Club 1872 demand Rangers answers as furious fans group slam board for Sydney Super Cup plan

Rangers will face Celtic in a friendly in Sydney and the supporters group has accused the board of putting finances before the fans.

Seething supporters group Club 1872 have written to Rangers demanding answers over their involvement in the controversial Sydney Super Cup.

Furious fans have voiced their protests after it was announced the Ibrox side will face Celtic at the mini-tournament in November, with Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers also involved.

Rangers insist it will raise substantial funds and manager Gio van Bronckhorst has defended it saying it will allow his players to test themselves against top opposition while others go to the World Cup in Qatar.

But the Scottish Premiership sides' involvement has raised eyebrows with many fans concerned it sanitises and devalues the historic Old Firm derby.

And a statement from the influential Club 1872 has demanded managing director Stewart Robertson explains the decision as they claim the club is putting finance before the fans.

They said: "We can confirm that Club 1872 has written to Stewart Roberson today to seek an explanation for this decision by the executive and PLC boards of Rangers Football Club.

“Regardless of the fee involved, alienating a significant portion of your supporter base cannot be seen as a sound commercial decision.

"Furthermore, the way in which this entire episode has been communicated to supporters once again highlights a lack of genuine supporter engagement, which has been replaced in the last two years by saturated marketing activity.

"Supporters remain, by far, the largest contributors to Rangers’ financial health and the Rangers Executives and PLC board would do well to remember that.”