Whyte 'won't win over fans'

Whyte's reputation suffered a huge blow when it was confirmed that Rangers had been forced into administration by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs over £9 million ($13.19 million) in unpaid tax accrued since his takeover in May last year.

Rangers supporters are asking serious questions of Whyte, who bought out Sir David Murray for £1 ($1.47) but pledged to settle Lloyds Banking Group's £18 million ($26.37 million) debt and invest in the playing squad and stadium.

Earlier this month, Whyte admitted he had accessed cash from loan company Ticketus after reports claimed he had borrowed £24 million ($35.17 million) on future season ticket sales.

Rangers faces a tax bill of up to £75 million ($109.88 million) amid a dispute over the use of employment benefit trusts before Whyte took over, and Steven believes the start of the club's financial problems can be traced back to over-spending in the Dick Advocaat era in the late 1990s.

But he feels the relationship between the fans and Whyte, who flew out of Glasgow Airport on Tuesday night, cannot be mended.

The former England international told Sky Sports: "I don't think there has ever been a good relationship between Craig Whyte and the support.

"For me, there has always been smoke and mirrors since he came in. He came with a handful of promises that have never been delivered.

"That's what really aggravates the Rangers support, they have never been able to trust the man in charge and there has been no transparency.

"The fact that he has gone off to Monaco is not particularly what the supporters want to hear."

Steven, who spent seven years at Ibrox over two spells, added: "There is a real lack of support for Craig Whyte. As far as Rangers are concerned, new people have to come into the club once administration has been sorted.

"I know Paul Murray, one of the ex-directors, has said he would be prepared with others to come in once the picture is clear.

"At the moment the picture is not clear and I don't think it can be for the Scottish game in general until this situation is resolved.

"It puts the whole game under a dark cloud."

Former Scotland manager Craig Brown believes the developments have cast a shadow over Scottish football.

The Aberdeen boss told Sky Sports News: "Down south and across Europe they must be shaking their heads in disbelief to see Rangers, a great institution, in such trouble."

Hearts manager Paulo Sergio added: "I hope they find a solution because I believe Scottish football needs a strong Rangers."

St Johnstone manager Steve Lomas recently criticised Rangers over its attempts to sign his striker Francisco Sandaza, comparing the current boardroom regime unfavourably to that of Sir David Murray.

Lomas said: "No-one should take any pleasure from Glasgow Rangers being in this situation but maybe it's a warning to all clubs that football is a business and you have to run business right."

Lomas' predecessor, Bristol City boss Derek McInnes, believes Rangers is too big to fold.

The former Rangers midfielder said: "The club is too big and has too many people behind it to see it die.

"I'm sure they'll do what's right for it now.

"It's a difficult situation for my pal Ally McCoist now, all the focus is on the off-field stuff."

Ajax coach Frank de Boer - who had a short spell at Ibrox as a player in 2004 - believes the plight of his former club will be felt across the continent, with other clubs also struggling financially.

He said: "It's very sad for Scottish football, and also European football, to see such a big name (in trouble).

"As an ex-Rangers player it's very sad.

"It's not the first club to get in a mess and all of Europe is a little bit like this at other clubs."

Former First Minister Henry McLeish warned lessons must be learned from Rangers' problems for the sake of the Scottish game as a whole.

McLeish was commissioned by the Scottish Football Association in May 2009 to compile a Review of Scottish Football.

He told Sky Sports News: "We have to see a way forward as part of the administration process.

"We have to think of the fans, who have been long-suffering and invested a lot.

"At the end of the day, the government agencies have got to do their job in their interests and we've got to do our job.

"That's why it I think it's critical that, apart from the short-term consequences of Rangers' dilemma being tackled, we've got to look to the long term and we've got to learn lessons now about this whole issue of financial sustainability.

"I think UEFA have shown the way, they've seen all the clubs in Europe, they've seen all the countries in Europe.

"Scotland is a football-loving nation but we've now got to be assured that everyone involved in the game is going to take finance more seriously, more responsibly, and generate this trust that the game needs."

Sir Alex Ferguson described what has happened to his former club Rangers as a 'tragedy' but insists other clubs do not necessarily have to press the panic button.

The Manchester United manager said: "I'm not surprised what happened at Rangers. That was on the cards for a quite a while from since that lad took over.

"It is a tragedy because it is a great football club.

"It is one of the best clubs you could ever think about. I don't know what will happen there.

"As far as the rest of Europe is concerned, the top clubs have the ability to manage their affairs in the right way.

"You get the odd one here and there that run into trouble, like Portsmouth.

"But in the main you are talking about a small percentage.

"It is nothing we should panic about. We are just disappointed in the ones who do fall aside."

The First Minister gave his first reaction to the situation.

Alex Salmond told BBC Reporting Scotland: "The most important thing is to get a sensible agreement between Rangers and HMRC in terms of the extent of what's owed and how that can be paid off.

"The most important thing is that Rangers are able to continue as a football club, that's the absolute critical matter."