The Moonlighter

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.

Apologies . Donations are made via our paypal account. This link should be fine. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/the-restoration-of-rangers-graves

Peter Campbell’s Medal. This is Peter Campbell’s medal from the 1879 Glasgow Merchants Cup Final, this was the first ever trophy that Rangers won. The Trophy is on display at the Football Museum within Hampden Park. There’s an incredible story behind Peter’s medal. Fellow Rangers supporter William Mason contacted us to tell of how one of his friends had found this medal belonging to Peter Campbell in a park in East Kilbride in 1968. A few years ago his friend loaned the medal to Rangers and Peter Campbell’s medal is on display within The Blue Room at Ibrox.

Thanks very much for the donations that have come in. We're raised £185 towards our target of £500. Please donate here on our website, every penny counts. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/t...rangers-graves

Over the last couple of years the Rangers Graves Restoration Project has carried out work on the final resting places of not only those who formed our Club but many others from our early years. However,one individual has posed us a problem of sorts and that is our Founder Peter Campbell. Following in family tradition Peter ,who had been employed at the Barclay Curle Yard on the Clyde , left Glasgow for a life at sea and joined a ship the St. Columba. On the 28th January 1883 the vessel left Penarth Port in South Wales with a cargo of coal destined for Bombay in India. Tragically, it ran into a storm in the Bay of Biscay and went down with all hands lost, including that of our 25 year old Founder Peter Campbell. The youngest of our Pioneers was taken from us. In the January of 2015 I travelled to Penarth and along with the Cardiff RSC met with the local Council and discussed the possibility of having a memorial plaque placed at Penarth commemorating Peter Campbell’s contribution in forming Rangers Football Club and his tragic fate. Penarth Council were touched by Peter’s story but as is so often the case our proposal had to be passed through various council departments for approval and subsequently got caught up in red tape. Earlier this week I was delighted to receive notification from the secretary of the Cardiff RSC, who have played a huge part in this project, that the proposal for the Plaque had finally been given the go ahead. The Plaque will be placed here in the Italian Gardens at Penarth which is a very popular area for tourists. It overlooks the estuary where Peter Campbell’s ship began that fateful voyage. The plaque is made of Welsh Slate. The inscription at the bottom reads ALWAYS READY. Today we are appealing to the Rangers support to assist us in fundraising for this memorial to Peter Campbell, We hope over the next few weeks to raise £500 and donations can be made here on our website. Every penny counts. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/the-restoration-of-rangers-graves Details of a dedication service in Penarth will be announced soon. Peter Campbell. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/peter-campbell

Another one for the diary folks! It will be an honour for us to present the Founders Story at Parkhead Orange Hall Quarryknowe Street on Friday 7th April at 7.30pm. This event is organised by Tollcross Purple Star LOL 84. Entry is £5 which can be paid on the door and everyone is welcome. The evening will also provide an insight into The Rangers Graves Restoration Project and The Founders Trail. Much cultural singing will round off what will be a cracking event. We hope to see a few of you along.

We still have a few seats left for our trip to Rosneath. Reserve your seat here via the booking system on our website https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/book-online Or for further information call us on 0790 2855536

Scarves are only £12.00 (+ £2.86 P&P) and can be purchased here on our website. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/shop

In the company of Rangers Legend Dave Smith! It will be an honour for us to present the Founders Story at Lodge Old Monkland St James 177 on Sunday 26th March at 2pm. The hall is at Coltswood Road Coatbridge. Entry is £5 which can be paid on the door. Up for grabs will be raffle prizes and an auction will be held for a Barcelona top signed by Dave Smith who will also host a Q and A session. Cultural singing will round off what will be a cracking event. We hope to see a few of you there.

At the end of last year we posted the fascinating tale behind this wonderful painting by our own Tom Vallance from 1891 and how it had been found in a cupboard at Ibrox. http://blog.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/wp/?p=1292 I recently met with the Club to discuss restoring the painting which would be funded by the Restoration of Rangers Graves Project. The Club have agreed to let artist Helen Runciman who painted among many others our Founders and Vallance portraits carry out the necessary work. Once complete we’ll find an appropriate spot to place it within Ibrox Stadium and announce details of an official unveiling. Updates will be posted in due course.

Since we first took to the streets of Glasgow in 2009 we’ve taken almost 7,000 people on the Trail of our Founders and through the doors of Ibrox Stadium ,many for the first time, and again this year we've been blown away with the demand for Tours. Through the education process of the Founders Trail our objective is to safeguard our unique and wonderful history for future generations. Tours and bookings over the coming weeks are as follows.We will be adding more dates over the coming weeks. We thank you for the incredible support that the project receives. SUNDAY 29TH JANUARY (SOLD OUT) SUNDAY 5TH FEBRUARY(SOLD OUT) SATURDAY 18TH FEBRUARY( SOLD OUT) SUNDAY 26TH FEBRUARY (SOLD OUT) SUNDAY 19TH MARCH(SOLD OUT) SATURDAY 25TH MARCH ( SOLD OUT) SUNDAY 16TH APRIL(SOLD OUT) SUNDAY 7TH MAY(SOLD OUT) SUNDAY 21ST MAY(SOLD OUT) SUNDAY 11TH JUNE(SOLD OUT) SUNDAY 25TH JUNE SATURDAY 15TH JULY. ***Tour dates may be subject to change due to football fixtures*** To avoid disappointment please reserve your seat early. Prices are as follows. Adults £25 Children (under 16) and Senior Citizens £18 Group discounts are available upon request. Reserve your seat now by clicking here http://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/book-online For further information phone: 0790 2855536.

Our ground at Kinning Park including a photograph of the Pavilion where Jimmy helped with the burst pipe. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/kinning-park

An incredible interview with 96 year old Jimmy McKillop from the Rangers News 5th January 1972.

All scarves ordered are posted out within 24 hours. They are only £12.00 (+ £2.86 P&P) and can be purchased here on our website. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/shop

https://rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/tour-of-the-gareloch/

Thank you. We look forward to hearing from you.

We'd like to thank the Ship Inn Ayr for hosting last night's event and for everyone who supported it in such fine numbers. The Presentation was well received. In addition the wonderful sum of £65.55 was donated to the Restoration of Rangers Graves Project via our collection bucket. If your supporters club or organisation would like to discuss hosting a Founders Presentation event please call us on 0790 2855536 or send an email to thefounderstrail@gmail.com

As we continue to promote and celebrate our Founders we’re delighted to announce details of our fifth annual bus tour up into the Gareloch, where those who formed our Club were born and bred. The Tour on Sunday 16th July will coincide with the Rosneath Highland Games. As we make our way from Glasgow to the Gareloch we’ll also visit the final resting place of Tom Vallance in Bearsden. The Tour itinerary is as follows : 11.00 Depart Ibrox Stadium. 11.30 Hillfoot Cemetery Bearsden. Final resting place of Tom Vallance. 11.45 Depart Hillfoot Cemetery. On route to Garelochhead via Dumbarton and Helensburgh we will highlight many locations linked to the Rangers during our early years. 13.00 Arrive Garelochhead and Rosneath. We will visit Bendarroch Park where our Founders ran races against and with each other aged only 10 and 11 .They were also to return there during our early years with their newly formed Rangers team to participate in the Garelochhead New Year Day Games. We will also visit the homes of Peter Campbell and Moses McNeil and pay our respects at Moses final resting place in the churchyard at Rosneath. 13.45 This is free time to enjoy the Rosneath Highland Games where food and refreshments are available or you can just have a leisurely stroll around the beautiful setting which is the Gareloch. 16.00 Depart Rosneath. 17.00 Arrive Ibrox Stadium The cost of the Tour is as follows : Adults £21 Senior Citizens and Children ( Under 16) £16. (Please note that entry to the Highland Games, Lunch and Refreshments are not included in the price.) Places on this Tour went very quickly last year and we’d advise you to book early to avoid disappointment. Reserve your seat here via the booking system on our website https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/book-online Or for further information call us on 0790 2855536

Before last night's match i met with Jim Clark from the Fergie Loyal who had been collecting donations for the Graves Project from the East End Rangers Supporters Clubs . We'd like to thank Jim and the following Clubs for their wonderful donation of £140 which will go a long way in ensuring that our work continues over the coming months. Fergie Loyal Kings Park Loyal 10M RSC Wellhouse True Blues Townhead RSC Jimmy Clark Loyal Ruchazie Loyal Smithycroft Loyal Wullie Mcadam Loyal Mount Vernon Loyal Thank you. Donations can be made here on our website https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/the-restoration-of-rangers-graves

Once again due to incredible demand we're delighted to add yet another date to this year’s Founders Trail programme. Sunday 25th June. Adults : £25 Children (under 16) and Senior Citizens £18. Group discounts are available upon request. Reserve your seat here http://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/book-online For further information please call 0790 2855536

It's to be a wet one folks. We leave the coach on three occasions so please wear appropriate clothing.

Next Saturday night folks. Hope to see a few of you there.

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.

http://www.markinchchurch.org.uk/?p=754 In 2010 a bench was placed at Thornton Parish Church in Fife by the Markinch Memorial Committee in memory of the five boys from Markinch who never returned home from Ibrox on the 2nd January 1971. These boys were friends who attended the same school Peter Easton Aged 13. Ronald Paton Aged 14 Mason Phillips Aged 14 Brian Todd Aged 14 Douglas Morrison Aged 15 Earlier this year on the anniversary of the tragedy it was brought to our attention by fellow supporter Chris Beglin, who’d been to Thornton Parish Church to pay his respects, that the bench had suffered weather damage and that him and a couple of his friends would like to carry out the necessary restoration work on it. I contacted the Markinch Memorial Committee and Thornton Parish Church with this proposal and gained their consent. Chris, his friends Steve and Alex removed the bench at the end of January and with a lot of due care and attention over the last few weeks have restored it to its original state. The memorial bench was returned to Thornton Parish Church yesterday morning. The offer of help , time and effort put in to restore this memorial to our five brothers is greatly appreciated.

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.