John Gilligan was the fan who became an investor, a supporter who became a saviour. Now he is the director who has become the chairman. It is a position he will treat as an honour and a privilege.

Gilligan was approached by the club last week after John Bennett made the decision to step down as chairman due to ill-health. A plan for the transition to be announced on Monday was redrawn on Saturday. The Rangers Review reported that a handover was imminent.

Rangers are in another era of uncertainty and supporters fear there are more questions than answers at Ibrox but the return of Gilligan offers stability in a business and operational sense. He now oversees a club that needs to assess where it is and where it is going, both on and off the pitch.

Why has Gilligan been appointed as chairman?

Rangers confirmed on Saturday afternoon that Bennett was standing down from his position at the head of the Ibrox board. With no natural successor around the top table, the hierarchy reached out to Gilligan to return to the club.

It was never in doubt that he would answer the call of duty from Rangers. It is understood that no timescale has been placed on Gilligan's involvement and he will remain in place for as long as required. Meetings have already been held with key members of staff, including manager Philippe Clement.

“Former Director, John Gilligan, will temporarily fulfil the role of Chairman until a permanent replacement is appointed,” Rangers said in a statement. “The Board thanks John for stepping in at short notice and believes his experience in senior business roles throughout a long and successful career, and also, as a former Director of Rangers, will be invaluable at this time.”

Bennett was appointed as Douglas Park’s successor last year. His tenure was tumultuous, though, and issues on and off the field dominated the agenda in recent months. Bennett became executive chairman following James Bisgrove’s departure and oversaw the transfer window and the completion of the delayed and maligned Copland Stand project.

"The Board wants to sincerely thank John for his service and significant commitment over the last nine years and wishes him a full and speedy recovery," the statement read. "It is requested his and his family’s privacy is respected at this time."

What is his business background?

Sales has been Gilligan life and his career for decades. He was once one of the most influential figures within the Scottish beer industry and his track record in business speaks for itself.

Gilligan started out with Drybrough & Co in 1978 and one of his main sectors was social clubs. He was on the sales team when Drybrough launched American beer Holsten Pils into the Scottish market before going on to work with Scottish Brewers/Scottish & Newcastle, which would later be bought over by Heineken. Gilligan spent 15 years with the company before stepping down from his position as regional director and entering semi-retirement.

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It was a lifestyle that didn’t hold the expected lure for Gilligan and he cut back his time on the golf course to do what he does best. At 50, he got back into business with Wm Morton and progressed from sales manager to sales director. Within a decade, he made his biggest move and joined C&C following their acquisition of Tennent’s.

Working under Stephan Glancey, Gilligan oversaw the purchase of wholesaler Wallaces Express before moving into a business development role. He retired from Tennent’s just before the pandemic.

What part did he play in regime change in 2015?

The images of Gilligan standing alongside Dave King and Paul Murray at Ibrox are iconic. Their victory in the long-running boardroom battle was one of the most significant moments in the history of the club. Gilligan was a key part of that win.

Chairman David Somers and James Easdale had already resigned their positions and Derek Llambias and Barry Leach followed as Mike Ashley’s iron grip on Rangers was loosened. A cast of characters had come and gone. At last, Rangers were under the control of those that cared about the club once again.

“There are parts of that day that are very clear and parts of it that are just a blur and the sheer enormity of it didn’t hit me until later on,” Gilligan said speaking to Chris Jack for his book ‘Going for 55’ that marked the title win a decade later. “The day that we won the EGM was monumental. Paul has said previously that the club was broken into bits. There were lots of pieces to it, but it was just so bad that it was hard to explain.

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“What I would like to say is that the people that were working for the club were fantastic and all the people that were there when we arrived, they were all there because it was Rangers. They weren’t there for the money, because it was miserable. But they worked for the love of Rangers.”

When did Gilligan leave the Ibrox board?

The Rangers that King, Gilligan and Murray took over was a shell of the club that they had grown up supporting and had known before the arrival of Craig Whyte and events of 2012. The rebuild on and off the park was prolonged and painful. By May 2017, Gilligan believed he had done his bit and he stepped down from RIFC plc.

“After regime change, it was necessary to compile a board who recognised the magnitude of the challenge facing the club and who had the passion and commitment to drive the club's agenda forward against the obstacles that faced us at that time,” King said. "When I approached John to assist with the rebuilding exercise he unhesitatingly agreed to do so, despite the challenges this would demand of his time given his other extensive business, social and family commitments.

"After years of tireless effort, lobbying, and campaigning to turn Rangers' fortunes around, John has taken the decision to step down knowing that much of what was required post regime change has already been achieved and that the outstanding requirements have been clearly identified by the board, who have the necessary action plans in place. John would now like to concentrate on business and family life, as well as simply being a fan again."

Gilligan may not have been on the board for several years but he has still been a regular around Ibrox, attending matches with his family and friends. His first fixture as chairman saw Clement’s side beat Dundee United on Sunday to remain five points adrift of Celtic in the Premiership title race.

The Belgian has come under fire from supporters following the Champions League exit to Dynamo Kyiv and Old Firm defeat. It is understood, though, that Clement retains the full backing of the Ibrox board and infrastructure and transfer plans will continue to be put in place for the coming months as Rangers look long-term with Clement at the helm.

What is on his to-do list for Rangers?

Gilligan returned to Ibrox on Monday to get down to business. He will not be in the offices every hour of the week but he will be a daily and regular point of contact for the members of the executive team – James Taylor, Karim Virani, Creag Robertson and Nils Koppen – that will continue to oversee their respective departments.

George Letham, a well-known and respected supporter of the club, will continue to act in an advisory role and will be a familiar face around Ibrox going forward. Letham holds a 4.98 per cent stake in RIFC plc.

Graeme Park will also offer a helping hand given that the other members of the board – Alistair Johnston, Julian Wolhardt, John Halsted and George Taylor – are based in America and Asia and further assistance could be sought. All members of the board will take on added responsibilities following Bennett's departure and each remain committed to the club in a financial sense.

Rangers have enlisted a recruitment agency to search the market for a chairman and chief executive officer. That role remains vacant after a move to appoint Jim Gillespie, the vice-chairman of St Mirren, collapsed earlier this month. The search for Bisgrove's replacement is the priority for Gilligan.

Rangers are also operating without a head of academy at present and the role of sporting director has become a topic of conversation amongst supporters once again. Both of those issues are not pressing ones for the board.