Rangers have taken a multi-million pound gamble…

As we said earlier, Dave King has confirmed he is to step down from Rangers’ board and will leave Rangers as chairman in around four months.

However, whatever you think of his time at Ibrox, one thing is sure:

Dave King (and Mark Allen) took the biggest gamble in Govan for decades – a multimillion pound gamble which could have hurt the club very badly indeed, but one which appears to have come up absolute roses:

The appointment of Steven Gerrard.

This, let’s not forget, was a colossal gamble – 99% of former players who go into management sink without trace. They just don’t have the ability to convert their playing days into management, and inevitable firings soon follow.

And even during Gerrard’s first season there was certainly more than room for doubt, no least from your friends at Ibrox Noise.

But whatever we think about Tavernier as captain, or the continued axing of Nikola Katic, one thing is for sure:

The gamble to appoint a total rookie as the manager of one of the biggest clubs in the UK if not world has not only paid off, but done so spectacularly.

Rangers sit joint top of the table, joint top of their Europa League group and are a match for absolutely anyone they play now.

And that wouldn’t have been possible with any other manager. And we’re starting to even include Walter Smith in that.

Don’t get us wrong, Walter was the king, the Grand Master – we’ll never speak ill of a true hero of ours and of the club.

But in this modern era, we do wonder if anyone else other than Gerrard could have achieved at Ibrox what he has with the limited budget he’s had.

And this was all down to Mark Allen persuading Dave King to take an almighty risk and make Gerrard manager with a well-paid four-year deal.

Had this gone wrong, it was a huge payout. And one that would have put Rangers in major financial trouble.

But it hasn’t. It’s worked.

Of course, we’ve won nothing yet – but Stevie G has a chance to rectify that in a manner of 10 days time when we face Celtic at Hampden for the Betfred final.

And even if we don’t win, the progress is undeniable.

But what a risk. And what a reward.