Shock nepotism claim at Ibrox as Kevin Thelwell appoints his son | OneFootball

Kevin Thelwell has been accused of nepotism at Rangers after reports confirmed his son Robbie has been appointed head of recruitment. Supporters already questioned Thelwell’s suitability as sporting director after a chaotic summer window. Now the move to bring in his own family has inflamed anger and suspicion across the Ibrox support.

Fans furious at family ties

Rangers fans have long demanded a recruitment overhaul. They wanted a clear strategy and structure that could deliver players capable of restoring dominance in Scotland and beyond. Instead they have witnessed muddled signings, huge overspending and no obvious plan. Into this fragile environment, Kevin Thelwell has now installed his own son. Many see this as a blatant conflict of interest that undermines accountability and transparency. Anger only deepened after Thelwell’s £45m claim that fans saw as detached from reality.

No room for mistakes

Rangers cannot afford another failed transfer window. Thelwell has already blown tens of millions on underperformers. Sam Lammers, Youssef Chermiti, Hamza Igamane and others symbolise the waste. The club’s financial model relies on selling talent for profit, yet there is little sign of such value emerging. With Robbie Thelwell now tasked with leading recruitment, the pressure has multiplied. Any poor signing will be magnified and linked back to nepotism rather than football judgment. Many fans were already raging at Thelwell’s comments about Russell Martin, and this latest move has pushed trust to breaking point.

What this means for the club

The credibility of Rangers’ leadership is now in question. Supporters remember previous eras when strong recruitment brought success. Walter Smith and Dick Advocaat demanded quality and usually got it. Today’s leadership appears more focused on protecting their own positions than protecting the badge. The appointment of Robbie Thelwell has only deepened divisions between the board and fans. Even mainstream outlets like Yahoo Sport have noted how badly this episode reflects on Rangers’ current regime.

Trust is fragile and results are poor. If the next transfer window fails, Kevin Thelwell will carry the blame. If his son struggles in such a crucial role, the cries of nepotism will only grow louder. Rangers cannot afford another disaster.