Story perspectives

Rangers Hire Derek McInnes, Sign Shankland in Summer Overhaul

6/23/2026

Summary

McInnes Appointed

Rangers announced Derek McInnes as manager on 2026-06-23, signing him to a three-year deal.
McInnes arrived after leading Hearts to second place in the 2025-26 Scottish Premiership, eight points ahead of Rangers.
Lawrence Shankland joined Rangers from Hearts on a two-year contract with an optional extra year.
The summer rebuild added CEO Jim Gillespie, executive director Fraser Thornton, technical director Dan Purdy and consultant Stig Inge Bjørnebye.

Summary

McInnes Hearing

FA set a hearing for Derek McInnes, Elliott Watt and Motherwell on 16 July over the 96th-minute penalty comments.
If guilty, McInnes could miss Rangers’ opener on 31 July and up to three matches.
Motherwell faces a £1,000-£100,000 fine and individuals risk a four-match ban under rule 72.
Police surveilled John Beaton’s home and charged a teenager with a data-protection offence after his details were posted online, prompting SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell to condemn the abuse.

History

Historical Context

In 1909 a riot after a Rangers-Celtic Scottish Cup replay led the SFA to withhold the trophy, establishing a precedent for strict discipline. Over a century later, the 2004 Scottish Cup final disturbances earned Rangers a £100,000 fine under rule 72, a sanction now echoed in Derek McInnes’s pending hearing. Both incidents show the SFA’s long-standing enforcement against fan misconduct.

1 of 3

McInnes Appointed

Rangers announced Derek McInnes as manager on 2026-06-23, signing him to a three-year deal.
McInnes arrived after leading Hearts to second place in the 2025-26 Scottish Premiership, eight points ahead of Rangers.
Lawrence Shankland joined Rangers from Hearts on a two-year contract with an optional extra year.
The summer rebuild added CEO Jim Gillespie, executive director Fraser Thornton, technical director Dan Purdy and consultant Stig Inge Bjørnebye.

1 / 3