Founded in 1872, The Rangers Football Club is one of Scotland’s most successful teams, having won 55 League titles, 33 Scottish Cups, 27 League Cups and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972.
Nicknamed “the Gers”, the Glaswegian outfit plays at Ibrox Stadium in front of close to 51,000 passionate fans and forms one-half of the famous “Old Firm” rivalry with Celtic.
Riding high after going the season unbeaten and winning the league title for the first time in 10 years, the club is continuing to rebuild its reputation, having been liquidated in 2012 and subsequently having to reapply to the Scottish Football League as a new club and entering the lowest tier as a result, the third division.
Rangers is not listed on a main stock exchange. Instead, JP Jenkins, Europe’s largest platform exchange for unlisted securities, offers a matched bargain platform. In other words, it matches individual sellers with individual buyers of Rangers shares.
With the ticker RFC or RNGFF, this guide will explain how to invest in the club and the risks and rewards of doing so.
Because Rangers is an unlisted security, buying shares in it is less straightforward than buying shares in a football club listed on a stock exchange.
In June this year, the club announced a share offer designed to raise £6.75m, which allowed supporters to purchase a minimum of £500 and a maximum of £100,000 to buy into the club. Funds raised from the share issue will go towards “projects designed to accelerate the financial sustainability of Rangers,” said managing director Stewart Robertson.
With football club ownership very much in the news following the failed European Super League (ESL), subscribers in the issue were given the same rights as current owners and shareholders, including one vote per share and the right to attend the club’s annual general meeting.
Interested investors can apply for shares with a company called “Tifosy”, an investment platform that works with professional sports franchises to raise capital. Shares are priced at 25p each, but there’s a minimum purchase of 2,000 shares (£500).
As these shares aren’t listed on a stock exchange, they’re riskier than typical shares. This is because they’re “illiquid”, which means they may be difficult to sell.
Another way to buy shares in The Rangers is via the trading and exchanging platform JP Jenkins. However, JP Jenkins cannot deal with shareholders directly, meaning you will need to approach it via a stockbroker.
Despite a rich history of success and a record of winning the most league titles in Scotland, the last decade has seen the Gers very much under a cloud. In 2012, the club was forced to go into administration, and it was relegated to the third (and bottom) division of Scottish football. However, despite losing most of its players, just 3 years later, it was back in the Scottish Championship, and in 2018, the hire of an ex-Liverpool legend would transfer its fortunes on the field.
Desperate to stop fierce rivals Celtic from claiming a tenth league title in a row, on 7 March 2021, the Gers won the league for the first time in a decade, going on to end the campaign undefeated with a club-record 102 points.
However, short-term success on the field should not be taken into account when it comes to investing. The key is to think longer-term.
If you’d prefer not to invest directly in Rangers, you could invest in some of its sponsors or global partners. Football club sponsors provide funds directly to football clubs to buy new kit and equipment as well as travel to games.
If the coronavirus crisis has taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected. When it comes to football, the thought of watching an entire season with no fans in the stadiums would have been barely believable 2 years ago, but it happened.
While the long-term consequences of the COVID shutdown on football clubs is still uncertain, for investors, when it comes to taking a stake in the world’s largest sports franchises, it is crucial to try and shut out the noise.
This means results on the field and recent scandals like the European Super League should not overly influence your decision to buy or sell. This is something all investors should bear in mind when considering buying shares in a football club.
Ben Yearsley, an investment consultant at Fairview Investing, added that when it comes to investing in unlisted companies, you are also totally at the mercy of being able to find a buyer to take the shares off your hands if you want to sell.
“Treat it more as a gift with nil value if you are buying shares in Rangers, and if you get something back at the end, you’ve helped the club and maybe had a financial return.””
Despite its more recent troubles, Rangers’ history is one of domestic success. This success has led Rangers to being one of the best-supported clubs in Europe, based on the largest home league attendances.
Like Celtic, the club managed to win 9 straight league titles between the 1988-89 season through to 1996-97. This led them to qualify for the Champions League, the most memorable campaign being in 1992-93 when they famously came within one goal of reaching the final – and beat Leeds United in the famous “Battle of Britain”.
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
Rangers isn’t the only football team you can invest in. Take a look at the table below to find out some of the football clubs you can buy shares in.
| Club | Country | League |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester United | England | Premier League |
| Juventus | Italy | Serie A |
| AS Roma | Italy | Serie A |
| Celtic | Scotland | Scottish Premiership |
| Borussia Dortmund | Germany | Bundesliga |
Ownership of the 447,248,285 ordinary shares at Rangers is concentrated in the hands of a few titans of the business world.
New Oasis Asset Limited, a holding company of South Africa-based businessman Dave King, is the top shareholder, with 14.12% of the issued share capital. King is currently serving as Rangers chairman for a second term, having held the post from 2015 until the Covid pandemic forced him to stand down to focus on his lockdown-rattled businesses.
Douglas Park, a Scottish entrepreneur and founder of Park’s Motor Group, is the next significant shareholder with an 11.74% stake. Park took the reigns as chairman at Ibrox Stadium from 2020 until April 2023.
George Alexander Taylor, a Glasgow-born businessman, owns 9.85% of the shares, while Stuart Gibson, the co-founder of a logistics company in Asia, holds 9.84%. Meanwhile, Danish investor Julian Wolhardt owns 6.17% through his firm Borita Investments Limited.
Together, these major shareholders play a substantial role in shaping the financial and strategic direction of Rangers.
| Major stakeholders | Number of ordinary shares held | % of issued share capital |
|---|---|---|
| New Oasis Asset Limited | 63,172,893 | 14.12% |
| Douglas Park | 52,550,000 | 11.74% |
| George Alexander Taylor | 44,074,998 | 9.85% |
| Stuart Gibson | 44,000,000 | 9.84% |
| Borita Investments Limited | 27,611,955 | 6.17% |
| John Bennett | 24,647,059 | 5.51% |
| Perron Investments LLC | 24,250,000 | 5.42% |
| George Letham | 22,274,516 | 4.98% |
| Club 1872 Shares CIC | 22,202,838 | 4.96% |
| Tifosy Investment Nominees Limited | 17,610,000 | 3.94% |
While the thought of investing in Rangers might seem a fun idea, it must be remembered that these are not novelty shares, and you are buying real shares in a real company. This can bring both risks – namely, you won’t get all your money back – and rewards – namely, you might make some money if you wish to sell your investment later.
However, like watching the beautiful game, investing in football franchises offers something unique and valuable for investors. It might not quite match a stoppage-time winner to beat fierce rivals Celtic, but for those willing to be patient, the rewards might prove to be just as exciting.
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Hi!
I have shares with Rangers International football club PLC. How do I earn from it?
Hi Paul,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Regarding your question, generally, there are two ways you can earn from your shares. The company you are with could pay you through dividends or you can eventually sell your shares when it grows in value.
Since share trading can be a little complicated, it would be a good idea to speak to an expert and discuss your options.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
how do i change address for my shares in rangers
Hi G Thompson,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well for you. :)
Please note that we don’t represent Ranger or any company we feature on our site and so we can only offer you general advice.
To change your address, you need to go to your account. You may also want to directly get in touch with Ranger to obtain a more comprehensive step-by-step procedure on how to change your address.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua