Rangers: New CEO Patrick Stewart aims to get club where they ‘want to be’

Stewart said the men’s team had been “turning around the season” and shown “real progress” after being nine points behind Aberdeen at one stage.

“The signings that we made in the summer are starting to really bed in and play with a degree of confidence,” Stewart added on the club’s media outlets.

“In fairness to Philippe, he said it would always take time.”

Jo Potter’s women’s side are second in the SWPL, two points off Glasgow City and Stewart praised their consistency and said they were “right up there challenging for the league title”.

Fraser Thornton also started on Monday and Stewart said the non-executive chairman would be “one step removed” from his own role, explaining: “Day to day, I’m going to be in the club, running the club, looking after the operational matters.

Stewart also revealed he was awaiting a response from the Scottish FA over the decision not to award a penalty in extra-time of Rangers’ Premier Sports Cup final defeat to Celtic on Sunday.

Clement was aggrieved his side were not given a spot-kick in extra-time when Liam Scales tugged Vaclav Cerny. A free-kick on the edge of the box was given instead, with Scales booked.

“The manner which we lost was hard to take and, as I think people will know, I have spoken with the SFA to ask for an explanation about the non-awarding of a penalty in extra-time,” said Stewart.

“I will wait to hear what the SFA have to say about that.”