Paul Murray said yesterday that Rangers are finally on the verge of ending their post-liquidation nightmare.

The former oldco director and Blue Knight is backing Dave King’s bid to rout the current Ibrox board.

King has called a General Meeting and wants shareholders to vote off chairman David Somers, director James Easdale as well as Mike Ashley’s placemen Derek Llambias and Barry Leach.

And if the South Africa-based businessman is successful, he wants to name himself, Murray and former Tennent’s brewers managing director John Gilligan as their boardroom replacements.

King, who is set to fly into Scotland early next month, will need at least 51 per cent of the vote but along with the Three Bears — wealthy fans Douglas Park, George Letham and George Taylor — they already control around 34 per cent.

But Murray warned fans to ignore the spin from their rivals as he insisted victory is close.

In a statement he said: “In the lead up to the General Meeting the usual suspects will attempt to undermine our cause because they realise their days could be numbered.

“The truth is that for the first time in years there is a group of people capable of rebuilding and repairing our club and malicious speculation will not deflect us.

“Rangers have to re-engage with Scottish football and take our place again at the top table. We need to be financially stable again and accept our responsibilities to the game in general. Change will come and we can all emerge from a black period in this fantastic club’s history.”

Murray’s statement came just hours after it was announced to the stock exchange that the club’s football board chairman Sandy Easdale had increased his stake in the club after buying up more than one million shares.

The purchase means he now owns just over 5,250,000 shares — or just less than 6.5 per cent.