King feared a lost generation of fans

Dave King hopes his victory in the Ibrox power grab will be enough to prevent a generation of Rangers supporters being lost.

The Johannesburg-based millionaire oversaw the coup which swept Mike Ashley's placemen Derek Llambias and Barry Leach out of the boardroom.

His appointment to the board - along with those of former Blue Knight Paul Murray and ex-Glasgow brewery boss John Gilligan - was backed by over 85 per cent of the Gers shareholders at Friday morning's 12-minute general meeting.

But King will delay his coronation to the Ibrox throne while he sets about proving he is fit and proper to the football and stock exchange authorities.

However, he hopes his landslide'' victory will be enough to ensure swathes of youngsters will be able to grow up watching a successful Rangers.

Speaking just minutes after his victory was confirmed to the Stock Exchange, the Castlemilk-born businessman said: As someone who has grown up with a Rangers tradition, I always believed it was going to be there. I picked it up from my father and he picked it up from his.

Even though I'm not living in Scotland, it concerned me that those who are living here were looking at a situation where that link was breaking.

There was a real danger that if this continued, you would end up with a lost generation.

There is a time for fathers to take their sons to football matches. It's five, six, seven or eight. If this thing continued there could a whole bunch of kids who never had the fun and the opportunity to go with their parents and develop the same love for this great club.''

But whether King is the man leading that charge from the front remains to be seen.

The former oldco director confessed to 41 breaches of South African tax laws in 2013 but paid out a £44million settlement to spare himself jail time.

He will not officially join the new-look Gers board - which was also boosted by the speedy appointment of Three Bears investor Douglas Park - until after he has satisfied the Scottish Football Association and stock exchange that he is fit and proper, leaving Murray as interim chairman.

King, though, insists he will play an important role no matter the outcome.

If I'm not fit and proper, I won't sit on the board,'' he declared.But I will still invest and still support the club.

I must have 40 companies back in South Africa that I control but don't sit on the board. To me, not being on the board is not critical. It would not make any difference to Rangers going forward.''