DOUBLE Cup champions Rangers are ready to cash in on Eastern's demise and become the most powerful team in the territory.
Rangers, who crushed Eastern 3-0 in last weekend's FA Cup final to add to the Senior Challenge Shield they won in May, have increased next season's budget from $7 million to $9 million.
'We want to take over from Eastern and aim to be the number one team in the territory,' declared Rangers' team manager Philip Lee Fai-lap.
Rangers chairman Lam Tai-fai went further by saying: 'We have increased our budget by $2 million with a chance of it being increased further. We can be Hong Kong's undisputed champions.' They have acted swiftly in the transfer market and snapped up two of Eastern's most promising local stars in defender Chan Chi-keung and reserve striker Tong Yuen-sing.
More signings are on the way as Rangers bid to return to the glory years after being down in the depths of the Second Division just five years ago.
While Eastern's future has been placed in doubt after the loss of multi-million dollar sponsors, the Lai Sun Group, Rangers are set to give one of their main backers, German sports manufacturers Uhlsport, more exposure and will be known as Uhlsport-Rangers next term.
