Stolen From FF

[CammyF 8,013]

A Big River

 

Crossing the Clyde I see her�..from a distance�.this hugely impressive and imposing feature on the landscape�and despite the many many times I have stood inside her�.she never fails to amaze me.

 

She is, and always will be, more than just bricks and mortar. For within in her are tales of heroism�.of dreams fulfilled�of overwhelming joy and unbearable sadness. While around her the traditions of a people, such as shipbuilding, have floundered�she has flourished.

 

Flourished because of her importance�her significance to a people who saw themselves, their dreams, their culture reflected in a football club. The honest endeavour of the welder�the stevedore�the toolmaker were reflected in the 11 blue jerseys which emerged from the tunnel at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon.

 

For playing for the Rangers was the ultimate achievement of the working man�epitomised by the late great Alex Willoughby whose impressive performances had attracted the attention of the famous Manchester United. Logic ruled that Alex would make the journey south of the border to weave his magic at Old Trafford for higher wages. Some time later he told an astonished press who had pointed out to him everything he was sacrificing after his rejection of the move, that Manchester United could not give him the one thing he desired most in the world�..to pull on the blue shirt of the Rangers every Saturday afternoon.

 

And such sentiment is not unique. When it was pointed out to one of greatest talents ever to have graced the game of football, the late great Davie Cooper, ( a rare talent which caused the former Scottish manager Ally McLeod to comment�."Davie Cooper is so skilful he could beat three men in a telephone box with a beach ball.") that with his unique skill and talent he could have plied his trade anywhere in the world his answer was both simple and honest��I played for the club I loved what more could I ask for ?�

 

I�m willing to bet that like me�.many of you reading that last paragraph�now have a tear in the eye.

 

This ladies and gentlemen is��. Rangers Football Club.

 

She is awesome�she is unique�she is beyond comparison.

 

She is not to be taken for granted�nor is she the plaything of rich businessmen. Not only is she a football club�she is far more than that�she is a reflection of a people� their struggles�their dreams and aspirations. Her success reflects their determination to succeed against all the odds�to keep the faith�quite literally� to keep believing.

Therefore let us never fail to defend her�or the people who built her�or the people who every day make a sacrifice to ensure she is well supported. The things that are not bought�the family which is left behind�because we have a foreign trip next week and the sense of duty to follow follow is so very very strong.It�s the same mentality which caused Alex Willoughby to sacrifice much to pull on a blue jersey every Saturday afternoon.

 

We carry her in our hearts and we will never let her go until our last breath passes. And I for one would not have it any other way.

 

In a post which sought its source from the honest endeavour and professionalism of the British shipbuilder�.perhaps I will leave the summing up to Mr Jimmy Nail�his words seem to reflect much of what I am trying to say�.

 

ââ?¬Å?The neptune was the last to go,

I heard it on my radio

And then they played the latest number one

But what do they do all day?

And what are they supposed to say?

What does a father tell his son?

If you believed that theres a bond between our future

And our past

Then try to hold on to what we had,

We build them strong, we built to last

 

cause this is a mighty town,

Its built upon solid ground

And everything they tried so hard to kill,

We will rebuild

 

This was a big river

I want you all to know that I was proud

This was a big river, but that was long ago,

Thats not now

This is a big river,

And in my heart I know it will rise again

The river will rise again�

 

RANGERS FOREVER