role and oversaw a cinch Premiership victory, a Scottish Cup win, the run to the Europa League final and qualification for the Champions League group stages in that time.
Beale, who worked as a first team coach under Steven Gerrard for three-and-a-half years before taking over as manager, believes the 72-year-old deserves enormous credit for the strides forward the Glasgow club have made on and off the park.
And he expressed confidence that Bennett, the 59-year-old fund manager who will take over from the Scottish businessman, will be able to build on the progress which Rangers have made in future.
“Firstly, I would like to congratulate Douglas on his time as chairman,” he said. “In terms of his general support and investment in this football club, I think he has been fantastic.
“John Bennett is someone I have known as vice-chairman for a long time and I am delighted it is him that is taking on the reins from Douglas. I trust that our relationship will stay the same and the club will move forwards.
“Certainly, Douglas leaves us with a strong foundation in terms of not just things that have happened on the pitch, but obviously the improvement in the infrastructure and where the club is now compared to when he started his chairmanship.
“I think he hands the reins over to John with the club in a better place than when he received them and that is all you can ask for. Congratulations to both – one on a job well done and one on taking the job obviously.”
Beale added: “Look, at board level, there is a buffer between that and me, which is Ross Wilson (Ibrox sporting director) obviously. I am here managing the playing staff and squad here.
“I have an open dialogue with John anyway and we spoke earlier this week. It is business as usual. John was really influential in the time I was here previously as a board member and vice-chairman and I don’t see there being any change.”
