The Moonlighter

In 2008 250,000 people follow followed that boys Club born on a spare bit of ground on Fleshers Haugh in 1872 to Manchester for the UEFA Cup Final.

We're delighted to add yet another two dates to this year’s Founders Trail and Ibrox Stadium Tour programme. Sunday 3rd September Saturday 7th October. Both of these dates are available due to International football being played those weekends. We will be adding more tour dates once the fixtures for next season are released. Adults : £25 Children (under 16) and Senior Citizens £18. Group discounts are available upon request. Please reserve your seat here: https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/book-online

‘’Thus ended their first match played at the latter end of May 1872 some two months after the inauguration of the club’’. The words of Rangers player William Dunlop from his article The Rangers FC which he wrote so eloquently for the SFA Annual in 1881 using the pen name ‘True Blue’. Rangers Football Club played our first ever match 144 years ago this week. Our Club was formed on a spare bit of ground at Fleshers Haugh by a few kids who’d come to Glasgow seeking employment. Their Club ,which was formed for no other reason than the love of football and the pursuit of sporting excellence, would go on to become the world’s most successful. That first ever match was against Callander and ended 0-0, Willie continued, “Their first game was a terrible spectacle with the ball suffering an incredible amount of abuse” William McBeath was given man of the match and then spent a week in bed recovering due to his exertions’’ Founder William McBeath was from Callander and we believe it would have been Willie who approached ex-pats from the town who had settled in Glasgow and that probably helped organize the opposition for our first match. Willie’s Rangers team-mate Sam Ricketts wrote in 1884 about the boys playing in their civvies during their first few games and journalist John Allan wrote about them having to change behind a bush as there were no facilities. William Dunlop described how genial Peter McNeil would travel on a Saturday morning to a desirable part of the Glasgow Green, set up the noted standards and stand guard until the classic hour came when he would be joined by his friends. We felt this was a very dramatic and moving image and commissioned a painting to be done depicting this scene. We presented the painting by artist Helen Runciman to the Club in 2009 and it now hangs on the marble staircase at Ibrox. The Rangers would remain at Fleshers Haugh for three years . They then began their journey around Glasgow to Burnbank and Kinning Park before finally settling in the Ibrox area in 1887. The Rangers FC by William Dunlop. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/the-rangers-f-c-by-true-blue

Would all who are booked on tomorrow's Tour please note that there will be a Founders Trail welcome desk available within Bar 72 West at Ibrox Stadium from 11.15am prior to our 12pm departure from outside of the Ibrox Megastore Access to Bar 72 is via the main entrance to Argyle House . This will give us an opportunity to greet you, check you from our loading chart and distribute our travel packs. Parking is available throughout the day around Ibrox Stadium. If you have any questions before the tour please don't hesitate in contacting us on 0790 2855536.

Donations to help the project can be made here on our website. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/the-restoration-of-rangers-graves

Thanks for sharing.

We have four seats remaining for this Saturday's Founders Trail and Ibrox Stadium Tour. Adults : £25 Children (under 16) and Senior Citizens £18. To reserve your place send an email to thegallantpioneers@gmail.com or call 0790 2855536.

Earlier today we located the final resting place of Rangers great Alan Morton at New Monkland Cemetery in Glenmavis. Once family consent has been obtained Mr.Morton’s plot will be restored to a standard befitting the man. Alan Morton. 24th April 1893-14th December 1971. Alan Morton was born at Skatterig Farm in the Anniesland Cross area of Glasgow. He grew up in Airdrie, where his family relocated due to his father's work. After leaving Airdrie Academy he had an unsuccessful trial with Airdrieonians. Consequently, he entered studies to become a mining engineer while playing with Queen's Park. Once fully qualified in 1920 he turned professional, becoming Bill Struth's first signing as manager of Rangers, but only on the proviso that he could maintain his position as a mining engineer. Morton only measured 5 ft 4 inches in height but his talent lay in his physical balance, speed and thought. As a result of this association, Mr. Struth's intuitive training and the combination of an array of internationals (not least Bob McPhail and David Meiklejohn), Rangers enjoyed a sustained period of success. Highlights included the famous 1928 Scottish Cup triumph against Celtic in which Rangers ended a 25 year wait to win the Cup 4 0. In addition to this Alan Morton went on to receive winner's medals as Scottish Football League champion in 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930 and 1931, and as a Scottish Cup winner in 1930; he received runners-up medals in 1921, 1922, and 1929. He made his debut for Rangers against Airdrieonians on 17 August 1920, and played his last game against the same opposition on 7 January 1933 (in which he scored). "The Wee Blue Devil", as he was nicknamed, played 470 times for Rangers and scored 109 goals. Morton's dress was as precise as his play. He was a familiar figure strolling down Paisley Road West towards training at Ibrox sporting a bowler hat and umbrella (as befitted a professional gentleman of the time), which caused locals to dub him "The Wee Society Man" . Morton had already been capped while an amateur before joining Rangers and would go on to play in every international against England, from 1920 to 1932 bar the fixture at Old Trafford in 1926, eventually winning 31 caps. It was in the 1928 full international in London where Alan Morton, as part of an under-rated Scottish side that beat England 5 1 in driving rain to record a famous triumph, earned the moniker: "Wembley Wizard". After retiring Morton’s impact was felt as an administrator, becoming a powerful figure within Scottish sport. He was appointed to the Rangers board and he remained there until the year of his death. Today a portrait of Alan Morton in his Scottish strip stands proudly at the top of the marble staircase at Ibrox's Main Stand, such is his enduring stature at our club.

Our full range of merchandise can be viewed here on our website. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/shop All items purchased are mailed out within 24 hours.

The winner of the signed jersey is Russell McFadyen! Congratulations to Russell. A wonderful £200 was raised for the Restoration Project. Thanks to all who purchased tickets for their generosity.

The winning name will be drawn and announced at 10am tomorrow morning. To be in with a chance of winning the jersey just donate £5 via the link below. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/the-restoration-of-rangers-graves

A couple of weeks ago we were contacted by fellow supporter John Armour who informed us that former Rangers player Torry Gillick was buried in Old Monkland Cemetery in Coatbridge. I met with John at the cemetery yesterday afternoon. All necessary work will be carried out over the coming weeks on Mr Gillick’s plot to bring it back up to a standard befitting the man. We’re also currently in the process of making contact with Mr Gillick’s family. Torrance "Torry" Gillick (19 May 1915 – 16 December 1971) Torry played for Rangers, Everton and Partick Thistle. Born in Airdrie, Gillick was signed in 1933, aged 18, for Rangers by manager Bill Struth, after playing for prominent Glasgow junior club Petershill. He won a Scottish Cup winners medal in 1935, and that summer was sold to Everton for, a then record fee for the club, £8,000. He stayed on Merseyside until the Second World War and during that time won a Football League championship medal in 1939. Torry Gillick was capped five times by Scotland between May 1937 and November 1938. During World War II, Gillick "guested" for home-town Airdrieonians and Rangers. At the end of the war in 1945, Mr Struth brought him back to Ibrox. Torry wrote himself into Ibrox folklore during the legendary friendly against Moscow Dynamo when he got the referee to stop play as he had noticed the Russians were playing with twelve men! He developed into a forward with excellent ball control and vision and became a feature in the famous post-war Rangers side, forming a partnership on the left with Willie Waddell. At Rangers, he played 140 times, scoring 62 goals. He won one League Championship medal (1946/47), two Scottish Cup medals (1934/35, 1947/48) and two League Cup medals (1946/47, 1948/49). Torry left Rangers for Partick Thistle in August 1951. He played one season with the Jags before retiring to oversee his business interest, a Lanarkshire scrap metal firm. He died on 12 December 1971, aged 55, from undisclosed causes, on the same day as Rangers legend Alan Morton. Footnote: We established late last night and confirmed by John Armour that Alan Morton is buried in New Monkland Cemetery in Glenmavis. We’ll locate Mr Morton's plot and update accordingly.

24 hours to go to purchase your raffle tickets and assist the Restoration Project.

A wee bump for this.

Every penny raised will go to The Rangers Graves Restoration Project.

Only £5 per entry. We have this signed and framed jersey up for grabs, which has been very kindly donated to the project by a fellow supporter. Every penny raised will go to The Rangers Graves Restoration Project. To be in with a chance of winning the jersey just donate £5 via the link below . All names will go into a hat and the winner drawn on Friday 12th May. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/the-restoration-of-rangers-graves Thank you.

https://rangers.co.uk/news/features/founders-trail-blog-william-mcbeath/

On the 7TH May 1856 our Founder William McBeath was born in the village of Callander. Willie’s dad Peter owned a general store on Callander’s Main Street and the family home was above the store which is now The Waverley Hotel. William had an older sister, Jane, and an older brother, Peter. Another boy was born after William but he like so many other children of the time died in infancy. Tragically, his dad Peter McBeath passed in November, 1864. Shortly afterwards, his wife took William and his sister Jane to Glasgow to start a new life. By the time of the 1871 census, the McBeaths were living at 17 Cleveland Street, living in the same close were five members of the McNeil family, including brothers Peter and William. It was the following year at the beginning of 1872 the four boys had the idea to form a football team. William McBeath played in our first ever match v Callander and according to fellow Ranger William Dunlop ‘’ was awarded man of the match then spent a week in bed recovering due to his exertions’’! William went on to become Rangers first ever President in 1874. By 1878, he was a commercial traveler and had moved to the Crosshill area of Glasgow after marrying a Jeannie Harris. Within a year, the family had moved to Bristol in what was almost certainly the most settled and happiest period of William’s life. In 1884 at the Club’s ‘Annual Hop’ his friends and fellow Founders honoured William for the role he played in its conception and presented him with a gold badge. This was at an event held in the St.Andrews Hall which is at the rear of today’s Mitchell Library in Glasgow. Sadly, the remaining period of William McBeath’s life is clouded in mist. What happened to cause a breakdown in the happy family life of the McBeaths is uncertain. William’s son Norman was sent to Glasgow to live with his grandmother. Norman McBeath died in Glasgow, aged eighty-three, in 1973. William last few years make for unpleasant reading. He moved from town to town, found himself in court on charges of fraud (of which he was acquitted) and married for a second time. He moved to Lincoln and stayed at 57 Cranwell Street and 34 Vernon Street. Tragically the deterioration in William McBeath’s life continued until his death in a workhouse at Lincoln in 1917. He was certified ‘’imbecile”. The evidence of his state of health suggests he had actually suffered from Alzheimer’s. Medical terminology back then was brutal to say the least. William McBeath was buried in an unmarked, pauper’s grave in Lincoln Cemetery but there is a happy ending to his story. During his research for the book,the Gallant Pioneers book Gary Ralston found William’s final resting place. The grave is now marked with a fitting stone which was paid for by the worldwide Rangers support and placed there by a group of fellow supporters.

Over the last few days the lettering on George Nelson's stone was re-done. Today we finished the restoration by putting down some new stones and laid a flower tribute. Gone but not forgotten.

Would all who are booked on Saturday's Tour please note that there will be a Founders Trail welcome desk available within Bar 72 West at Ibrox Stadium from 11.15am prior to our 12pm departure from outside of the Ibrox Megastore Access to Bar 72 is via the main entrance to Argyle House . This will give us an opportunity to greet you, check you from our loading chart and distribute our travel packs. Parking is available throughout the day around Ibrox Stadium. If you have any questions before the tour please don't hesitate in contacting us on 0790 2855536.

The last 7 seats are up for grabs on our Founders Trail and Ibrox Stadium Tour on Saturday 20th May. Adults : £25 Children (under 16) and Senior Citizens £18. To reserve your place send an email to thegallantpioneers@gmail.com

We'd like to thank Michael Grover and William Connell for their recent donations. Donations can be made here on our website or in person before any future match at Ibrox. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/the-restoration-of-rangers-graves

A wee bump for this. It's going to be a very special event.

We at the Founders Trail are aware that due to time constraint, distance and cost many supporters can't make the journey to Glasgow to join us on the Founders Trail so three years ago we launched the Founders Trail Roadshow which is an alternative format which lets us take our wonderful story out to you. The Founders Trail Roadshow tells the story of the Founders from the shores of the Gareloch, to their arrival in Glasgow, their journey to the front door of Ibrox Stadium and beyond. This is done by way of a slideshow presentation. We profile each of our Founders and the subsequent growth of our unique club. The presentation also gives an insight and update on the Restoration of Rangers Graves Project and of course the Founders Trail. We hope that by telling this story it will give everyone an understanding of the very foundations upon which those four lads built our club. The Founders Trail Roadshow has visited such places as Broxburn, Kilsyth, Blackpool, Thringstone, Belfast and Newtownards and have bookings all around the country with supporters clubs and organisations over the coming months. The presentation lasts for approximately 90 mins, with a 20 minute interval we also encourage a Q&A session at the conclusion. The roadshow can be booked to coincide with other entertainment you may wish to provide for those attending. If you would like us to bring the Founders Trail Roadshow to your supporters club or organisation then contact us by email at thefounderstrail@gmail.com or by calling 07902 855536.