“Dave King Claims Steven Gerrard Was Forced Out of Rangers to Join Aston Villa”
Former Rangers chairman Dave King has made a surprising claim, stating that Steven Gerrard was “forced out” of the Scottish club to join Aston Villa, and didn’t actually want to leave at the time.
In 2021, Gerrard was considered one of the most promising managers, having led Rangers to their 55th league title—an undefeated campaign that ended Celtic’s bid for a 10th consecutive title. This achievement put him on the radar of several Premier League clubs.
Aston Villa ultimately secured his services just three months into the following season after Dean Smith was dismissed. From the outside, it appeared Gerrard eagerly took the chance to manage in the Premier League, an opportunity he might not have had for some time otherwise.
However, King, who played a key role in bringing Gerrard to Rangers, suggests otherwise. Speaking to the Daily Record, King claimed, “Steven was absolutely kicked out,” criticizing the Ibrox boardroom, which he had left before Gerrard’s move to Villa. He believes that the club’s leadership abandoned the vision he and Gerrard had shared to restore Rangers’ dominance in Scottish football.
King further expressed his dissatisfaction with the current board, stating: “I have no doubts about that. Steven did not want to leave at that point. He would have left eventually, but not then. From that moment, we regressed. The ethos and standards Steven set were lost, and the club started to decline.”
Gerrard’s time at Villa was short-lived, lasting less than a year. After a mixed finish to the 2021/22 season, his poor start in the next campaign led to his dismissal, and Unai Emery replaced him. Since then, Villa has thrived.
Now managing Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League, Gerrard has enjoyed a strong start, with his team joint-top after three consecutive wins. Meanwhile, Rangers have struggled, failing to win the Scottish Premiership for the past three seasons as Celtic chase their 55th title.