Former Rangers owner Craig Whyte today gave the club a vote of confidence - and said he was still a fan.

Mr Whyte said it was inevitable that Rangers would return to the top of Scottish football. And he said he would always be a supporter.

He was speaking after leaving the High Court in London where he had appeared for the latest hearing of a legal dispute he is involved in with a ticketing firm.

Mr Whyte, 43, had been ordered to pay more than £17 million damages to Ticketus last year.

Ticketus had said Mr Whyte fraudulently or negligently made representations which induced the company to enter into agreements related to the sale or purchase of Rangers season tickets.

Mr Whyte had disputed the claim - but a judge had ruled against him.

Ticketus says the latest stage of proceedings involves its ''continued activity to enforce" the damages order.

Mr Whyte had earlier this year failed to attend a hearing.

He had been made the subject of a ''suspended committal order'' - under which he could have been jailed if found to be in contempt of court.

And a judge had issued an arrest warrant. But Mr Justice Newey discharged that committal order today - lifting the threat of jail - after Mr Whyte appeared in court.

Lawyers for Mr Whyte said he had been out of the country and he would co-operate.

Mr Justice Newey adjourned proceedings. He said complaints against Mr Whyte would be examined at a later date.

Lawyers representing Mr Whyte today told Mr Justice Newey that because of the "strength of feeling" in Scotland, police had offered Mr Whyte some security advice.

Mr Whyte made no comment about the case as he left court.

But reporters asked if he thought that Rangers would return to the top.

He said "inevitably".

And asked if he was still and fan and would always support the club, he replied "of course" and "yes".

Mr Whyte's appearance at the High Court marked the latest stage in a saga which has seen Rangers slide down the ladder of Scottish football.

He took control of Rangers in 201 - administrators were appointed early the following year.

The Scottish Football Association concluded that Mr Whyte was unfit to hold a position in football after an investigation.

Rangers were ejected from the top-tier Scottish Premier League and effectively relegated to the fourth tier.

They have since climbed back into the Championship - the second tier.

In September this year, Mr Whyte was disqualified from being a director for 15 years after proceedings were launched by regulators the Insolvency Service.

It was alleged that he had failed to promote Rangers' interests and to avoid conflicts of interests

Business Minister Jo Swinson said Mr Whyte had harmed Rangers and its fans and had shown a "lack of regard for proper corporate behaviour".

In November, he appeared in court in Glasgow after being charged with fraud - and was released on bail - following an investigation into the purchase of Rangers in 2011.