Rangers trophy room is in a different league

[ian1964 10,720]

by Matthew Lindsay

 

RANGERS officials are often asked by dignitaries from visiting clubs and their own supporters why there is no club museum.

 

After all, the Glasgow giants, founded way back in 1873, have a rich and colourful history which would fascinate anybody with a love of football.

 

Yet, the answer to these queries is always the same - Ibrox Stadium itself displays all of the items which are of histor-ical significance to the Gers.

 

The many articles of clothing, caps, photographs, paintings, medals, miscellaneous pieces of memorabilia and trophies inside the world-famous Govan ground tell Rangers' remarkable story eloquently.

 

That is especially true now that the exhibits which will be on show to visitors on tours of the Category B-listed building have been extensively updated and expanded.

 

For instance, mementoes from the club's epic run to the Uefa Cup Final in Manchester last year - including the medal which manager Walter Smith collected after the game with Zenit St Petersburg - can now be seen in the breathtaking trophy room.

 

Sandy Jardine, the legendary former player who now works at Rangers as player recruitment and welfare manager, has been heavily involved in the extensive overhaul.

 

He said: "There are a lot of great stadiums in the world. There are some wonderful brand new stadiums.

 

"But not many of them have a trophy room like we do. As soon as you walk in it has a wow affect.

 

"Over the last four or five months we have taken it and changed it a bit. Because we had new memorabilia we have taken all the pennants and put them up high where everybody can still see them. We have put new memorabilia around the wall. But we also still have extremely old pieces of memorabilia as well.

 

"We have the original of the constitution of the club in 1874. It tells you the rules, tells you what the club will be called, what the strip will be like, and the people who will be involved, Moses McNeil, people like that.

 

Jardine added: "But we have many other things. We have Willie Waddell's handwritten team for the European Cup- Winners' Cup Final in 1972.

 

"It is written on the morning of the match. He still hadn't decided what the team was. One position was between Penman, Conn and Parlane.

 

"We have the handwritten team lines drawn up by manager Scot Symon at the Grand Hotel and handed to the referee before the very first European final we played in 1960.

 

"In those days European competitions weren't as regulated and didn't have the same back-up and admin.

 

"Whenever we win a cham-pionship we put a miniature of the league flag up on the wall in the trophy room. We have a world record of 51. Hopefully, we will get another one to add to our collection at the end of the season."

 

While Rangers fans could spend hours poring over the many exhibits in the well-stocked trophy room, the same is true of other stops on the tour - the old manager's office as well as the impressive Blue Room.

 

Jardine continued: "We have manager memorabilia in the office. We have the typewriter that Mrs Dallas, Bill Struth's secretary, used to type letters.

 

"It has Rangers headed notepaper from 1925 in it. We have the ink stand which used to sit on the table. Any player who signed for the club would have used that ink to put pen to paper. We have Bill Struth's walking stick for his bad leg.

 

"We have the decanter set which was given to Willie Waddell on the occasion of the completion of the redevelopment of Ibrox Stadium. We have the actual phone, complete with its original phone number Ibrox 1858, which Scot Symon used to use."

 

The Blue Room, with its murals of Rangers managers, chairmen and captains on the mosaic walls, is one of the most eye-catching in the stadium and it has also been changed this year to celebrate the club's most memorable matches.

 

Jardine explained: "We have photographs and medals of the most significant games in the club's history through the years. We have the first medal which was ever won by the club in 1879 in the Glasgow Charity Cup and medals from all the European finals we have been involved in.

 

"The club have acquired the medals through auctions. Either that or they were loaned to us or we have just found them in the safe."

 

Former Rangers players have also been happy to donate the Scotland caps they have won for their country so they can take their place alongside the greatest players ever to turn out for the club.

 

Jardine said: "We have the greatest collection of caps in the world. They date from 1892 right to the present day."

 

And if Rangers have their way, there will be many more additions in the years to come.

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2504524.0.rangers_trophy_room_is_in_a_different_league.php

[Bluedell 5,614]

A poor excuse for not spending cash on a proper museum. The trophy room can only be accessed 2 days a week, and isn't accessable to tourists etc.

 

In addition, all the trophy room is a trophy room. It doesn't tell much about the Rangers story. Does it have any explanation of where the club used to play? Does it have lots of examples of the strips through the ages etc?

 

The article is a joke.

[CammyF 7,979]

A poor excuse for not spending cash on a proper museum. The trophy room can only be accessed 2 days a week, and isn't accessable to tourists etc.

 

In addition, all the trophy room is a trophy room. It doesn't tell much about the Rangers story. Does it have any explanation of where the club used to play? Does it have lots of examples of the strips through the ages etc?

 

The article is a joke.

 

Couldn't agree more - piss-poor excuse from the club.

 

Cammt F

[Guest bigbear]

I took some pics a few years ago on visits i took family from abroad to see.

 

They were unhappy the way everything seemed to be just displayed like a fckin auction room

[Wija 0]

Was first in that room in 1983, very bare in those days. Went back in 1992, haven't been back since. Need to take the wife. And some friends.