Michael Beale insists Rangers return offer 'shocked' him despite controversial Gio van Bronckhorst stand stunt

Michael Beale claims his return to Rangers as manager was a "shock" despite his appearance in the stand with predecessor Gio van Bronckhorst under pressure.

The Londoner was ultimately with Ibrox board's choice to take over when they sacked the Dutchman, bringing him back to the club 10 months after he left alongside title winning Steven Gerrard for Aston Villa. Beale started well, but after a big money summer recruitment drive, the wheels came off this season and he was ironically sacked after a 3-1 home defeat to Aberdeen.

The Dons were the opposition when Beale made a less than low key return as a fan just as pressure was mounting on GVB. It was a move Van Bronckhorst criticised Beale for earlier this month, saying: "I don't think you should really do that as a fellow manager. You shouldn't sit in the stands at a match when your colleague is feeling the pressure at that moment. I would never have done that.”

But Beale still insists he was taken aback to be offered the Rangers job. He told Sky Sports: "I've got so much admiration for Rangers and I live in that part of the world as well. It's fantastic football club.

"I went back in last season. It was a shock really, to be asked to go because I thought Gio van Bronckhorst did a fantastic job. But when you're asked to go back to Rangers, a club that meant a lot to me, I had so many relationships.

"We started ever so well, but Ange Postecoglou's Celtic, we were already nine points behind and they were going great guns. Going into this season it's fair to say, we probably disrupted the group too much, too soon. There was a lot of turnover of players and on the outside.

"But I think Phil Clement has done really well. The potential of that group, they cold go on and win