The riddle of Tom Vallance's badge.

[TheCutch 4,340]

Fantastic thread CM.

[jack1690 793]

Looks like a unicorn and a lion to me. They aren't identical figures.

Looks like same figures to me. But im getting on a bit & my eyesights not what it used to be!

Maybe a visit to Hampden is in order. Im sure they would have a theory on this.

[corkinator 611]

That's a good shout or maybe after 10 caps you get a different badge. Interesting and hopefully someone knows the definitive answer.

yeah, like call of duty, after every xp upgrade it changes to a different avatar! maybe this is where COD got the idea!!

ooooooooooooooooft!

[TheMoonlighter 499]

I think it is now, but when Vallance was a member it was Clydesdale.

I prepare to stand corrected.

Clyde Amateur and Clydesdale are two different Rowing Clubs.

Tom Vallance and Sam Ricketts, who also played in the 1877 Scottish Cup team, were both committee members of Clydesdale in 1884.

As yet there is no record of the lads competing with either club.

Tom Vallance wore the lion on his shirt in 1877 to signify being capped by Scotland that season.

[Colonel Mustard 380]

Clyde Amateur and Clydesdale are two different Rowing Clubs.

Tom Vallance and Sam Ricketts, who also played in the 1877 Scottish Cup team, were both committee members of Clydesdale in 1884.

As yet there is no record of the lads competing with either club.

Tom Vallance wore the lion on his shirt in 1877 to signify being capped by Scotland that season.

Any theory on that Vale of Leven player's badge which looks like a coat of arms, Moonlighter?

Also, is the poster McBoyd on the right lines concerning the white shirts with the star, that they may have been rowing shirts being used as a change strip (courtesy of Tom Vallance being in the rowing club)?

[McBoyd 355]

Two separate clubs, but it was originally thought that it was Clydesdale that they had been members of.

They were originally one club, an argument ensued and Clyde Amateur was formed in the split.

Any theory on that Vale of Leven player's badge which looks like a coat of arms, Moonlighter?

Also, is the poster McBoyd on the right lines concerning the white shirts with the star, that they may have been rowing shirts being used as a change strip (courtesy of Tom Vallance being in the rowing club)?

We would never know sadly mate, theories I've heard/mentioned myself;

- A major coincidence of a connection between the Swindon Rangers team wearing white and Blue stars and the Clyde Amateur Rowing Club wearing them too. (too big a coincidence in my opinion)

- Rowing shirts used as a change strip.

- Rangers using it first and Clyde Amateur taking it on board after members from Rangers joined/went to the club. (my major contender!)

Clyde have no photographic or physical evidence that the blue star has been in use since the early days because all the documents of the clubs early history were lost in a fire, so we can only go on their word about that. Rangers obviously have a predated source in the 1877 photograph, as well as Swindon in the 1871/2 Alcock Annual. For all we know Rangers members could have worn them from their football matches down to the Rowing Club and it caught on from there. The earliest photograph they have of members wearing the star is the late 1890's, but it's a 5 pointed star and not a 6.

Also, an article by William Dunlop (IIRC?) in the late 1800's stated "for the reader must be aware that a rowing club existed in connection with the Rangers at this time" - a number of more modern articles also mention Rangers beginning as 'Rangers Rowing Club' and branching out into football as a way of keeping fit in the winter.

I don't think we'll ever truly find out to be honest, but fingers crossed, because I really would love an answer to it. I'm hoping some evidence comes out about this 'Rangers Rowing Club'.