The Moonlighter

On Sunday afternoon the Founders Trail presented the story of our Founders for the 20 Club in Rutherglen a fantastic day was had by all. At the end of the presentation our Restorations of Rangers Graves Donations Bucket was sent around the club and the wonderful sum of £201.99 was raised for the Project,additionally the club donated an astonishing £150 which took the total raised on the day for the Restoration of Rangers Graves to an incredible £351.99,this will help to ensure that our work continues over the coming weeks and months. We’d like to sincerely thank all who attended for their overwhelming generosity and in particular Cameron Leask for arranging and organising the event. If you’d like information on hosting a Founders Presentation event please email us for details at thefounderstrail@gmail.com or call 0790 2855536 for a chat.

Last Saturday night we had the pleasure of presenting the Founders story for The St Laurence bar in Slammanan,a fantastic night was had by all. At the end of the presentation our Restorations of Rangers Graves Donations Bucket was sent around the pub and the wonderful sum of £104.70 was raised for the Project.This will help to ensure that our work continues over the coming weeks and months. We’d like to sincerely thank all who attended for their overwhelming generosity and in particular Graeme McCausland for arranging and organising the event. If you’d like information on hosting a Founders Presentation event please email us for details at thefounderstrail@gmail.com or call 0790 2855536 for a chat.

Only £14 (+£3.40 P&P) All orders are posted out by ourselves within 24 hours. http://thefounderstrail.co.uk/shop

Last Friday night we had the honour of presenting the Founders Story for The Brothers in Blue RSC and friends at the Shawbank Club,a fantastic night was had by all. At the end of the presentation our Restorations of Rangers Graves Donations Bucket was sent around the club and the wonderful sum of £127.35 was raised for the Project,The Brothers in Blue RSC have additionally donated a further £200! a quite incredible gesture.This will help to ensure that our work continues over the coming weeks and months. We’d like to sincerely thank all who attended for their overwhelming generosity and in particular Guy Muir for arranging and organising the event. If you’d like information on hosting a Founders Presentation event please email us for details at thefounderstrail@gmail.com or call 0790 2855536 for a chat.

Tomorrow night folks,all welcome.

Our 150th Celebration badge and two of our original badges are now back in stock. Only £3 ( plus £1 P&P) All orders are posted out by ourselves within 24 hours. http://thefounderstrail.co.uk/shop

It was a brilliant night and thank you very much again.

It will be an honour for us to present the Founders Story for the Brothers in Blue RSC at the Shawbank Club 133 Shawbridge Street Glasgow at 7.30pm. All welcome! Only £10 on the door for what will be a fantastic night of celebration. We hope to see a few of you there!

Due to the publication of the post split fixtures and us having to move Trail dates a number of seats have become available on our Founders Trail and Ibrox Stadium Tour over the next few weeks. Join us as we celebrate our 150th year. Adults £31 Children (under 16) and Senior Citizens £21 If you’d like to join us please reserve your seat here thefounderstrail.co.uk For further information phone: 0790 2855536.

On Friday night we had the honour of presenting the Founders Story for Renfrew Bowling Club,a fantastic night was had by all. At the end of the presentation our Restorations of Rangers Graves Donations Bucket was sent around the club and the wonderful sum of £217.45 was raised for the Project.This will help to ensure that our work continues over the coming weeks and months. We’d like to sincerely thank all who attended for their overwhelming generosity and in particular Wendy Higgins and Tom Clark for arranging and organising the event. If you’d like information on hosting a Founders Presentation event please email us for details at thefounderstrail@gmail.com or call 0790 2855536 for a chat.

On the 9th April 1938 our Founder Moses McNeil passed at Townend Hospital Dumbarton,Moses had been visiting a friend in Dumbarton and became unwell.He was the grand age of 82. Moses was born on the 29th October 1855 at Belmore House which today is part of the Faslane Naval Base.His father John was from Comrie in Perthshire and mother Jane Bain from Downpatrick in Ulster. He was a natural athlete,powerful and of stocky build,it was said that he was also known for his pace.In the Ibrox trophy room today is a cup won by Moses for a half-mile race at the Garelochead Athletic Sports on 1 January 1876,it’s the oldest Trophy that the Club has. Moses played for the club he helped form for ten years,playing in the 1877 and 1879 Scottish Cup Finals.He was also a member of the first Rangers side to lift a trophy,the Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup in 1879. He was the first Ranger to play for his country when Scotland defeated Wales 4-0 at Hamilton Crescent in Partick in 1876. Moses led a nomadic lifestyle mainly due to his 20 year employment with the company Langs whose name was synonymous with the famous brand of whisky.Their premises,which Moses worked from,was at 70 Union Street in Glasgow.During his time in Glasgow Moses lived at 169 Berkeley Street and 333 Dumbarton RoadThese locations are among many others that we visit during the Founders Trail. We have a wonderful newspaper report which details Moses and his friend,team-mate and fellow Founder Tom Vallance attending the 1905 Scotish Cup Final as Rangers supporters. Only 9 months after Moses passed Rangers would set their record attendance at Ibrox Park of 118,000.It’s a comforting thought that our Founder was sitting in his Rosneath cottage while the Club that he’d help form and nurture were now one of the biggest in the World. Moses spent the last few years of his life living with his sister Isabella in Clynder at Craig Cottage.She died in 1935, to be followed by her brother, the last of the siblings,in 1938.They lie together with their sister Elizabeth and Isabella’s husband Duncan Gray in the lovely churchyard at Rosneath.But sadly for the man who gave Rangers their name his own wasn’t inscribed on the family headstone.This was because Moses was the last family member in the Rosneath area to pass and no one was left to have his name added. The late great Sandy Jardine was a supporter of our Founders project and had expressed a wish to have a plaque with Moses name on it placed at the churchyard at Rosneath,this is a project that we completed on Sandy’s behalf on Sunday 28th June 2015.Our Restoration team cleaned Moses stone and placed an engraved plaque which was purchased after funds were raised via the worldwide Rangers support. As we celebrate our 150th year we remember Founder Moses McNeil. Moses life story can be read here in our book.All books purchased are posted out by ourselves within 24 hours. https://www.thefounderstrail.co.uk/shop

On Saturday night we had the honour of presenting the Founders Story for the Cumbernauld Baker Club and friends,a fantastic night was had by all. At the end of the presentation our Restorations of Rangers Graves Donations Bucket was sent around the hall and the wonderful sum of £93.10 was raised for the Project.This will help to ensure that our work continues over the coming weeks and months. We’d like to sincerely thank all who attended for their overwhelming generosity and in particular Mark Raeburn for arranging and organising the event. If you’d like information on hosting a Founders Presentation event please email us for details at thefounderstrail@gmail.com or call 0790 2855536 for a chat.

Only £3 ( plus £1 P&P) All orders are posted out by ourselves within 24 hours. http://thefounderstrail.co.uk/shop

Last Friday night the Founders Trail presented the Founders Story at Oswalds Bar in Glasgow,a fantastic night was had by all. At the end of the presentation our Restorations of Rangers Graves Donations Bucket was sent around the pub and the wonderful sum of £122.44 was raised for the Project.This will ensure that our work continues over the coming weeks and months. We’d like to sincerely thank all who attended for their overwhelming generosity and in particular Joanne Thorburn for arranging and organising the event. If you’d like information on hosting a Founders Presentation event please email us for details at thefounderstrail@gmail.com or call 0790 2855536 for a chat.

On the 30th March 1901 our Founder Peter McNeil passed at Hawkhead Asylum in Glasgow which today is Leverndale Hospital.He rests in Craigton Cemetery with his brothers William and James and parents John and Jean. On the 9th September 2009 Heather Lang unveiled our Founders plaque at Fleshers Haugh to mark the location of the first match played by our Club against Callander in May 1872. There was no-one more appropriate to carry out the ceremony than Heather,Granddaughter of Founder Peter McNeil. Heather and her sister Doreen Holland were the strongest link we had with Peter and his fellow Pioneers,his brother Moses, Peter Campbell and William McBeath. Sadly Heather passed at her sister’s home in London in 2016. Peter was born in 1854,a year before his brother and fellow Pioneer Moses.In his mid-teens he had moved to Glasgow with other members of his family.In May 1872 Peter played in the Club’s first match against Callander aged only 17. He was one of our Club’s earliest captains and was a regular in the side until 1876.It was off the field of play though Peter McNeil made his greatest contribution during the formative years of the Club. Rangers team mate William Dunlop wrote an article in the SFA Handbook of 1881, Willie actually used the pen name “True Blue”. It’s a beautifully written article that describes in such loving terms of how Peter McNeil would travel on a Saturday morning across town from the family home at Berkeley Street to Fleshers Haugh, put poles in the ground which would act as goalposts and then literally stand guard until the hour came in the afternoon when he would be joined by his friends.We felt this was a very dramatic and moving image and commissioned a painting to be done depicting this scene. We presented the painting by artist Helen Runciman to the Club in 2009 and the painting now hangs on the marble staircase within Ibrox Stadium. When his playing days were over Peter became honorary secretary.He held this position from 1876-1883.He was also vice-president from 1886 – 1888.Peter McNeil was a greatly respected administrator, serving as treasurer of the Scottish Football Association from 1879 – 1883.He was known as “Genial Peter”, a much-loved and respected figure within Scottish Football. Peter had a business which he ran with his brother, Harry, “H and P McNeil’s”. It was one of the forerunners of the modern sports outfitters.The business had started in the mid 1870’s.The original premises had been in Renfield Street but in 1883 the brothers moved to Union Street.They were suppliers of outfits to both Rangers and Scotland. In March, 1885, Peter married Janet Fraser,Rangers presented the happy couple with “a beautiful inlaid marble clock and a pair of equestrian bronzes”. Within five years,the family was complete with the birth of John Fraser and Gertrude Grace. Despite the happy home life, it was clear the pressure of business was taking its toll of Peter. The business of H & P McNeil disappeared from the PO Directory by 1896,bankruptcy had come to Peter and Harry. The deterioration of Peter's mental health caused great anguish to his family and tragically in January 1901 he was committed to Hawkhead Asylum where he was to pass within a matter of weeks. Peter McNeil lay at rest for many years with his parents John and Jean and older brother William in an unmarked grave at Craigton Cemetery Glasgow.Either side of him are his brothers Alexander and James.On the 22nd June 2013 we placed memorial stones to our Founder Peter McNeil and his family on their final resting places at Craigton Cemetery. Founder Peter’s resting place fittingly looks on to the front door of Ibrox Stadium. Our Founder Peter McNeil died at a young age,he was only 47,but he lived long enough to see the Club that he helped form and nurture grow from what was essentially a boys club on Fleshers Haugh into Ibrox Stadium and then on it’s way to becoming a worldwide sporting institution. As we celebrate our 150th year we today remember Founder Peter McNeil.

A few weeks ago fellow supporters and friends of the Restoration Project Billy and Alison Fletcher found the final resting place of Rangers great David Mitchell in Kilmarnock. We’re delighted to say that restoration work was carried out on Sunday and a memorial plaque fitting of the man placed at the base. David Mitchell. Captain of Rangers 11 Years Service 241 Appearances 2 League Titles 3 Scottish Cups 4 Glasgow Cups 1 Charity Cup Scottish Internationalist. The first Rangers captain to win the league. The first Rangers captain to beat celtic. The first Rangers captain to win the Glasgow Cup. The first Rangers captain to win the Scottish Cup. A member of the invincibles. Winner of 10 major honours. A cap belonging to David Mitchell is on display within Ibrox.We were curious and hoped that it had been made by our Founders Peter McNeil and his brother Harry who of course had the sports outfitters H&P McNeil’s in Glasgow from 1877-1896 so we nudged the club and low and behold they confirmed that it was…a truly wonderful moment. Today the worldwide Rangers support remembers a Rangers great, David Mitchell.

There's been four badges in total.

James Rae was only 19 years of age when he didn’t return home from Ibrox Stadium on the 2nd January 1971. We recently spoke about the restoration project to James’s brother Billy who actually drove the coach on our Founders Trail. Restoration work was carried out on the plot in Kirkintilloch yesterday afternoon. Remembered always by the worldwide Rangers support.

Our 150th Celebration badge and two of our older badges are now back in stock. Only £3 ( plus £1 P&P) All orders are posted out by ourselves within 24 hours. http://thefounderstrail.co.uk/shop

Purchase your book here on our website and we’ll post your copy out within 24 hours. thefounderstrail.co.uk/shop

We are and really looking forward to it.

Last Friday night we had the pleasure of presenting the Founders Story for the Airdrie Grenadiers Flute Band and friends at Airdrie Orange Hall,a fantastic night was had by all. At the end of the presentation we sent our Restorations of Rangers Graves Donations Bucket around the hall and the incredible sum of £174.92 was raised for the Project.This will ensure that our work continues over the coming weeks and months. We’d like to sincerely thank all who attended for their overwhelming generosity and in particular Lynn Johnstone for arranging and organising the event. If you’d like information on hosting a Founders Presentation event please email us for details at thefounderstrail@gmail.com or call 0790 2855536 for a chat.

Tomorrow night folks,only £5 on the door,we hope to see a few of you there.

A week on Friday guys, all welcome.

On Friday night we presented The Founders Story for the Carluke Young Loyalists Rangers Supporters Club at the Railway Inn Pub, a fantastic night was had by all. At the end of the presentation we were presented with the incredible sum of £616 for our Restoration of Graves Rangers Project. This was the proceeds of fund raising on the night including the DJ who donated his fee! Astonishing gestures that will help to ensure that our work continues over the coming weeks. We’d like to sincerely thank all who attended for their overwhelming generosity and in particular David Gemmell for arranging and organising the event. If you’d like information on hosting a Founders Presentation event please email us for details at thefounderstrail@gmail.com or call 0790 2855536 for a chat.