SUPPORTERS have reacted angrily after Rangers were plunged into civil war as Charles Green returned to a major new role at Ibrox, three months after he quit the club.

The latest turmoil to engulf the League One club came after Mr Green, who resigned as chief executive in April amid a probe into his links to the oldco club's owner Craig Whyte, was appointed to advise the board on its financial affairs yesterday.

Within hours of the announcement on the London Stock Exchange, a group of shareholders demanded the removal of key executives and the appointment of two new directors led by ex-Rangers oldco boardroom figure Paul Murray.

He ran a failed bid by the Blue Knights consortium to save the former club after it went into administration last year. It is understood the revolt is supported by leading Scottish businessman and entrepreneur Jim McColl.

Mr Green resigned from the board of the club's operating firm, Rangers International Football Club (RIFC) plc, on April 19 during a probe into his links with Mr Whyte in the lead-up to the Green-led takeover last year. It found no evidence of collusion.

Mr Green had also come under fire from anti-racism campaigners after the blunt Yorkshireman allegedly used a racist slur to describe boardroom colleague Imran Ahmad.

Now some shareholders, including Mr Murray, have launched an official bid to join the board and have called for the removal of new chief executive Craig Mather, financial director Brian Stockbridge and non-executive director Bryan Smart.

The statement says the RIFC board received a notice demanding a general meeting of shareholders. It also calls for the appointment of Frank Blin, the former executive chairman of ­accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), who it is understood is being lined up to conduct a forensic investigation into Rangers' finances.

The dissenting group of ­shareholders, who include both Rangers fans and investors, have "concerns over the corporate governance" at Ibrox and feel they have the best interests of the club at heart.

Rangers Supporters Association general secretary Drew Roberton said: "The situation beggars belief. A lot of supporters will be wanting some serious answers about what is going on. Is there ever going to be an end to this? It has more intrigue than any TV soap and it is becoming ridiculous."

Earlier this year, Mr Whyte made allegations that Mr Green and his group were acting as a front for him during Sevco 5088's £5.5 million deal for the club's assets last summer. The deal came after Mr Whyte led Rangers oldco into administration in February 2012 before it was eventually placed into liquidation when HMRC rejected a Company Voluntary Arrangement over an outstanding tax bill.

Mr Murray's Blue Knights, backed by businessman Brian Kennedy, submitted a conditional offer for the club before acrimoniously pulling out weeks later.

It is understood Mr McColl has put his name to the call for a general meeting, but is unlikely to back financially any attempts to buy a controlling stake in the club.

Rangers fan Mr McColl and former manager Walter Smith formed an ill-fated attempt to put a rival deal together to take over the club before Mr Green took control.

Rangers Supporters Trust formed a partnership with the Blue Knights, which attempted to buy Rangers from administration while talking of fan representation on the board last year.

The trust bought £250,000 of shares on behalf of members in a recent Initial Public Offering championed by Mr Green, which recently raised around £22m.

The trust said in a statement: "Recent events have proved that credible, competent and professional individuals should be the basic criteria for sitting on the board and deciding the club's fate, and not faceless investors looking to maximise their return through carefully designed soundbites and false dawns which amount to nothing.

"No Rangers fan is greater than the other and the importance of our collective contribution is still underestimated.

"Would you prefer to have an influence on fiscal policy, or would you rather place faith in men you don't know?"

Rangers said in a statement: "Mr Green's role will be to promote the interests of Rangers Football Club, specifically assisting with shareholder relations and advising the company on its capital structure."