Academy director Mulholland to leave Rangers at end of season in shake-up

Academy director Craig Mulholland will leave Rangers at the end of the season as a “wide-ranging transformation of all areas of the football club” continues.

The 45-year-old joined the Gers in 2003 – initially as football in the community manager – and held various roles before becoming head of academy in 2015.

Mulholland becomes the latest Ibrox figurehead to head for the exit, with chairman Douglas Park stepping down recently and sporting director Ross Wilson departing for Nottingham Forest, while it was announced last week that managing director Stewart Robinson would leave his role in the summer.

“I have loved my 20 years working at the club that I had grown up with, and, in particular, the last eight leading our academy, B team and women’s teams,” Mulholland told Rangers’ website.

“However, in all leadership positions, sometimes knowing when the right time to move on is as important as deciding which opportunities to take.

“My successor will inherit some fantastic people, working passionately to deliver on a clear strategic vision, underpinned by strong processes and modern, innovative methodology.

“They will also inherit some outstanding young talents which will lead to an exciting future for the club and the academy over the next few years.”

Recently-appointed chief executive James Bisgrove added: “On behalf of the board, I would like sincerely to thank Craig as he moves on, having transformed our academy into one which is on a par and even exceeds many clubs in Europe’s biggest leagues.

“Craig will leave the club with a fantastic legacy, which includes the professionalisation of our women’s programme, being the leader on B teams being introduced into senior Scottish football, creating our Boclair Academy performance school and having brought in over £15million in academy player sales in the last five years.

“Together with Michael Beale, John Bennett and the board, I will now lead a thorough process to identify his replacement, as we continue a wide-ranging transformation of all areas of the football club.”