Rangers interim chairman John Gilligan has called on major shareholder Dave King to cease public criticism of the way the club is being run.

South Africa-based King has aired his views in the media over the past week, saying Rangers have no leadership and are in crisis.

He has called for an extraordinary general meeting and wants to return as chairman, a position he held when Rangers last won the Scottish Premiership in 2021.

Gilligan, who was part of a consortium with King that took charge at Ibrox in 2015, has returned to the club in the wake of John Bennett’s exit as chairman on health grounds.

“Has any director or any person at the club said anything about Dave? No,” said Gilligan.

“Have they responded publicly? Will I say anything bad about Dave? No. Do I wish that he’d stop [airing his thoughts in public]? Yes.

“Please take it below the radar. Behave like a proper shareholder. Don’t do what you’re doing. It’s a shame because he’s a great character and was a massive influence at the club at the time [of Rangers’ last league title success].”

Rangers won last season’s Scottish League Cup and were runners-up to Celtic in the other two domestic competitions. They continued their defence of this season’s League Cup into the semi-finals with victory over Dundee on Saturday and will face Motherwell at Hampden next month.

However, Philippe Clement’s side trail Celtic and Aberdeen by five points in the Premiership and will compete in the Europa League this season – starting away to Malmo on Thursday – after being knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers by Dynamo Kyiv.

King has said £50m is needed to get Rangers back in a competitive position with three-in-a-row champions Celtic.

“Dave is talking about fresh investment but he doesn’t want to invest,” said Gilligan. “I’m not sure where he thinks investment is going to come from.”

The interim chairman said King’s assessment of the state of the club is not accurate and believes there is no appetite at boardroom level for his return.

“I think he’s got it wrong,” said the interim chairman. “I think it’s unfair. What exactly is he saying is not good? What’s he saying is going wrong?

“Give us a plan and tell me. If Dave has some terrific plan to tell me where we’re all going wrong, we will read that plan and consider it.

“I haven’t spoken to Dave. Dave gave me one of the happiest days of my life when he asked me to join him [on the board] 10 years ago and I’ll never forget it. Since then we’ve socialised when he’s been over and played golf but I haven’t spoken to him, no.”

Gilligan expects to be in post for a period of months and also addressed the club’s ongoing search for a new chief executive, following James Bisgrove’s summer departure, describing it as a “priority”.