TheMoonlighter

Rangers required funds to help with our move from Kinning Park to 1st Ibrox in 1887. So Tom Vallance organised a couple of ' Monstre Concerts' which were a complete success. It puts everything today and our last two owners deeds into perspective.

Still seats remaining for this Tour folks.

The Landsdowne was 183 Hope Street.

Here is 183 Hope Street today.

All aboard ! Tom, who was a very successful businessman had as part of his portfollio The Landsdowne Restuarant at 183 Hope Street as late as 1923 . Here's a recently sourced advert.

Tour information and booking details in here. http://www.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/The-Founders-Trail-&-Ibrox-Stadium-Tour-2012.html

Holiday weekend with our Founders folks. Burnbank 1875-76. Join us on a journey of discovery back to 1872 when The Rangers were just the dream of a group of young kids who gathered on Fleshers Haugh. They had no ball, no football kit and used a bush on the green as a changing room. Their Club, which they nurtured, was to become the world's most successful and it all happened on the streets of Glasgow. Our journey takes us to the area of Fleshers Haugh where The Rangers played their first ever match, we also visit Glassford Street, Union Street, Berkeley Street, Burnbank, Kinning Park, Craigton Cemetery and many other places of interest before finishing off our day with a tour of our magnificent Ibrox Stadium. During our journey we have a 30 minute break at the West of Scotland Cricket Ground in Partick which was the scene of the Rangers first ever Scottish Cup Final in 1877. It gives everyone a chance to unwind, grab a beer or soft drink and a bite to eat at a beautiful and historical setting. For further information phone : 0790 2855536 To book your seat just drop me a email to thegallantpioneers@googlemail.com For an insight into our research here's a link to our website. http://www.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/index.html

The Festival is a week today folks.Hope to see a few of you there. It's all about The Rangers.

Also on that site is Tom's brother Alex who had a pub on West Nile Street , it's now the courtyard. Alex also played for Rangers for many years including keeping goal for the Swifts when he was 14. http://www.oldglasgowpubs.co.uk/bonds.html

Here's the ad for the Dining Room which was at the rear of The Viceroy Bar.

It has always been a subject of great debate as to the exact location of Tom Vallance's Restaurant The Club which Tom had in 1890. We initially thought that 22 Paisley Road West and what is now known as La Fiorentina was The Club, then perhaps it was just a few yards along the other way where the aquatic shop is located. Just recently my colleague Gordon managed to get his hands on a layout map of the Park Building which housed Tom's Club Restaurant. It showed The Club as being exactly where today's Viceroy Bar is but Tom's Club was an L shape establishment. So off we set to see if we could finally nail the location. We went into The Viceroy Bar and wandered around but could only see the Bar area with no dog-leg into what would have been the dining room. Our luck was in though as the woman sitting at the bar eyeing us suspiciously was the owner. We explained what we were doing but couldn't envisage where the Dining Room would have been. To our amazement she opened up a lounge area which fitted in perfectly with the map of the building and Tom's Club Restauarant. Two windows in the dining room which are shown on the plans, are now bricked up at the rear and the original side entrance on the lane is still there. The owner is absolutely delighted , so much that we dropped literature on Tom Vallance and The Club off to the pub on sunday after the Tour. Keep an eye on the site for further developments with Tom Vallance and the Viceroy Bar.

Sunday 24th June. Only 4 seats remaining. All Tour details are in here. http://www.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/The-Founders-Trail-&-Ibrox-Stadium-Tour-2012.html

For all who are booked on tomorrow's Tour. As a result of recent negotiations with the Club we're delighted to announce that The Founders Trail bus will now be departing from the Ibrox Megastore rather that the John Greig Statue. A Founders Trail Welcome Desk will be available for passengers from 11.15am within the Ibrox Megastore prior to our 12pm departure.

The poetic words of Ranger William Dunlop who played in the series of games that was the 1877 Scottish Cup Final. William is pictured sitting on the left with our Founders and his team-mates. William, using the pen name ' True Blue' had written an account of our early days on Fleshers Haugh and the Rangers first few years for the SFA Handbook of 1881. Fleshers Haugh. He wrote : '' Genial Peter McNeil would travel on a Saturday morning to a desirable part of the Green, set up the noted standards, and stand guard until the classic hour came in the afternoon when he'd be joined by his friends'' He wrote about our first ever match v Callander which 0-0. ''Their first game was a terrible spectacle with the ball suffering a terrible amount of abuse. William McBeath was given man of the match then spent a week in bed recovering due to his exertions. Thus ended their first match played at the latter end of 1872 some two months after the inauguration of the Club''. Here's the incredible article in full. http://www.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/...ue-Page-1.html Our Club is 140 years old this month. It's more than likely 140 years ago this weekend that we first kicked a ball. We owe those kids, our founders, who fought hard to establish the Club's name, and preserve it, everything. Here's to the next 140 years.

Further to the success of our Founders Trail stall at last years West End Festival we're delighted to announce that we'll be attending the Gibson Street Festival on Sunday 17th June. Our Founder Peter McNeil's family home was at Number 32 Gibson Street. The Festival is hugely popular and is attended by crowds of over 15,000. We'll have at our stall as raffle prizes a Rangers top and ball signed by the players who made a sacrifice that helped preserve our great Club. All proceeds raised will once again go to The Davie Cooper Centre and Yorkhill Hospital. Our Founders, and others, all settled in the West End of the city upon arriving in Glasgow and we feel it's important to integrate their incredible story into Glasgow culture and life. We hope to see many of you there on 17th June.

Final call for Sunday's Tour folks. Just drop me a PM.

Fleshers Haugh 1872. Barcelona 1972. Ibrox 2012.

A week on sunday the 6th May is the next Tour folks. Still seats available.

Seats still available folks. All Tour and booking information is in here. http://www.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/The-Founders-Trail-&-Ibrox-Stadium-Tour-2012.html

Received and replied. Thank you.

The Rangers required funds to move from their home at Kinning Park to 1st Ibrox in 1887. Tom Vallance organised a concert to help raise cash which was a complete success. Look at the ticket outlets at the bottom of the advert.Harry and Peter McNeil's shop in Union Street is selling tickets for the event. The boys who were present at Fleshers Haugh are ensuring that their Club continues to grow and flourish. The innocence of this event and the contrast of where we are today leaves you shaking your head in total disbelief. Those responsible can forever hang their heads in shame.

The Waterloo Rooms Wellington Street. Craigton Cemetery.

The plan is to publish an update mate, but the current situation at the Club has put the brakes on it.

Last week on these pages i offered 45 copies of The Gallant Pioneers book signed by the author Gary Ralston. The book is currently out of print. All proceeds would be given to The Rangers Fighting Fund.Incredibly the books sold out within 24 hours. Subsequently a cheque for £900 was handed over to the Club yesterday. Moses and the lads continue to put a steady hand on their Club. Thank you.

Join us on a journey of discovery back to 1872 when The Rangers were just the dream of a group of young kids who gathered on Fleshers Haugh. They had no ball, no football kit and used a bush on the green as a changing room. Their Club, which they nurtured, was to become the world's most successful and it all happened on the streets of Glasgow. Our journey takes us to the area of Fleshers Haugh where The Rangers played their first ever match, we also visit Glassford Street, Union Street, Berkeley Street, Burnbank, Kinning Park, Craigton Cemetery and many other places of interest before finishing off our day with a tour of our magnificent Ibrox Stadium. During our journey we have a 30 minute break at the West of Scotland Cricket Ground in Partick which was the scene of the Rangers first ever Scottish Cup Final in 1877. It gives everyone a chance to unwind, grab a beer or soft drink and a bite to eat at a beautiful and historical setting. For further information phone : 0790 2855536 To book your seat just drop me a line to thegallantpioneers@googlemail.com For an insight into our research here's a link to our website. http://www.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/index.html