Blue Is The Colour

[Ozblue 4,332]

Now this might seem a pretty daft question to most of you, but as an ancient fan of Rangers who has lived in Australia since 1966, this subtle change of our colours seems to have slipped in under my guard without me paying much attention to it.

I was down on the treadmill today getting in peak condition for the WC opening, singing my old favourite Rangers songs in readiness for the big Sydney games and giving it Billy Boys...Follow Follow...Hello Hello how do you do etc! singing the praises of the boys in Royal Blue, when it suddenly hit me that in every Rangers official publication I've read in recent years, we are called the LIGHT Blues.

So my question is this...At what stage in our History did we cease being the boys in ROYAL Blue and morph into the Light Blues?

I've seen Rangers umpteen times when I go back on holidays every few years, but that question never crossed my mind until today.

Just a little something to pass the time until the WC kicks off, as it's more interesting than reading all the transfer bullshit in the daily rhags.

Thanks guys for your input.

[papaguy51 912]

I thought this was a thread for Lee

[Ozblue 4,332]

I thought this was a thread for Lee

Aw sorry, Iain....I know he is your favourite player.

[DavidCF2 29]

I thought this was a thread for Lee

Deserves his own thread TBF.

[Poetry_In_Blue 1,043]

Some different references to it:

1877, Scottish Cup Final games against Vale of Leven, the word "Light" was used in the context of the "Light and speedy players.

Also with reference to Vale of Leven, whose own top was a very dark blue, there is a similarity of Vale of Leven being dark blues of Oxford and we had the lighter blue of Cambridge.

It's been brilliant reading the Gallant Pioneers!

[Ozblue 4,332]

Some different references to it:

1877, Scottish Cup Final games against Vale of Leven, the word "Light" was used in the context of the "Light and speedy players.

Also with reference to Vale of Leven, whose own top was a very dark blue, there is a similarity of Vale of Leven being dark blues of Oxford and we had the lighter blue of Cambridge.

It's been brilliant reading the Gallant Pioneers!

I did read something about that years ago, but in all the Rangers songs I was taught from an early age, we were always known as the boys in Royal Blue...Maybe it's the same scenario as having 'Glasgow' Rangers in the songs but not in the official name.

I must really try and get that Gallant Pioneers book.

Thanks, PIB.

[Poetry_In_Blue 1,043]

Some different references to it:

1877, Scottish Cup Final games against Vale of Leven, the word "Light" was used in the context of the "Light and speedy players.

Also with reference to Vale of Leven, whose own top was a very dark blue, there is a similarity of Vale of Leven being dark blues of Oxford and we had the lighter blue of Cambridge.

It's been brilliant reading the Gallant Pioneers!

I did read something about that years ago, but in all the Rangers songs I was taught from an early age, we were always known as the boys in Royal Blue...Maybe it's the same scenario as having 'Glasgow' Rangers in the songs but not in the official name.

I must really try and get that Gallant Pioneers book.

Thanks, PIB.

No probs, it's a great and humbling read, we were officially registered as having Royal Blue tops.

[gers00 0]

Rangers is Royal Blue. I hate people that call us "Light Blue". I hate how Umbro have been making our home shirt light blue.

[smellyermaw 0]

fucking dire thread

[Ozblue 4,332]

fucking dire thread

Must remember not to post fucking dire thread for the 2 post man:wink:

[roboscot 1,184]

fucking dire thread

Welcome to the board

[roboscot 1,184]

And it will always be Royal Blue to me.

[.Williamson. 84,034]

fucking dire thread

Hi Timothy.

[Hoody 103]

Wondered this myself, as long as I can remember it's been royal blue but the media alway say light blue

[sonOwilliam 0]

fucking dire thread

Does it hurt in the preisthood.

NO SURRENDER!!

[AMMS 27]

I'd always understood the term 'light' was introduced by newspapers to help readers differentiate us in black and white photographs where our jerseys looked 'lighter' than other clubs with solid colour jerseys such as Hearts, Aberdeen and Dundee.

I later read the term was first used in connection with that Vale match as they had dark blue jerseys. Vale of Leven being a top team at the time, this is mentioned in the official history of the first 50 years of Rangers.

But I don't think that book mentions the 'light and speedy blues' line which I first came across on a similar thread on Follow Follow a few years ago.

[caseyjones 3,009]

In the very early days our players were described as 'the light and speedy blues'. Our strip has certainly got lighter in the past thirty years or so.

[Ozblue 4,332]

I'd always understood the term 'light' was introduced by newspapers to help readers differentiate us in black and white photographs where our jerseys looked 'lighter' than other clubs with solid colour jerseys such as Hearts, Aberdeen and Dundee.

I later read the term was first used in connection with that Vale match as they had dark blue jerseys. Vale of Leven being a top team at the time, this is mentioned in the official history of the first 50 years of Rangers.

But I don't think that book mentions the 'light and speedy blues' line which I first came across on a similar thread on Follow Follow a few years ago.

That's an interesting theory/explanation,AAMS...Thanks for that bit of info, much appreciated.

[*Manticore* 1,893]

So far as I know we have never played in Royal Blue, which a much darker shade than we use, closer to the Scotland strip.

I assumed the 'royal' bit came from the fans' allegiance to the monarchy.

[Ozblue 4,332]

So far as I know we have never played in Royal Blue, which a much darker shade than we use, closer to the Scotland strip.

I assumed the 'royal' bit came from the fans' allegiance to the monarchy.

Come to think of it, I've got a few Rangers tops and they are all different shades of blue....never thought about that. hmmm!

[thebooler 4,509]

PIB is correct as to where the term Light Blues came from.

Ozblue - I'm surprised an old guy like yourself hasnae read The Gallant Pioneers!

£9 on Amazon at the mo.

[KingKai 439]

The shade of Blue has definitely changed since the 60's. I have trouble posting pics here

(probably need to use Firefox or something) but there are pics from the 60's where its such

a 'rich' wonderful shade of Royal Blue with the V neck.

Yes, as has been stated, we were known as the Light Blues far back in our history, but I think our

'official' colour is Royal Blue.

[Mikhailichenko 90]

There are two shades of Royal Blue, Light Royal Blue and Dark Royal Blue. The current Rangers strip is close to Light Royal Blue and the Scotland strip is Dark Royal Blue. Simples

[Ozblue 4,332]

PIB is correct as to where the term Light Blues came from.

Ozblue - I'm surprised an old guy like yourself hasnae read The Gallant Pioneers!

£9 on Amazon at the mo.

I'm not really wan fur gettin books ower the internet thingie, Booler.

I'm an auld fashioned bugger that likes tae gang tae the shop, but I'll get tae read it nae fear.

By the way Booler, how did yea go with converting your tapes to DVD format? I left a post on your thread.

[thebooler 4,509]

PIB is correct as to where the term Light Blues came from.

Ozblue - I'm surprised an old guy like yourself hasnae read The Gallant Pioneers!

£9 on Amazon at the mo.

I'm not really wan fur gettin books ower the internet thingie, Booler.

I'm an auld fashioned bugger that likes tae gang tae the shop, but I'll get tae read it nae fear.

By the way Booler, how did yea go with converting your tapes to DVD format? I left a post on your thread.

Don't have a VCR matey - prefer to put them in shop and pay somebody tae dae it.

Am no intae this techie stuff at all (lazy)

Thanks for the reply though.