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Or so it is claimed in this interesting article: + + + We belong to Glasgow ... sort of 7:20pm Tuesday 3rd September 2013 Rangers did not only adopt their name from Swindon Rangers rugby club but also played in the same colours as the railway workers’ side – all white with a blue star crest. THEY are one of the world’s best-supported football teams with fan clubs girdling the globe from Tasmania to Tampa Bay, Bahrain to Boston, Winnipeg to Wellington and Katowice to Calgary. But where did the institution that is Rangers Football Club – winners of 54 domestic league titles, more than any club in the world – get their name? Why from Swindon, of course. The origins of this massive Scottish sporting organisation – or at least, its world-renowned name – has of late been the subject of a spate of queries on fans’ forums. For such a vast footballing behemoth where every trophy, player, goal and all manner of what – for most of us – would seem inconsequential data is feverishly racked up and pored over, the club’s very name is bizarrely shrouded in mystery. However, the consensus is that Rangers owes its moniker to a bunch of Great Western Railway workers letting off a little steam, if you’ll excuse the pun, on a field in Swindon – or Gorse Hill, to be precise – around 140 years ago. Four enthusiastic young sportsmen founded Rangers in 1872: brothers’ Moses and Peter McNeil, and friends Peter Campbell and William McBeath. They had been galvanised after watching a local Glasgow team Queen’s Park – the “Pride of Scotland” – playing a new-fangled form of football. This revolutionary variety of a previously haphazard, frenetic chase-ball activity followed a controversial rule change stipulating that the ball could not be “carried or hacked”… otherwise the game would become “more like wrestling than football”. But what shall we call our brand new sports club, mused the Glaswegian quartet? It was Moses who came up with the answer. A studious fellow, Moses had been reading a book called the English Football Annual written by Charles Alcock, founder member and later secretary of the Football Association, and also the creator of the world’s first knock-out competition of its kind, the FA Cup. In his book, published every year since 1868, Alcock mentioned an English rugby team of the era, Swindon Rangers, who played in white socks, white shorts and white shirts with a blue star on the breast. It struck an instant chord with Moses. Rangers! Wow, what a great name for a football team. The founders of Rangers were not only inclined to nick the name of Swindon’s Victorian rugby pioneers but also copied the kit – an exact replica of which Rangers donned in the 1876/77 Scottish Cup Final (beaten 3-2 by the Vale of Leven in a twice replayed match.) It was later said that Moses loved the name he had plucked from Alcocks’ annual because “Rangers’ rhymed with strangers,” symbolising the bringing together of men from all over the city – or at least the Protestant half – who fancied a game of soccer. Moses, incidentally, played many times for Rangers and became the club’s first player to represent Scotland. A Swindon Rangers exists today in the form of a North Wilts League football team established eight years ago. But unlike its illustrious Glaswegian namesake, the original Swindon Rangers has long since vanished, although the institution that arose in its wake, Swindon Rugby Club, continues to thrive. No-one, apparently, knows when Swindon Rangers formed, but one of the club’s driving forces was John Armstrong, son of the eminent Great Western Railway engineer Joseph Armstrong – one of the key players in Swindon’s growth and pre-eminence as a railway town. John, who also went on to become a big wheel at The Works, initially played for Swindon Rangers Cricket Club, from which the rugby club emerged. He was said to have captained the latter for seven years. Astills Original Swindon Almanac of 1881 lists the Rangers’ President as none other than the Superintendent of the Swindon GWR works, William Dean, with the man he succeeded – John’s dad Joseph – as Vice President. According to Swindon Rugby Club’s official history, the home of Swindon Rangers in 1870 was an edge of town field in Gorse Hill – probably their first ground. They later went on to play at The Croft in Old Town – which also became home for 11 years from 1884 to Swindon Town Football Club – and also The Sands in Bath Road, site of the former Victoria Hospital. During this era the Swindon Advertiser reported on numerous Rangers matches as the team attracted crowds of 300 or so to the Croft, including – now here’s a shock – members of the “fair sex.” Playing away to a rampant, unbeaten Gloucester in January 1883, Rangers pulled off a famous victory. The club’s first and second teams also played two games, one after the other, on January 31, 1885. The second side took on Purton which was swiftly followed by the first XV’s match against Bath Volunteers. Two Rangers’ players – Brunsden and Horsington – played in both victories. Sadly, the axe fell on Swindon Rangers in January 1895 due to “lack of support at committee level”. Months later Swindon Rugby Football Club was formed, pretty much by the same group of people, and today it proudly holds its place in our town’s sporting community. But following its brief history – maybe around 40 years – Swindon Rangers did not die without leaving a remarkable, you could possibly say unique, sporting legacy; the name of a football team known throughout the world and housed in a grand old stadium approximately 314 miles north of Swindon. How weird is that! Gers fan Andy Goran, writing on the Rangers Media Forum, says: “Say there was still a rugby club in the Swindon area called Rangers; a bit of clever marketing about the origins of the name of our famous club would earn them a fortune. I know I’d buy a Swindon Rangers rugby top if such thing existed… unless of course they play in green” (a reference, I feel sure, to their Old Firm rivals Celtic) THE chairman of Swindon RFC Stuart Cock has been aware of the apparent origins of Rangers’ name for some time. That a Victorian rugby club in Swindon gave its name to one of the world’s best supported sporting institutions has virtually become part of the club’s unwritten folklore. Stuart says: “Some of our older guys are absolutely convinced that Rangers got their name from Swindon Rangers rugby club – in other words, our club. “I don’t really know myself. Some say the name came from Swindon Rangers but I’ve also heard that Glasgow Rangers got it (their name) from a rowing club. “Obviously, it’s something we would be very, very proud of – that we spawned such a huge, world famous football club.” Like many other members of Swindon RFC, Stuart considers the present club and Swindon Rangers to be one and the same, making it – at around 160 years old – one of the oldest sporting institutions in the country, possibly the world. However, the rugby authorities refuse to recognise this and mark the beginning of Swindon RFC as 1895… a few months after it arose from the ashes of Swindon Rangers. Stuart says: “It’s a shame really; it was formed by the same group of people. It was the same club really but with a different name. We’re still one of the oldest clubs in the area, though.” + + + Swindon Advertiser

Lifted this from FF, hope that's ok. Thought it was worth posting, seems that the guys who do the Founders Trail are getting abuse from VB. For those who have read the statement from the VB's and the avoidance of doubt i'll try to cover the nonsense that we at the Founders Trail are accused of. We've posted the reasons why many times on RM but the VB's continue to ignore this and are more intent on spreading lies. We as a group took the decision not to take the Founders Trail on to their website as under no circumstances were we wanting the Founders of our Club associated with certain rather obvious elements of that site. The easy thing to do would have been to stop posting on RM but there are many good Bears on there who've taken the Tour with us and we weren't going to deny them access to information relating to our research and subsequent events. We're also accused of A) not mentioning William McBeath on the Tour and B) not giving the VB's credit for the work done at Willie's grave in Lincoln. The fact is we tell William's story in it's entirety during the Tour including at Fleshers Haugh about how he probably organised our first ever match with his fellow ex-pats from his home town of Callander . We visit the location of two of his homes and the old St. Andrews Hall where he received a Gold Badge from his fellow Founders for his part in the inception of our Club. We also as part of our Tour hand-outs, which every passenger receives, have pictures of Willie's grave in Lincoln before and after the work that has been carried out . We acknowledge that ''this fantastic work was carried out by fellow Rangers supporters''. Those who have actually taken the Tour will of course verify this. Those who sit behind their PC's spreading poison in an effort to discredit the Trail and our Founders choose to ignore the facts. Only they know why. We don't mention Celtic during the Tour and we don't mention any website.We aren't interested in inter-website squabbles only spreading the fabulous story about our Founders. The Plaque at Fleshers Haugh and the work carried out was paid for by the world-wide Rangers support and this is highlighted. It belongs to you , the people. We're continually accused of '' Only running the Founders Trail to line the organ-grinder's ( Mark Dingwall) pockets''. Where do you start with this ? it's certainly not listed in our published annual accounts, however our donations to various charities are. If we were robbing Rangers supporters then why is the VB website so keen to be associated with us ? We've asked on countless occasions to be left alone to continue our research and to continue with the celebration of the greatest sporting story of all but they continue to hound us with threats and allegations. What hasn't struck them yet is they're actually doing the work of those whom they proclaim to challenge. Rangers first, at all times.

Last night, Vanguard Bears were granted a meeting with Rangers Chairman Craig Whyte.3 Delegates from the site attended the meeting, which was brokered by one of our influential contributors. The meeting was unprecedented, and a first for any Rangers supportersâ?? website. Happening the same week as our planned Demo at the BBC, and at a very busy time for the club, and Mr Whyte in particular, we are very grateful to Mr Whyte for actually taking time out of his busy Schedule to discuss topics of interest to Rangers fans across the globe, with Rangers Supporters Liaison Mgr Jim Hannah present. The meeting lasted 90 minutes and covered a variety of topical points, which we found productive. Jim Hannah advised us that this meeting would be a one-off meeting out with normal Assembly procedures, due to the imminent BBC protest. With Vanguard not being represented through this forum, Craig Whyte felt it appropriate in this instance in order to listen to us. Minutes as follows: Agenda for Meeting with Craig Whyte on Tuesday 1st November 2011 at 5pm. Vanguard Bears â?? who we are, what we do, and why we exist. Mr. Whyte and Rangers F.C. â?? The Future The Media The Support 1. Vanguard Bears â?? Who, What and Why: We started the meeting with a spirit of open dialogue, explaining our reasons for existence. During the last decade in particular, the club we love has been the focus of several attacks by the media No dedicated group to co-ordinate a fight back against detractors of the club Frustration at other groupsâ?? historical hesitance to fight back in a controlled and driven manner through to completion Years of experience and knowledge of the methodology behind the attacks on the Club Dedication to defending the traditions of the club Dedication to enhancing the legacy of the club No conflict of interests whatsoever; no profits, no bonuses, or contracts to be won, and no desire for power Explained that some of our senior members were founder members of the Rangers Supporters Trust Highlighted our work, successes and achievements William McBeath grave Continued highlighting of agenda of certain bloggers and journalists, who are now being ridiculed by mainstream media, and their peers Explained our members activity in marginalising certain bloggers from radio stations Previous two demos and petition granted face to face meeting with senior BBC Management in Glasgow by BBC Director General in 2009 BBC Staff responsible for two disgusting incidents regarding the titling and properties of photographs on the BBC Website disciplined Explained our reasons for leaving fans joint working group Felt that only one response to our request to demonstrate a symptom of malaise and inaction The one response, for a â??strongly worded letterâ?, woefully inadequate, naïve and two years behind us Aware of communications between certain group members excluding Vanguard Indicated our delight at common support and public backing from our friends at Gersnet, Rangers Media, Blue Order, Union Bears and several Rangers Supporters Clubs Informed that previous BBC Demos have gone without incident and that attendeesâ?? behaviour was commended by Strathclyde Police Explained that we have issued strict guidelines for attendees this Saturdayâ??s Demo Advised that photographs of demonstrators were taken of protesters at previous demo from inside BBC Building and posted on Celtic fan websites Stated our desire for Mr Whyte to address imbalances in the media, and that VB in particular supported that stance whole heartedly. Stated that we believed the previous management team had sufficient information to make informed choices, but had little appetite to do so. Durring this session, Mr Whyte was supportive, open and candid about the scale of the agenda against the club, and appreciated it is widespread and not an isolated issue at one broadcaster. He explained that the club has to evaluate the importance and reach of media outlets, the severity of the slur, the legal implications, and accept â??digsâ? from journalists or bloggers if these â??digsâ? are not libellous. We both agreed that constructive criticism was completely acceptable. My Whyte explained that he is still being advised by Carter Ruck with regards to allegations made on the BBC Programme â??Rangers â?? The Inside Storyâ?, its researchers and contributors. Those who have repeated said allegations may also be pursued. We explained that while VB was set up to act primarily as a conduit for supporters to right wrongs, and address agendas against the club, above all else we are Rangers supporters who care deeply for the club. Therefore, it would have been foolish not to ask questions on the future of the club: 2. Mr. Whyte and Rangers F.C. â?? The Future Some direct questions were put to Mr Whyte VB â?? Reports of Rangers going in to Administration continue to dominate the media in Scotland, including a rumour from a credible source to VB that the club will voluntarily enter Administration on Monday 7th November. Is there any truth in this rumour? CW â?? Not at all. Our phones were red hot last Friday (28th October) with the same rumour, which led to us having to contact media organisations to inform them it was business as usual for us VB â?? Do you have a value in mind that you could settle at with HMRC that could allow the club to pay off any amount due, should Rangers lose the â??mainâ? case against the organisation, and avoid the scenario of Administration or Insolvency? CW â?? Yes, although that value is sensitive VB â?? Would that value be paid directly without offsetting against future season ticket revenue? CW â?? Yes VB â?? Are you confident of winning the case? CW â?? Yes VB â?? Do you genuinely see Administration as an option, or is it part of a game with HMRC? CW â?? Sadly, it is an option, and not a game in the slightest, although we see it (Administration) as worst case scenario. A Plan â??Dâ? if you will. Administration is not, and never has been a Pre determined Strategy to deal with any possible loss of the â??mainâ? tax case. Rangers are talking to HMRC on a daily basis VB â?? What is the legal/contractual position of â??Murray Parkâ?? Can is be put to the fans to rename, perhaps as a symbol of a new era? CW â?? There is no obligation to keep the name of â??Murray Parkâ?. VB- We've have no representation on either the SFA professional board or the SPL board since Martin Bain has left? With Peter Lawwell, Eric Riley & Stephen Thompson among those now in senior positions there seems little influence for Rangers within the management circles of Scottish Football CW â?? The SPL is democratic, and Ali Russell will take over from Eric Riley at the SPL next year. The SFA has obviously been through some restructuring which we will monitor throughout the coming months. VB â?? The previous management at Rangers attempted a Share issue, which was undersubscribed, largely due to a lack of trust between the support and the custodian. Is this an avenue that you have considered? CW â?? Itâ??s not something we have considered to any great degree. Do you think the support would invest? VB â?? If given confidence that the money would be used wisely, yes We then moved on to more general Media issues 3. The Media VB - We have already covered the BBC Demo, and the Documentary, and note your action against The Record and Herald during this season has resulted in quick apologies, what is your position on Graham Spiers CW â?? I decided when I took over the club, that while I would address media imbalance, I would start with a clean slate, and expect the same in return. After seeing Mr Spiersâ?? involvement in the BBC Documentary, we were considering whether to withdraw all press privileges, but decided against it, as we were of the view that his influence and readership is not significant enough to trouble us. That said, when we took that decision we only considered â??The Timesâ??â? reach in Scotland, not their reach in England and beyond. [Following discussion with JH] It is too late to reverse that decision. If Mr Spiers appears on our radar again for the wrong reasons, we will take a more holistic view. In football terms heâ??s on a retrospective yellow card VB â?? Are you aware of any journalists that he considers as having a sympathetic ear to the club? CW â?? To a certain degree yes, but some are constrained, and outnumbered within their outlets to put the required balance back in to reporting. Some also have their work edited. (CW named two journalists, who VB were non committal on our view of them) 4. The Support VB - One of the reasons our plans for a BBC Demo were delayed, were the reports coming in from fellow fans about their treatment at the hands of Stewards at Ibrox, where we felt that our fellow supporters were being unfairly targeted by G4S at Ibrox, and treated like cattle on their travels. We temporarily put our energy in to offering advice and support to those affected. The SNP and â??Anti Sectarian Billâ? â?? How can the club help the support, when our behaviour in recent years with regards to â??Sectarianismâ? has been exemplary? CW â?? Will will continue to lobby strongly, and ask that our supporters not be singled out without good reason. G4S have been spoken to since the incidents you refer to, but are still constrained by a lack of clarity from the authorities VB â?? It is our understanding that there is a specific letter from UEFA with respect to â??The Billy Boysâ?, but that it has never been distributed. [CW looks to JH] JH â?? Yes, there is a letter specifically outlining â??The Billy Boysâ?, and it was shown to members of the RST, Assembly and Supporters Association. It does exist and is not a myth. VB â?? We are concerned at the double standards on the term â??Fenianâ?, and how the goalposts have moved on a word historically an exclusive term referring to â??Irish Republicansâ? of all religions, to have a dual meaning interpreted by certain factions as they see fir. CW/JH â?? Case law and legal advice tells us that those of influence in Justice deem that the term can be deemed Sectarian in certain circumstances, but that there is a lack of clarity over what these circumstances are. The time to argue this was before case law. That time has passed. VB â?? We are also concerned over the double standard in usage of the sectarian word â??Hunâ?, which also has case law to support it being sectarian, but there is a distinct lack of action on those using the term CW â?? We were unaware of this case law and will look in to it VB â?? In recent years it has been noticeable that there is a significant political presence at Celtic Park both within the boardroom, and in stands, why does it not appear to be the same at Ibrox? Are we looking at engaging with Political figures CW â?? Believe it or not, there are a handful of MPs and political figures not shy to show their allegiance. They may not be household names, and the cameras as Ibrox generally being on the same side of the pitch as the main stand perhaps doesnâ??t show them regularly. In any event, I donâ??t think they are here to be on telly. VB â?? Regards our BBC Demo, do you back it? CW â?? I can fully understand the frustrations that have driven you to organise it As we were about to wrap up proceedings we asked one final question. VB â?? We understand that there was an incident in the Tunnel at Ibrox before you bought the club, where an opposition manager is rumoured to have racially abused Vladimir Weiss and El Hadj Diouf. Did this happen, and if so, why werenâ??t the press told? Do the club have evidence? CW â?? I wasnâ??t here, so canâ??t comment. We donâ??t want anyone to lose their job do we? JH â?? No Comment VB â?? Thanks for your time Mr Whyte CW/JH â?? Our pleasure JH signed off with a reminder that VB should consider becoming part of the Assembly. VB Representatives stated that we would consult our members. Admin Vanguardbears.co.uk

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/tombstone-dedicated-founder-Glasgow-Rangers-Football-Club/article-2479213-detail/article.html Superb work from VB...

I'm copying this picture that was published on Vanguardbears. I don'y know about you but this makes me very proud. When thi was posted on FF, the post was removed and the poster banned for mentioning VB - I hope that isn't the case here. VB organised this headstone with money donated from all sources but they obviously deserve enormous credit for their efforts. Click on the image to enlarge.

I hope admin don't mind me posting this news. However I believe it's something all Bears should be aware of and feel proud to be part of this venture. Please remove if unappropriate content for Gersnet. It is with great pride and much humility, that Vanguardbears are pleased to announce that we have purchased, on behalf of Rangers fans throughout the world, a 50 year Lease on the burial plot of William McBeath. William, you will know, was one of the young founders of our Club, one of the "Gallant Pioneers". The recent book on the founders of the club highlighted that William sadly died aged 55 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Lincoln. There were no surviving family members and the site had fallen into disrepair. Regretfully, the Club has chosen not to do the right thing by this great man. Without him, and his three friends, there would have been no Rangers Football Club. Following discussions with Lincolnshire Council, a 50 year lease has been purchased for the upkeep and maintenance of the final burial place by Vanguard Bears and we will, in the very near future, mark it by erecting a suitable headstone, with an appropriate message worthy of the man. Vanguard Bears behind the scenes team gives special thanks to three of its members "Arisesir", "davesmith", and "Thomas Lord Cochrane" for their initiative in paying the ultimate tribute to William McBeath; for their tireless hard work down in Lincoln, and their financial assistance which along with others helped get this project off the ground, and would like to say "William, you were never forgotten by some. Now, you will be remembered by many." Donations will be gratefully received for the completing of the stone. To donate to this worthy cause, a Paypal link has been set up on VB's home page. Once costs have been estimated for the work, the Paypal will be made live, the estimate (s) chosen and a target figure to meet the costs published. When the target cost has been met, the paypal link will be frozen. If you had it Brethren would you give it? http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=217&Itemid=1 Vanguardbears.co.uk

From The Herald: The birth of the blues is a story of remarkable poignancy. Rangers are a solid, substantial club with its roots firmly planted in the soil of world football. Yet the beginnings of the club were truly humble and have been treated with an indifference, even an ignorance. Consider this for a test. Who founded Celtic? Most Scottish football fans would instantly reply: "Brother Walfrid". But who were the originators of Rangers? Some may mumble hesitantly: "Moses McNeil". Others would not hazard a guess. But the question receives its most authoritative answer in Gary Ralston's Rangers 1872: The Gallant Pioneers. This is the dramatic story of the formation of an institution and of the cruel fate that beset the four young boys who set the ball rolling for what soon became the leading club in Scottish football. "It is a sad, heartbreaking story. It adds an extra dimension to the formation of Rangers, just what these young guys went through. advertisement The sadness for me is that they created a club that went on to be known throughout the world yet they themselves led such tragic lives. There is something touching, even romantic, about that," says Ralston. The simple conception of Rangers can be traced to Kelvingrove Park. There were four fathers: Peter McNeil and Moses McNeil, 17 and 16 years of age respectively, and Peter Campbell and William McBeath, both 15. They discussed the possibility of forming a team during their constitutional walk. The club that has won 52 Scottish championships was therefore basically started as a street team by a group of boys who had been smitten by the latest sporting enthusiasm of association football. They were joined in their endeavours by Tom Vallance, later to become a legendary Rangers captain, but who was then barely 16 years old. Their triumph was to be the foundation stones of a Scottish institution. Their tragedy was to die in relative obscurity and have their deeds unremembered by the mass of supporters. Ralston, gloriously, resurrects them. But the sadness remains. The passing of Moses in 1938 did not rate a mention in the press of that week. He was buried at Rosneath which only recently has become a place of pilgrimage for Rangers fans. His brother, Peter, died in his early 40s. He was certified insane and had been sectioned at Hawkhead Asylum in Paisley. The business brain behind Rangers, Peter had been beset by financial problems and the pressure took a toll on his mental and physical health. Peter Campbell had a more sudden demise. At 25, the marine engineer was lost at sea after the steamer he was working on came to grief in the Bay of Biscay. William McBeath, chronically ill and mentally infirm, was certified as "an imbecile". His last days were spent in the Lincoln workhouse, his passing went unremarked in the press when he died in 1917. He was given a pauper's burial and lies in an untended grave. Tom Vallance, however, did have his days in the sun. As a footballer, Vallance was of the highest rank, almost certainly one of the most accomplished players in the 1870s. He never played on the losing side against England and was a commanding captain for Rangers. Yet, in common with his band of brothers who were part of the formation of Rangers, he was struck by misfortune. Vallance embarked on a career in the tea plantations of Assam. But he returned to Scotland suffering from black water fever. Why did Ralston include him in the pantheon of Rangers founders even though Vallance was not at the meeting in Kelvingrove Park then known as West End Park? "Because he was an absolute colossus," said Ralston. "The two people who were absolutely pivotal to Rangers' development were Peter McNeil for his work behind scenes and Vallance. At 6ft 2in, he was a veritable club giant on and off the field." The club these vulnerable human beings created went from strength to strength. Ralston is keen to dispel any misconceptions about the birth of Rangers. "There was no political or religious element in the formation of Rangers," he said. "I am fascinated about just how the sectarian divide came into Scottish football but that happened in the 20th century, probably from about 1910-20." He added: "The birth of Rangers was basically a result of young guys deciding to have a team to play in what was the new craze of football. There was no other agenda, no wealthy benefactors." Ralston, a journalist, spent three years uncovering the story from the debris of passing decades. It was a labour of love. "I wanted to do it because I had read brief accounts of the formation of the club and I wondered just what had happened to those guys. This is a story that has never fully been told before. I was helped by the fact that the internet has meant that it is easier to do the kind of research that it is necessary in pulling the strands of the story together. Basically, it was a fascinating piece of Scottish football history that has been under-researched." He emerged from his studies with a mass of evidence that he has distilled into a story that is fascinating for any observer of Scottish football. "The most important game Rangers have played in their history was the 1877 Scottish Cup final," he claimed. "Rangers took the mighty Vale of Leven to three games. That final was crucial because SFA annals testify to the Glaswegian labour classes rushing from the factory gates to salute their new heroes. These games won them an audience." That audience has endured 137 years on. Rangers sit unmoveable on the South Side. The stadium has been modernised to cope with the changing imperatives of football. More than 50,000 people file into their seats of a Saturday. Hundreds of thousands more follow the Light Blues through internet and television. There are no shortage of stories on Rangers. But the tale of the birth of the club had been allowed to lie in the darkness of the past. Ralston has brought it into the light.

Aberdeen FC: The current Aberdeen FC was born out of the merger of three city clubs; Aberdeen, Victoria United and Orion in 1903. The new club played its first season in the Scottish Second Division and was then elected, rather than promoted, to the First Division. The club has never since been out of the top tier in Scottish football. Celtic FC: Celtic Football Club was formally constituted at a meeting in St. Mary's Church hall on East Rose Street (now Forbes Street), Calton, Glasgow, by an Irish Marist brother named Brother Walfrid originally from Ballymote in County Sligo on 6 November 1887. The charity established by Brother Walfrid was named The Poor Children's Dinner Table. Walfrid's move to establish the club as a means of fund raising was largely inspired by the example of Hibernian F.C. who were formed out of the immigrant Irish population thirteen years earlier in Edinburgh. On 28 May 1888, Celtic played their first official match against Rangers and won 5-2 in what was described as a "friendly encounter". Celtic had 8 'guest' players from Hibernian playing that day. Dundee United: Inspired initially by the example of Hibernian in Edinburgh and later by Celtic in Glasgow, the Irish community in Dundee formed a new football club in 1909, following the demise of Dundee Harp. Originally called Dundee Hibernian,(Hibernia is the Latin name for Ireland) the club took over Clepington Park (renamed Tannadice Park) from Dundee Wanderers and played their inaugural game on 18 August 1909 against Hibernian, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw. The following year, the club was voted into the Scottish Football League The club was saved from going out of business in October 1923 by a group of Dundee businessmen. They decided to change the club's name to Dundee United in order to attract a wider appeal; the name Dundee City was considered but was protested by long standing city rivals Dundee FC Falkirk FC: The club's date of formation is a point of much contention, although most accounts point to the year 1876 as the probable starting point, and this is the date used by the club and its fans as the formation date. The club quickly developed the nickname "The Bairns", a Scots word meaning child, son or daughter. This was in homage to an ancient Falkirk Burgh motto, "Better meddle wi' the deil [devil] than the Bairns O' Falkirk." Gretna FC: An amateur team before in the town, called Gretna Green F.C. had existed in the 19th century, but were bankrupt by the 1920s. This left the area without a team until Gretna FC was founded in 1946, who played locally in Dumfries. The following year, they made the unusual move of transferring to a league run by the English Football Association, the Carlisle and District League, despite being a Scottish based club. During the 1990s, they also became the first club from Scotland to appear in the FA Cup proper since Rangers had done so in 1887. Entered the Scottish league in 2002. Hearts of Midlothian FC: Hearts were founded in 1874 and are reputedly named after a popular local dance hall, which in turn took its name from the novel The Heart of Midlothian by Sir Walter Scott. The first Hearts Captain, Tom Purdie, stated that they may have played in 1873. They initially played at The Meadows, Powburn and Powderhall before moving to the Gorgie area in 1881. They moved to their current Tynecastle site in 1886. The earliest mention of Heart of Midlothian in a sporting context is a report in the Scotsman newspaper from 20 July 1864 of the Scotsman vs Heart of Mid-Lothian at cricket. It is not known if this was the same club who went on to form the football club. HibernianFC: he club was founded in August 1875 by members of the St Patrick's Roman Catholic Church based on the Cowgate. The club's principal founders were Canon Edward Joseph Hannan, and the head of the local Catholic Young Men's Association, Michael Whelahan, who became the first club captain. The meeting which established the club took place at the St. Mary's Street Hall, which can still be seen today. The team originally played, like all other teams of the time, on the Meadows, a park towards the south of Edinburgh's Old Town. The club moved to the Leith area of the city in 1880, to a purpose built ground named Hibernian Park, which stood where Bothwell Street now stands today. The club moved to its present ground at Easter Road in 1891, just a stone's throw away from their first home. Hibs were the first major club in Scotland formed by members of the Irish Catholic population of the time. The club's name reflects its Irish roots (Hibernia is the Latin name for Ireland). A strict translation of the name Hibernian F.C. would be "Irishmen Football Club." As the first such team, their example led to the creation of Dundee Hibernian (now Dundee United) and Celtic, who when they were formed were nearly called Glasgow Hibernian. Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C: The club was formed as Caledonian Thistle F.C. in 1994 following the merger of Caledonian F.C. and Inverness Thistle F.C., both members of the Highland Football League, to fill a vacancy in the Scottish Football League. The club amended its name to Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. in 1996 at the request of Inverness District Council. Kilmarnock FC: The club's foundation dates to the very earliest days of organised football in Scotland, when a group of local cricketers looking for a sporting pursuit to occupy them outwith the cricket season formed a football club in 1869. Originally they played rugby rules, but the difficulty in organising fixtures and the growing influence of Queen's Park F.C. soon persuaded them to adopt the association code instead. These origins are reflected to this day by the name of the club's home ground - Rugby Park. Motherwell FC: In 1886, two amateur teams based in factories in Motherwell - Glencairn F.C. and Alpha F.C. - were invited to field a select team from both of their squads to play a similar select side from Glasgow. This amalgamated side competed in a charity competition, and talks afterwards fully merged the two sides into Motherwell Football Club on May 17, 1886 Rangers FC: One question that is often asked by many Rangers fans or historians alike, is when was the club actually formed? During 1872, 4 young Scots rowers watched their first game of Assocation Football which had taken off across the whole of the country over previous years. These young men, Moses McNeil, his brother Peter, William McBeath and Peter Campbell, excited by the new game, decided to start their own team, even though they had no kit or even a ball. Later that year, the team played it's first match; a 0-0 draw against Callander FC at Flesher's Haugh on Glasgow Green. By the next match; an 11-0 win over Clyde, the club was beginning to take shape with the team even wearing the colour blue for the first time. Officially, 1873 is known as the club's founding date. Moses McNeil named the club Rangers (adopted from an English rugby team!) and the first offical fixtures were arranged by the new club officers. The first AGM was also that year and the players had to undergo formal training sessions. Unfortunately, the club left it too late to register with the SFA for that year, so Rangers missed out on the inaugural Scottish Cup, won by Queens Park. Ergo, the club had to be content with friendlies for 1873 and most of 1874. St Mirren: St. Mirren were formed as a gentlemen's club which included amongst other sports, cricket and rugby in the late 19th century. The increasing popularity of football ensured that by 1877 the members had decided to switch codes and play association football. They are named after Saint Mirin the founder of Paisley Abbey and Patron Saint of Paisley.