The Moonlighter

We'd like to thank everyone who attended yesterday's service and to the worldwide Rangers support who through their donations made the dedication to Mr Struth , and the continuation of the Rangers Graves Restoration Project, possible. The service was conducted by Rangers Chaplin Stuart McQuarrie and Ross County Chaplain Iain McCaskill. Johnny Hubbard who of course was signed as a player by Mr.Struth laid the wreath. Stewart Robertson and Graham Park represented the Club.

I'm delighted to confirm that we'll be joined at the dedication service by the Ross County Chaplain.

Would all who are booked on Sunday's*Tour please note that there will be a Founders Trail welcome desk available within Bar 72 West at Ibrox Stadium from 11.15am prior to our 12pm departure from outside of the Ibrox Megastore Access to Bar 72 is via the main entrance to Argyle House . This will give us an opportunity to greet you and check you from our loading chart and to distribute our travel packs. Parking is available throughout the day around Ibrox Stadium. If you have any questions before the tour please don't hesitate in contacting us on 0790 2855536.

http://rangers.co.uk/news/club/rangers-graves-update/

If you'd like to attend the dedication service on Saturday please be at the Paisley Road West entrance to Craigton Cemetery for 11.45.

The closing of Kinning Park 26th February 1887. George Gillespie is sat on the ground far left.

The plots of both George Goudie and George Gillespie are at Lambhill Cemetery Glasgow. Thanks to your donations both men’s final resting places will undergo restoration work over the next few weeks and updates will be posted. George Goudie . The Man Who Saved The Rangers. President 1882 – 1883 Vice President 1883 – 1885 Club records would suggest that in terms of length of service to Rangers Football Club, George Goudie would not readily be thought of as one of the great figures in our history. It was for one act, though, we are forever, literally, in his debt…… http://blog.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/wp/?p=226 George Gillespie. George was a member of the legendary 1877 Scottish Cup Final team and gave great service to the Rangers. He started his career as an outfield player but is remembered more for his goalkeeping skills. He appeared for Scotland 7 times during his playing career, never on the losing side. He was a very successful business man in the license trade and owned what is now the Neighbourhood Room and Kitchen Bar in the Finnieston Area of Glasgow. George lived at Radnor Street facing Kelvingrove Park and sadly passed away there in 1900. http://www.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/George-Gillespie-(Goalkeeper).html These men gave us everything that we still enjoy today and this is us giving them back a little bit of dignity and respect. If you can, please donate using the link below. Every penny counts. PAYPAL LINK. - https://www.paypal.com/sendmoney ***Follow the link and add following email address along with donation – sonsofstruth@aol.co.uk

Three seats left for Sunday's Tour. Let's take to the streets and celebrate our Founders!

5 seats have become available for this Sunday's Founders Trail and Ibrox Stadium Tour. We hope that you can joins us. Adults : £22 Children (under 16) and Senior Citizens £16. Group discounts are available upon request. To reserve your seat just send an email to : thegallantpioneers@googlemail.com For further information phone : 0790 2855536 An insight into our research can be found here on our website. http://www.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/

Seats still available for this extra Tour. Just send an email to thegallantpioners@gmail.com to reserve your place.

'' No matter the days of anxiety that come our way we shall emerge stronger, that has been the philosophy of the Rangers since the days of the Gallant Pioneers''

Back the Rangers and support the Founders Trail ! By purchasing one of our scarves you help keep the wheels of the Founders Trail turning. They are only £12.00 (+ £2.86 P&P) and can be purchased by emailing us at thegallantpioneers@googlemail.com or on the Founders Trail.

We're delighted to announce that once again due to overwhelming demand we'll be running an additional Founders Trail and Ibrox Stadium Tour on : Sunday 9th October. Once again we thank you for your incredible support. We currently also have places on our Tours on : Sunday 30th October Sunday 20th November. Adults : £22 Children (under 16) and Senior Citizens £16. Group discounts are available upon request. To reserve your seat just send an email to : thegallantpioneers@googlemail.com For further information phone : 0790 2855536

We're delighted to announce today that all seats on our next Founders Trail on Sunday 18th September have been snapped up. Once again we thank you for your continued support. We currently have places on our Tours on : Sunday 30th October Sunday 20th November. Adults : £22 Children (under 16) and Senior Citizens £16. Group discounts are available upon request. To reserve your seat just send an email to : thegallantpioneers@googlemail.com For further information phone : 0790 2855536

Still time to book your place on tomorrow's Trail. Adults : £22 Children (under 16) and Senior Citizens £16. Group discounts are available upon request. To reserve your seat just send an email to : thegallantpioneers@googlemail.com For further information phone : 0790 2855536

Seats still available! Would all who are booked on tomorrow's Tour please note that there will be a Founders Trail welcome desk available within Bar 72 West at Ibrox Stadium from 11.15am prior to our 12pm departure from outside of the Ibrox Megastore Access to Bar 72 is via the main entrance to Argyle House . This will give us an opportunity to greet you and check you from our loading chart and to distribute our travel packs. Parking is available throughout the day around Ibrox Stadium. If you have any questions before the tour please don't hesitate in contacting us on 0790 2855536.

The Tom Vallance painting which hangs on the Marble Staircaae at Ibrox.

The series of games that was the 1877 Scottish Cup Final saw the young Rangers move from what was essentially a boys club born on Fleshers Haugh to a fully respected football club. Thousands made their way to Hamilton Crescent in Partick to watch this team of kids take on the mighty Vale. These matches saw us win the respect and admiration of the working class of Glasgow,the Rangers were never to look back. To think that 50+ years later Tom Vallance and some of the Vale players were still getting together like this is incredible. Anniversary dinners were also held in 1898 and 1907. Members of the Vale of Leven team also attended Tom Vallance's funeral in 1935.

On the 1st September 1928 our own Tom Vallance and members of the Vale of Leven team whom he’d faced back in 1877 met for one of their regular reunions at the Rowerdennan Hotel. Incredibly this event was caught on camera which my colleague Gordon managed to locate three years ago. The series of games that was the 1877 Scottish Cup Final not only created a fierce rivalry between Rangers and Vale of Leven it also cemented great friendships that would last for over 50 years. As late as the 1930’s the surviving team members including our own Tom Vallance would often take a sail up Loch Lomond from Balloch and stop off for lunch and a few drinks at a Hotel. On the journey back down the Loch the boats engines would be stalled opposite Tarbet and speeches were made, on one occasion on Saturday 1st September 1928 after visiting the Rowerdennan Hotel 72 year old Tom Vallance had this to say. ‘’The decade that I spent playing with the Rangers were the best years of my life, I mentioned this to my wife the other day and she commented that I should still be playing. I wasn’t sure if that was sarcasm or not but with this in mind I went to the manager of Rangers and asked if he could find me a place in his team. There was laughter as Vallance admitted Bill Struth had asked him for a fortnight to consider his request and that several months on he was still waiting on his reply’’. Incredibly this very event at Rowerdennan was captured on a home movie. After extensive research Gordon, managed get his hands on a copy and this has since been shown via a link on our own and the Rangers Official Club websites. Yes moving images of Tom Vallance who was present at Fleshers Haugh. The home movie is contained within this blog from our website. http://blog.thegallantpioneers.co.uk/wp/?p=774

Apologies for the delay. Yes it's a date change unfortunately due to a cycling event in Glasgow on Sunday. Still seats available.

We have a few seats available for this Saturday's Founders Trail and Ibrox Stadium Tour. Adults : £22 Children (under 16) and Senior Citizens £16. To reserve your seat just send an email to : thegallantpioneers@googlemail.com For further information phone : 0790 2855536.

This was posted on Saturday. It's important to us that everyone can see how the money that's been donated is being used.

A thank you from the Rangers support to our greatest ever manager. The final resting place of our greatest ever manager Mr William Struth is at Craigton Cemetery . Fittingly it overlooks the front door of Ibrox Stadium. Two years ago the stone on Mr Struth’s plot was restored but we at the Rangers Graves Restoration Project felt , that as we approach the 60th anniversary of his passing on 21st September 2016 , that his incredible achievements at the club should be highlighted by way of a granite plate on his final resting place. We of course sought and gained the permission from the Struth family for the plate to be placed after which we raised the necessary funds to have the plate cut which will be put in place soon. A dedication service conducted by Rangers Chaplin Stuart MacQuarrie will be held at Mr Struth’s final resting place on Saturday 17th September 2016 at 12pm. All are welcome .

If you can, please donate using the link below. Every penny counts. PAYPAL LINK. - https://www.paypal.com/sendmoney ***Follow the link and add following email address along with donation – sonsofstruth@aol.co.uk