Derek McInnes has been appointed as the new manager of Rangers Football Club, with the Ibrox side confirming the former player has signed a three-year contract.
McInnes returns to Rangers from Heart of Midlothian, joining a club he served as a player across five largely successful seasons between 1995 and 2000. The 54-year-old arrives with vast managerial experience, having taken charge of more than 800 matches, and a clear understanding of what it takes to win at Ibrox.
His appointment follows the departure of Danny Rohl, who left the club to take charge of RB Salzburg after less than a year in the role. Rangers moved quickly for McInnes once the German's exit became likely, identifying the boyhood supporter as the candidate to lead the next phase of their rebuild.
A long road back to Ibrox
McInnes began his managerial career in 2007 at St Johnstone, before going on to take charge at Bristol City, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and, most recently, Hearts. At Tynecastle he enjoyed a standout campaign, guiding the Edinburgh club to second place in the Scottish Premiership and a club-record points tally, coming within minutes of a first top-flight title in 66 years before a final-day defeat at Celtic.
That season earned him the PFA Scotland, SPFL and SFWA Manager of the Year awards. He brings assistants Alan Archibald and Paul Sheerin with him from Hearts, alongside Craig Clark, who previously worked with him at Kilmarnock.
McInnes: 'A real honour'
Speaking on his appointment, McInnes said: "It is a real honour to become the manager of Rangers Football Club.
"It is no secret that I grew up a Rangers supporter, and I am convinced this is the right time to take on this prestigious role given the club's structure, and leadership from Andrew, the Board, and Jim.
"The demands here are clear, and our supporters rightfully have high expectations. It is up to me, my staff and my players to meet those expectations, and have this club performing as it should.
"There is a lot of hard work ahead, but already the preparations have begun, and I am looking forward to meeting the current squad in the coming weeks and welcoming some new faces."
Board backing
Rangers Chairman Andrew Cavenagh said: "I am delighted to welcome Derek to Rangers. He is someone we have always rated highly, and we believe he is exactly what this club needs at this moment in time.
"His deep Scottish and Rangers experience are important for us. He knows how to win in this league, and he is coming off an extremely strong season with Hearts."
Chief Executive Officer Jim Gillespie added: "Derek understands what this club stands for, and the standards required to succeed here.
"We are very pleased that we were able to get Derek in position prior to pre-season training beginning. With Derek's addition to the team, we will continue to drive forward to make this club win consistently."
McInnes inherits a side that finished last season without a trophy, and a summer rebuild that is already under way. The challenge now is to translate his proven track record in Scottish football into the consistent success Rangers supporters expect.
Source: Rangers Football Club. This article is based on the official club announcement published at www.rangers.co.uk.