Rangers: Ex-Ibrox staff member admits ‘personal trauma’ after wrongful accusation
Former Rangers kitman Jim McAlister has opened up on the “personal trauma” faced during his recent tribunal with the club.
An employment tribunal in Glasgow last month ruled that Rangers were in breach of contract over McAlister’s Ibrox departure last year.
The lifelong Rangers fan has since taken on a job with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq, who are managed by ex-Gers boss Steven Gerrard.
Writing on his personal Instagram account, as per the Daily Record [8 February], McAlister said: “I wanted to put on record my thanks to everyone who has supported me since the Employment Tribunal in Glasgow adjudicated that I was unfairly dismissed by Rangers.
“As you can imagine, being wrongly accused is a personal trauma, but also a trauma for my immediate family and friends, all of whom of course, knew there was no factual basis for the allegations.
“I also learned the strength of the Rangers family and football community and their sense of justice and fairness.
“I wanted to thank all those who took the time to post support for me and my family and who also sent personal messages.”
Rangers left embarassed by Ibrox saga
As Heart & Hand founder David Edgar said when the tribunal concluded, Rangers’ actions were “not on” and lessons need to be learned.
A court determined that McAlister had his employee rights breached and the club are therefore culpable.
Rangers were ordered to pay their former employee £13,000, but it is the embarrassment of the whole case that would have hurt more than that relatively small sum.
The timing of McAlister’s departure was strange, with The Athletic reporting in October that the kitman was “dismissed unexpectedly”.
McAlister ended his playing days and even rejected a testimonial at Greenock Morton in order to assist Jimmy Bell as Rangers’ kitman.
It was a “dream role”, he said, and after Bell’s passing he assumed the role of chief kitman up until his dismissal.
Now working with former Gers boss Gerrard in Saudi Arabia, McAlister has at least managed to get back into work.
With the case concluded and this public statement released, a line can finally be drawn under the matter.
In other Rangers news, a newspaper has revealed a “major” development involving Jack Butland.
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