Rangers Announce Kevin Thelwell As Sporting Director

RANGERS Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Kevin Thelwell as Sporting Director.

Thelwell, 51, will join the Light Blues from Everton following the expiry of his contract with the Toffees.

The appointment of a Sporting Director at Rangers was made a priority in the Football Review, which was instigated at the beginning of the year. Thelwell will assume overall responsibility for all areas of the football operation, including men’s, women’s and academy.

Thelwell’s journey in the professional game began as Director of Youth at Preston North End, before taking on Academy Manager roles at Derby County, and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively.

In 2016, Thelwell was appointed Sporting Director at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he was responsible for all areas of football operations, including player recruitment, performance, medical, analysis, and the academy. He then moved to the United States to become Head of Sport at New York Red Bulls, overseeing the sporting strategy and operations across their MLS team and affiliated clubs.

In 2022, he returned to England to take up the role of Director of Football at Everton, leading on first-team recruitment, academy development, and the implementation of the club’s overall football strategy.

Speaking after accepting his new role, Thelwell said: “This is a huge honour for me to be joining a club with the size, stature and expectations of Rangers. From the first conversations, it was clear to me how ambitious the club is, and I’m excited to play a part in shaping its next chapter.

“I know how much Rangers means to so many people, and that brings both responsibility and motivation. Rangers needs to win. That’s the bottom line. There’s a strong foundation already in place, and I look forward to working closely with the teams across the men’s, women’s and academy programmes to build something that delivers consistently.

“Of course, there’s important work ahead, especially in men’s first-team structure but we’ll approach it with energy and purpose. While change takes time, I’m confident that we can make real progress. I can’t wait to get started.”

Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Stewart, added: “I am delighted to be welcoming Kevin to the club following a rigorous recruitment process.

“Our Football Review quickly identified the need to appoint a Sporting Director, and in Kevin, we have found an outstanding candidate with terrific experience in the Premier League and the MLS.

“It will be the role of Kevin, with the full support of myself and the board to lead our football department and deliver the results our supporters expect and deserve.”

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