Popular Post MisterC 12,273 Posted May 28, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 28, 2022 THE only first-person account ever written about the formation of Rangers in 1872 has been unearthed after lying undiscovered for 76 years – and it reveals the founding fathers considered naming the Glasgow club Rovers. David Mason, the Rangers historian, this week launched his new official biography of the Ibrox institution, The Rangers Story: 150 Years Of A Remarkable Football Club, as part of the sesquicentennial anniversary celebrations. During the course of his research for the book, Mason came into possession of a short hand-written autobiography penned by a Scottish man called James Hill in Canada before he died in 1946. Hill had grown up in Glasgow in the 1860s and 1870s and had been present at Fleshers Haugh on Glasgow Green when the club formed by Moses McNeill, Peter McNeill, Peter Campbell and William McBeath played their first games. Hill – who was the younger brother of the eminent early Rangers player and Scotland internationalist David, who is pictured in the iconic photograph of the 1877 Scottish Cup final team, and who also played in some first team games himself – emigrated to Canada in 1882. However, he wrote his memoirs before he passed away aged 86. In them, he recalls how members of the Argyle Cricket Club joined in games of football with the McNeill brothers, Campbell and McBeath and helped to establish the new club. He also confirms the colours worn by the first side were light blue and reveals the name Rovers was considered when Rangers were constituted in 1873. Hill’s granddaughter Meryle Nerland travelled to Scotland back in the 1990s and passed on the manuscript to the then Rangers commercial director Bob Reilly during a visit to Ibrox. Mason discovered the document when he was writing The Rangers Story and contacted Hill’s great-granddaughter Sonya Savage, a prominent Canadian politician who has served as the Minister of Justice as well as the Solicitor General for Alberta, to request permission to use it. Do you wake up every night at 4 am? Here is what your body is trying to tell yousponsored - Gentside [Pics] At 40, This Is Why Anna Kournikova Isn't Marriedsponsored - Digital Trends “There have been various accounts of Rangers’ formation over the years,” he said. “One was written by William Dunlop, who played in the 1877 team. He wrote quite an authoritative account about the formation. But he wasn’t there. He was just talking about what he had been told. It was second-hand information. “Moses McNeill did a piece in the Evening Times in 1935. But that was written by John Allan, who produced Rangers’ first history. It was closely aligned to that book and we know there were some errors in it. “Apart from that, nothing has ever emanated from someone who was actually there at the time Rangers were formed. That is the beauty of the Hill account. This is an account from someone who was integral to the formation of Rangers. It isn’t anecdotal information. “Nobody until now has ever shown the association of cricket in the formation of the club. It aligns with what was happening in football at that time. It also shows they played in light blue. There has been some debate about whether they played in light blue or royal blue. “It also shows they considered the name Rovers. They played under different guises early on. They operated under the name Western for a time, they were also called Argyle. “But in 1873 when they were constituted they finally decided on the name Rangers. There were various suggestions put around. Rovers was one of them, but they decided on Rangers. “The reason was that Moses McNeill saw the name Rangers in an English rugby football annual. He felt it was an apt name because they were mainly boys from out of town so they were strangers. “Hill’s autobiographical account had remained lost in family archives until a chance encounter I had with his descendants a few years ago. It is fascinating on a number of levels. “It highlights the emerging popularity of football at the expense of the summer game of cricket. It also provides some context to the development of the club. But it is the role of the Argyle cricketers that is intriguing.” Hill wrote: “He (David) excelled in cricket, was a good bowler, and was a leader in the Argyle Cricket Club, which played on Saturday afternoons on Glasgow Green with other boys who attended St James Parish School. That would be about 1870 to 1873. “About that time, the Rangers made a start. Some youths from the Gareloch used to meet and kick a football on the Saturday afternoon. It was not long until the boys of Argyle CC got interested and discarded the cricket and joined in playing football. “They used to pick sides and have good games. It ended by their amalgamating into a club and calling it the Rangers, with light blue sweaters and white pants (knickers). “If I remember, there were other names proposed. Rovers I think was the other name, but Rangers carried and it certainly has been a great club in Scotland, playing association football.” He continued: “They were playing in Glasgow Green and there was quite a competition to get the playing ground near the shrubbery on the Fleshers Haugh. “As I was attending school, and had a holiday on Saturday, I sometimes got the Rangers goal posts in position on that pitch. As I grew older, I got playing if they were short a man and in time I was a recognised player in the 2nd eleven. I occasionally filled a place in the 1st eleven but my coming to Canada put a stop to my football career. “Davie played with the 1st eleven from its beginning and although he was the youngest player in the team, he done so well. He was picked by the Football Association to play against England in 1882. They done well that year as they beat England 6-2, if I remember alright, in the Oval, London. He also played against Wales and Ireland. “He generally got the credit of being the originator of the passing game. In association football, as most players at that time (were) inclined to hang on to the ball until they lost it.” Mason said: “Hill’s account is really important information. His granddaughter has passed away. But I contacted the family and received permission to use the memoirs. “His great-grandaughter Sonya Savage sent me an email stating she had no objections and congratulating Rangers on reaching ‘the great milestone of 150 years’.” The Rangers Story: 150 Years Of A Remarkable Football Club by David Mason is published by Pitch Publishing and costs £40. I knew we played games under the name of Argyle and Western in the very early days but I didn't know we could have been called Rovers . Fascinating bit of history here RFCRobertson, BLUEDIGNITY, ayrshireranger and 38 others 41 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post .Williamson. 82,249 Posted May 28, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 28, 2022 Love reading stuff like that. Being able to read a first hand account like that is brilliant GA1972, mearns loyal, One Jock Wallace and 7 others 10 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterC 12,273 Posted May 28, 2022 Author Share Posted May 28, 2022 9 minutes ago, .Williamson. said: Love reading stuff like that. Being able to read a first hand account like that is brilliant Same here, our early history is utterly fascinating and we can only hope there are other accounts like this somewhere out there .Williamson. and One Jock Wallace 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElBufalo20 7,894 Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Genuinely wish our official name was Glasgow Rangers ayrshireranger 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Williamson. 82,249 Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 2 minutes ago, ElBufalo20 said: Genuinely wish our official name was Glasgow Rangers Genuinely wish it was only people from Glasgow supported the club Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElBufalo20 7,894 Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Just now, .Williamson. said: Genuinely wish it was only people from Glasgow supported the club Weird thing to say Jdee.rfc, Blumhoilann and HalifaxBear 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post .Williamson. 82,249 Posted May 28, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 28, 2022 2 minutes ago, ElBufalo20 said: Weird thing to say Not at all, would have saved me a fortune RS4_wul, CharlieT, MisterC and 2 others 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElBufalo20 7,894 Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Just now, .Williamson. said: Not at all, would have saved me a fortune Please explain? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post .Williamson. 82,249 Posted May 28, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 28, 2022 1 minute ago, ElBufalo20 said: Please explain? I wouldn’t have spent a fortune on travel and going to games? I was taking the piss btw, you’re very serious GA1972, MisterC, RJMcGregor and 4 others 7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElBufalo20 7,894 Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 1 minute ago, .Williamson. said: I wouldn’t have spent a fortune on travel and going to games? I was taking the piss btw, you’re very serious 🤣Always! Why would you not? Never said anyone outside Glasgow couldn’t support us if that was our name. You dived right in all angry Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Williamson. 82,249 Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 2 minutes ago, ElBufalo20 said: 🤣Always! Why would you not? Never said anyone outside Glasgow couldn’t support us if that was our name. You dived right in all angry I wasn’t angry at all, I call us Glasgow Rangers on occasion Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElBufalo20 7,894 Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 2 minutes ago, .Williamson. said: I wasn’t angry at all, I call us Glasgow Rangers on occasion Ufft that’s quite the turn since our first engagement Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willis 20,919 Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 1 hour ago, ElBufalo20 said: Genuinely wish our official name was Glasgow Rangers Please explain Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TamCoopz 19,605 Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Follow follow Glasgow rovers Essandoh, HuistraHairDo and BroxiSonBoris 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Worlds_Most_Successful_Team 70 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Great wee read. Cant help but feel The Opposition has a ring to it too though. ayrshireranger, Brubear, kanjo and 1 other 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ScottBF2 3,540 Posted May 29, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted May 29, 2022 Why is Anna Kournikova not married at 40? stourloyal, One Jock Wallace, Polaris and 13 others 16 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuistraHairDo 12,490 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 1 hour ago, ScottBF2 said: Why is Anna Kournikova not married at 40? Because she wakes up at 4 am obvs stourloyal and dan_ger 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluenose244 2,618 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 'The' Glasgow Rovers... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOAT 30,449 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Well we did we play our first game as Glasgow Argyle I believe. The Ibrox Derry and ayrshireranger 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
goaaaal 946 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 A wee gem on the Rangers story again it serves to underline the role Rangers,Queens Park and others played in the formation of Scottish Football . Stories like this should be the pride of the game up here however given the ambivalence of The SFA/SPFL the cunts should be sacked for their mismanagement the last decade and more. MisterC, Blumhoilann and Negri's lovechild 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nameless Ghoul 6,066 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Rangers Rovers ftw MisterC 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacBoyd 5,442 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Sevco rovers surely BlueAvenger 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueAvenger 10,242 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Your not Glasgow Rovers anymore…!! MacBoyd 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.E.C. 18,790 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 RockwellGers 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVRanger 2,637 Posted May 29, 2022 Share Posted May 29, 2022 Pretty sure El Bheggars only became sellick after some debate also....so the OF derby could easily have been Rovers v. Glasgow Hibernians. Not quite got the same ring to it.😀 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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