Rangers win ban on traders

The goods were banned for sale outside Ibrox

Rangers FC have been granted a court order banning the sale of unofficial goods outside the club's Ibrox ground.

The club said stall holders Iain Gordon and Stephen Penman had not been given permission to use Rangers' trade marks.

The club took the traders to the Court of Session and obtained an interim interdict.

The action came hours before Rangers' money spinning first Champions League match against German team VfB Stuttgart at Ibrox.

The court heard that the stall holders sold the merchandise alongside Bart Simpson, Bob the Builder and South Park T-shirts.

Roisin Higgins, counsel for the club, told judge Lady Paton that traders who had been licensed by Rangers were complaining.

She said the club wished to protect annual income of £19m in goods trade to subsidise its footballing activities.

The lawyer said Rangers was "a household word" and if the club had no licensing arrangements then it would have no control over the quality of merchandise.

Lady Paton was told about prosecutions by trading standards officials and granted the football club an interim interdict.