According to journalist John McGarry, Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart were left stunned by Rangers’ decision to remove them from their posts on Monday.
The club issued a short statement confirming that both men had been dismissed, and that the search for new leadership in their positions would begin immediately. Thelwell, appointed sporting director in April, lasted only seven months, while Stewart had been CEO since December 2024.
Both officials had come under intense scrutiny from fans after Rangers’ poor start to the campaign—a slump that led to Russell Martin being replaced by former Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl. Despite four wins in his first seven matches, Rohl has so far steadied the team only in domestic competition.
Rangers’ European form remains bleak. They have yet to pick up a single Europa League point under the German coach, sitting bottom of their group after four straight defeats. Thursday’s home fixture against Braga is expected to be vital in keeping their hopes of progression alive, as they trail the top 24 places by five points. Braga enter the match in strong form, having won three of their first four games, including a 2–0 victory over Celtic in October.
McGarry reported in the Scottish Daily Mail that neither Thelwell nor Stewart had any indication their dismissals were imminent. He also noted that chairman Andrew Cavenagh had been keeping a close eye on both men ever since Rohl arrived last month, with the new manager believed to have influenced the final call.
“Neither man expected to be sacked. Cavenagh began scrutinising both of them as soon as Rohl accepted the job,” McGarry wrote. “The German’s early assessment of the internal structure was unlikely to have cast the behind-the-scenes operation in a positive light.”
Thelwell, who previously worked at Everton and Wolves, drew strong criticism for the club’s summer recruitment despite spending more than £20 million on new players. Many of the signings have failed to impress, most notably high-profile arrival Youssef Chermiti, who cost £8.5 million but has scored only once in 13 matches.
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Former Rangers coach Barry Ferguson has disclosed a clash he had with Kevin Thelwell during his spell as the club’s interim manager
Barry Ferguson has lifted the lid on the behind-the-scenes tension that unfolded during his interim spell in charge of Rangers, revealing major disagreements with Kevin Thelwell — particularly over player recruitment.
Thelwell arrived as sporting director right in the middle of Ferguson’s caretaker stint, just as the former captain was pushing to earn the job permanently and helping shape talks about the club’s future direction.
Ferguson admitted that while he got on well with former CEO Patrick Stewart, recruitment became the flashpoint between him and Thelwell.
He had pushed for a strong Scottish core — naming players like Lawrence Shankland and Josh Mulligan — but says Thelwell had an entirely different vision. Their limited meetings were enough to show they weren’t on the same wavelength.
And with Rangers’ summer signings flopping badly, Ferguson now looks justified. Big-money buy Youssef Chermiti has failed to impress, and most of the new arrivals haven’t delivered.
That poor return was a key reason fans turned on Thelwell, and played a major role in chairman Andrew Cavenagh showing him the door.
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