Thelwell to become Rangers Sporting Director after Everton exit
Written by
Training Ground Guru
April 24, 2025
Kevin Thelwell has been appointed as the new Sporting Director of Rangers and will take over at the Scottish side when his contract at Everton expires in the summer.
The Toffees announced last month that the 51-year-old would be leaving the club after more than three years’ service this summer. At Rangers, he will “assume overall responsibility for all areas of the football operation, including men’s, women’s and Academy.”
The Scottish side had made the appointment of a Sporting Director a priority in their Football Review, which was instigated at the beginning of this year. Before joining Everton, Thelwell was Head of Sport for New York Red Bulls and Director of Football at Wolves.
News of his appointment cames as Rangers officially confirmed that they are in negotiations with American investors, including the San Francisco 49ers, about a possible takeover of the club. San Francisco-based 49ers Enterprises group also own Leeds United.
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.”
Rangers 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.”
Thelwell was our guest on Episode 57 of the TGG Podcast. During his time at Everton, the club generated £226m of transfer income while spending only £145m on the team during six windows – and maintained their Premier League status.
Rangers have not had a Sporting Director since Ross Wilson – now in the same role at Nottingham Forest – left the club in April 2023.
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