Vanguard Bears - just who are they?

[YoungCitizen 79]

Being a Rangers fan is not enough to join a Rangers forum? One that purports itself to be the self-proclaimed defender of the support?

If you're vouched for by someone on board personally then yes you will gain entry.

I'll rephrase; stating you're a Rangers fan is simply not enough.

[TravelingWilBEARy 4,319]

If you're vouched for by someone on board personally then yes you will gain entry.

I'll rephrase; stating you're a Rangers fan is simply not enough.

Can you clarify something for me? Do VB deny membership to people they know to be Rangers fans?

[*Manticore* 1,893]

'We defend history, tradition and the Rangers support........apart from some of them'.

Maybe they're defending them without allowing them on their message board?

I don't know, it makes no sense to me, never has.

[Gaz92 966]

I haven't read any of the previous pages, so forgive me if I'm covering old ground.

The Vanguard Bears is a Loyalist Rangers website, of that no one can argue. Unashamedly so, I may add. Therefor, politics obviously play a part in who we are, and the direction we are going.

The OP clearly came here to advertise the site and the organisation as a whole.

It was quite blatantly there to provoke discussion.

We were told constructive criticism was welcome.

I gave out some.

Should I not have? Should someone had told me the special rules about a loyalist Rangers group earlier?

[Devlin 222]

I think that the Vanguard Bears a great credit to the club and do give us a voice we've been lacking in recent years, it's the dedication to the club that makes me proud to be a Rangers fan.

However maybe a VB could respond to this, do you not think a better way of "rallying the troops" so to speak would be to be more inclusive and tolerant of Bears who don't share the same religious/political views, i can't help but feel the VB lot would be twice as powerful and effective if they gave the chance to others to help fight the cause.

I can't help but feel if Gogzy's statement had been different he'd already be signed up to VB by now but funnily enough a good bear is being left out.

[TravelingWilBEARy 4,319]

Maybe they're defending them without allowing them on their message board?

I don't know, it makes no sense to me, never has.

There's a character assassination of one of them in the original post.

[outlaw69uk 123]

I don't want to join the organisation in its current form. I was told constructive criticism was accepted by the VB's - that's what I started off by giving, and it's descended into me defending my points against a number of posters with arguments getting strewn all over the place!

But what do you class as being a "Harley Davidson" man? I'd say I'm as big a Rangers fan as anyone here. They play a huge part in my life, I've ploughed thousands of pounds of my cash into the club, I know my stuff, I follow the team as much as I can and I wear my pride of my team on my sleeve. But somehow, I still don't feel I'd fit into the "Harley Davidson" club.

Well, hopefully I am answering your questions? Don't think I have been anything other than nice?

You are on topic, especially given the title.

How can you not want to join in it's current form, when you aren't sure what that is? I may be wrong, but I think yourself, and many others, think its just another football forum? Although articles and a lot of the detail in the op should show that it isn't.

Rm is pro dominantly football first, and banter, always has been. Vb is different, as has been explained. There is the common love of the club, but it's proactive in doing, not talking. If that makes sense?

That's why I asked what your expectations were, and what you would contribute. Wasn't me being funny in any way. Did you go to any of the protests organised? As an example. People actively meet up socially, attend various meetings etc etc. it's probably why you see more than one person if things get tetchy anywhere, friends look out for each other.

Unsure about what type, as, I am a member, so is wvb and we are very different. Most members are different, heated debates arise often, as they should. I would say the main difference is the desire and the drive to do something, not talk about it and never take action

[*Manticore* 1,893]

If you're vouched for by someone on board personally then yes you will gain entry.

I'll rephrase; stating you're a Rangers fan is simply not enough.

So VB will allow entry to anybody they know to be a Rangers fan?

Or not?

The messages seem a bit mixed here.

[Smile 26,606]

Yes, each new member has to be vouched for by someone on the board who knows them personally. Being a Rangers fan, or a member of the PUL community is simply not enough.

The site is ran as a tight ship, and intends on staying that way.

I think that is the way forward, as on here and FF we all know the beasts post and are at times mollycoddled by the Admin and Moderators.

[JCDBigBear 10,825]

Yes, each new member has to be vouched for by someone on the board who knows them personally. Being a Rangers fan, or a member of the PUL community is simply not enough.

The site is ran as a tight ship, and intends on staying that way.

That doesn't make Vanguard Bears sound very inclusive for Rangers fans. Basically we should appreciate what VB does, Like their articles, like their banners and generally think they are good guys but don't expect to be able to join them.

[WVB 2,560]

We have a huge fanbase, which is scattered around the globe. A lot of people are 2 or 3 generations away from their roots, and live different lives, many are Rangers fans who chose without any family to prompt them.

To even think we could all sing from the same hymn sheet regarding the political, religious & social issues that affect our club, and society in general, is a fanciful notion in todays world.

The fact that our club is under attack.......and the fact that without our football club, there is no WE to speak of, should be enough to stop us bickering over the window dressing.

If people choose to criticise VB for defending, ultimately, the very thing that binds all of us together, Rangers Football Club, then I would question their allegiance to Rangers.

Nobody is asking anyone to vote for anybody, join any church, march in any parade, do anything they feel uncomfortable doing.

Nobody is asking for praise, thanks, or even a mention in the match programme (yes, I know its there anyway), but the thread was just to show, to anyone who cared or was interested, just exactly what VB is about.

If its not your bag, fine.

No real need to comment...........much like myself in threads that don't concern my particular brand of Rangers supporting.

As yet, I haven't been dis-embowelled for my lack of interest in the Windsor dynasty, but then, I haven't spouted a pile of nonsense about them, so its a case of striking a balance, and using a bit of common sense. RM is the school playground, VB is the classroom.

[Smile 26,606]

That doesn't make Vanguard Bears sound very inclusive for Rangers fans. Basically we should appreciate what VB does, Like their articles, like their banners and generally think they are good guys but don't expect to be able to join them.

I'm sure if you were prepared to meet a few of the members they would happily sign you up. i don't see what is wrong with trying to keep a Rangers Forum scum free.

I Myself am not a member but admire their work.

[outlaw69uk 123]

So how can VB possibly proclaim to be defenders of Rangers fans if they exclude people who they know to support Rangers?

'We defend history, tradition and the Rangers support........apart from some of them'.

Sorry that's just silly, but it is late

Of course you can. Just because someone isn't a member doesn't mean they are excluded from being defended! To clarify, the British army defends the people of Britain, not just those in the armed forces

[YoungCitizen 79]

You need to know someone personally, it's as simple as that. It's not a open forum, and not anyone can join.

[outlaw69uk 123]

You were the one that asked for politics to be taken out of it, you just ploughed the politics straight back in!

So you don't believe a, let's say, more moderate version of the Vanguard Bears' could exist and do the same work?

It had to be done to answer your question fully and correctly I am afraid

I am sure it might, however, define moderate? I'm certainly not an extremist

[Loyalist_RFC 222]

You were the one that asked for politics to be taken out of it, you just ploughed the politics straight back in!

So you don't believe a, let's say, more moderate version of the Vanguard Bears' could exist and do the same work?

You fight fire with fire.

They are bathed in bitterness and religion as we all know catholism takes over their whole lives and catholism is exactly that.

You only have to drive passed the Piggery to notice that their club was set up in catholism and irish beliefs.

So your biggest rival is bitter being bigot against you and what you believe in how would know where to start?

[TravelingWilBEARy 4,319]

You need to know someone personally, it's as simple as that. It's not a open forum, and not anyone can join.

That still doesn't answer my question. Would VB deny membership to someone they knew to be a Rangers fan?

[outlaw69uk 123]

You need to know someone personally, it's as simple as that. It's not a open forum, and not anyone can join.

This, exactly. I think I said it quite clearly a few pages back, and have clarified some more points for young Gaz since

[Gaz92 966]

Well, hopefully I am answering your questions? Don't think I have been anything other than nice?

You are on topic, especially given the title.

How can you not want to join in it's current form, when you aren't sure what that is? I may be wrong, but I think yourself, and many others, think its just another football forum? Although articles and a lot of the detail in the op should show that it isn't.

Rm is pro dominantly football first, and banter, always has been. Vb is different, as has been explained. There is the common love of the club, but it's proactive in doing, not talking. If that makes sense?

That's why I asked what your expectations were, and what you would contribute. Wasn't me being funny in any way. Did you go to any of the protests organised? As an example. People actively meet up socially, attend various meetings etc etc. it's probably why you see more than one person if things get tetchy anywhere, friends look out for each other.

Unsure about what type, as, I am a member, so is wvb and we are very different. Most members are different, heated debates arise often, as they should. I would say the main difference is the desire and the drive to do something, not talk about it and never take action

So do you believe the Vanguard's are an exclusive organisation, not meant for all Rangers fans?

Quite evidently, the answer to that is yes, and therefore I find it farcical about their slogan, which still no one has been able to clear up.

I'd support no organisation that doesn't see another Rangers fan as fit to join. That in itself is divisive.

I went to the Hampden march, I was outside Ibrox when Bomber was there, and I made sure I was at every game after we fell into administration, and I made sure I dug in deeper to help support the club.

And yet I know I still wouldn't be enough to join your organisation. I find it sad and quite frankly, I don't find it a positive step when fan unity is more crucial than ever before.

So, yes, perhaps the Vanguard Bears' isn't for me, but there are hypocrisies and faults strewn all over the place.

I do hope they continue to do their good work. William McBeath's grave is great, and the money raised (I can't remember what it was for) was a great contribution.

But there's very little I can support of the Vanguard Bears' as they continue on in this form.

[YoungCitizen 79]

Just to set things straight; we are not better than anyone else, we are not above our stations, we are simply there to defend our way of life and do our bit. Negative feedback is not what bugs us, it's certain individuals on here who constantly rear their ugly heads whenever we're mentioned and stick in their usual sly comments.

[outlaw69uk 123]

That still doesn't answer my question. Would VB deny membership to someone they knew to be a Rangers fan?

Read the replies, it was clearly answered on more than one occasion. Yes, they would. For the reasons given, it's not a public forum, there are rules and there are membership criteria. Shouldn't be a hard concept to understand?

It happens in all walks of life. If you don't meet criteria for membership you can't join. Hardly evil or dastardly

[YoungCitizen 79]

That still doesn't answer my question. Would VB deny membership to someone they knew to be a Rangers fan?

To know they were a Rangers fan they'd be known personally, so no.

Anyone can set up a username online and pretend to be someone their not.

[minstral 5,375]

So do you believe the Vanguard's are an exclusive organisation, not meant for all Rangers fans?

Quite evidently, the answer to that is no, and therefore I find it farcical about their slogan, which still no one has been able to clear up.

I'd support no organisation that doesn't see another Rangers fan as fit to join. That in itself is divisive.

I went to the Hampden march, I was outside Ibrox when Bomber was there, and I made sure

If you believe in our Culture and Traditions and were vouched for, i would imagine that you would be accepted as a member.

[TravelingWilBEARy 4,319]

Read the replies, it was clearly answered on more than one occasion. Yes, they would. For the reasons given, it's not a public forum, there are rules and there are membership criteria. Shouldn't be a hard concept to understand?

It happens in all walks of life. If you don't meet criteria for membership you can't join. Hardly evil or dastardly

To know they were a Rangers fan they'd be known personally, so no.

Anyone can set up a username online and pretend to be someone their not.

Which one is it? Yes or no?

[YoungCitizen 79]

Which one is it? Yes or no?

To join VB you must;

1. Be vouched for, in other words, known to at least one member.
   
2. Be a Rangers fan.
   
3. Have PUL leanings.
   

Not all members are active in the PUL community, but share and sympathise with their views.