RANGERS have apparently removed from their website logos for sportswear groups Puma and Sports Direct in the wake of the row over the trading of the club’s merchandise.

The website previously listed Puma as the club’s official kit manufacturer and SportsDirect.com was credited as being a retail partner.

And there have been changes to the sponsor advertising boards at Mark Warburton’s weekly press conference too, with Puma logos disappearing and the introduction of the club’s sixth-largest shareholder Club 1872, an amalgamation of several supporters’ organisations.

The stripping of the trademarks from the website comes as Puma and Sports Direct defied the wishes of Rangers FC by offering brand new kits for sale earlier this month.

In May, the Ibrox club said it had withdrawn licensing rights to use the club’s trademarks from the Mike Ashley-controlled merchandiser, Rangers Retail, and it was believed that would mean football strips containing the protected logos could not be sold.

Rangers have previously threatened to ditch the controversial Puma strip that had been released without their consent and replace it with a new kit later in the season.

Puma, who insist they have a legal right to sell and market the strip under the terms of their five-year deal, joined the likes of Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct, JD Sports and Intersport to begin offering the merchandise in their outlets.
Puma even distributed adverts featuring Rangers stars, including Martyn Waghorn, Wes Foderingham, Lee Wallace and Barrie McKay, to promote the new kit.

When the kit deal was announced in February 2013, Rangers FC said it rendered SportsDirect “the official supplier and licensee of replica merchandise for the club” in an agreement that complemented Rangers Retail, which was set up under previous Ibrox management.

Fan-led group Sons of Struth urged fans to boycott the stores selling the replica kit amid concerns about the merchandise deal that is said to make the club just 4p in every pound.

But Puma said that after taking legal advice it was happy to sell, market and distribute the new kit.

It distributed its Forever Ready promotional material a fortnight ago featuring Rangers stars to plug the release of the new club kit and some now appear on sales websites, including Sports Direct’s.

Puma said it was releasing the kits into the market in “full compliance” with its sponsorship and licensing deal with Rangers Retail.

Rangers said Puma had manufactured some replica kit after receiving purchase orders directly from Sports Direct and “without the prior knowledge or agreement” of the club and its directors on the Rangers Retail board, Paul Murray and David King.

Rangers Retail was unveiled in 2012, as a joint venture between Rangers FC and Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct by then chief executive Charles Green.
Its aim was to enable Rangers “to once again control its retail operation and give supporters the chance to buy direct from the club”.

But the Ibrox board has voiced its displeasure about its return from the deal with Rangers Retail, which held an exclusive licence to exploit the club’s name and trademarks.

Puma, Rangers and Sports Direct did not answer comment requests.