Michael Beale SACKED by Rangers as Aberdeen defeat the final straw for beleaguered boss

Michael Beale has been sacked as Rangers boss after less than a year in charge at Ibrox and just seven games into the Scottish Premiership season.

The Englishman paid the price after a defeat at home to Aberdeen left them seven points off the title pace with three losses in the opening seven games. Rangers also lost their first derby with Celtic and their opening league fixture at Kilmarnock.

They looked to have quietened the early crisis mode with a string of wins but a 2-1 defeat to the Dons at Ibrox brought it all back to the fore. And the early season struggles have seen the Ibrox board act swiftly rather than risk the damage getting worse as they pulled the trigger on the 43-year-old. It means the club are now looking for their 19th permanent manager and seventh in as many years. Beale was part of Steven Gerrard’s backroom team that won their historic 55th title in the club’s history in 2021 but left the following season to join the Liverpool and England legend at Aston Villa.

Beale then became a manager in his own right for the first time when he was appointed Queens Park Rangers boss but the lure of a move to Ibrox was too strong when he was offered the chance to succeed Giovanni van Bronckhorst last November. Now the Londoner has departed - after signing NINE players in the summer.

A club statement reads: "The Rangers board would like to put on record their thanks to Michael and his staff for their efforts since joining the club last November.

"Results this season have fallen short of what everyone connected to Rangers would expect. Therefore, the decision was reached today to terminate the contract of the manager, as well as the contracts of coaches Neil Banfield, Damian Matthew, Harry Watling and Jack Ade.