JAMES BISGROVE insists Rangers' legacy issues with Sports Direct are a thing of the past after taking another significant step in their new relationship with Castore.

The Light Blues opened the revamped and rebranded Rangers Store at Ibrox on Thursday morning as many supporters spent their cash on official products for the first time in several years.

Castore - owned by brothers Tom and Phil Beahon - put £250,000 towards the renovation after clinching a multi-million pound, long-term deal with Rangers in May.

But fans have continued to question the status of the relationship between the club and Sports Direct following the long-running legal battles with owner Mike Ashley.

Sports Direct started selling the new season 2020/21 home strip at the weekend and away strips and a range of training gear are available to buy from the high street retailer at present.

But Ibrox Commercial Director Bisgrove insists it is a new era for Rangers and their merchandise operations.

Bisgrove said: "The powerful thing about today is that we are able to look forward.

"We have said before the legacy of the club and the previous relationships we have had from a kit and retail perspective are now behind us.

"I think, again, it goes back to the conversations that Tom and Phil and I have had from March onwards. The ambition, the professionalism, the passion that Castore showed in terms of selecting Rangers to be their flagship club within football, from the start of that conversation we were quickly able to see what the potential of this partnership is. To be candid, it was a challenge to get to that point so that is why today is even more satisfying.

"I think Tom and Phil have been very clear on that (Sports Direct) before.

"Rangers and Castore’s ambition is to have Rangers strips far and wide so there is a global distribution plan that will get us there. Indeed, it is not uncommon that a number of high street retailers and third-party wholesale relationships will be put in place.

"That is certainly not uncommon in football retail.

"Today, the focus is on this store. We have got a new online store that is up and running as well from a Rangers perspective. In order for this partnership to get to where we and Tom and Phil get it to be at, there are going to be a number of periphery partners that will help us get there."