Former Rangers chairman Alastair Johnston believes Sir David Murray could help repair his tarnished legacy by taking action over the club's financial crisis - but doubts the former owner has the desire and freedom to do so.
Murray sold his majority stake to Craig Whyte for £1 in May last year, with the deal also ensuring Lloyds Banking Group recovered their £18million debt. Johnston, who succeeded Murray as chairman in August 2009, revealed the takeover deal allowed the former owner the ability to re-assume control should the terms of the sale be breached.
Whyte revealed Rangers were facing a potential £75million tax bill for payments made to staff under Murray after the club served notice of their intention to go into administration on Monday and Johnston believes Murray's legacy is "seriously jeopardised".
But he told BBC Scotland: "One of the avenues that could be pursued - and I wouldn't suggest it with any degree of confidence because it will take substantive effort and money - is that, in the terms of the sales purchase agreement (SPA), the only outside entity that actually has a right of recourse if Mr Whyte defaulted on any of his commitments, is Murray.
"That won't be easy because the language is a little fluid and flexible.
"But there is a suggestion that a lot of things could be unwound if Murray International chose to look at the SPA, take some action and and see how far they went.
"If David were to do that, I think it would help the perception of his legacy. In practice, it would be a long struggle.
"Keep in mind, there is no appetite by David to do this and, given his destiny over his wealth is still under the strong jurisdiction of Lloyds Bank, I can't imagine Lloyds saying, 'David, we'll allow you to get Rangers back'.
"That could put them in the same position they thought they had escaped from."
Johnston also hit back at claims from Whyte that the former board, most of whom left or were removed shortly following the takeover, had not done enough to save the club from potential insolvency.