Well, Bless My Cotton Socks�

[Bluedell 5,329]

I'm sure it isn't to do with the colour of our tops, it was to do with our agility as a team - think I read that somewhere!

 

Cammy F

 

Haven't heard that either. I'd be interested if you can remember what the source of that was.

 

 

 

 

So when Charlie Adam was playing, we'd be the heavy blues?

[CammyF 6,787]

Haven't heard that either. I'd be interested if you can remember what the source of that was.

 

 

 

 

So when Charlie Adam was playing, we'd be the heavy blues?

 

Would you believe it, I read it on here - http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/vb/showthread.php?t=9536&highlight=light+blues

 

Cammy F

[andrew_2010 0]

well despite the historical precidence, the red socks did nothing to inspire on sunday

 

I'm afraid im in the black socks camp!

[calscot 0]

I agree with Cammy that there is no "tradition" for black socks with red tops - and I really hate it when people make up these "traditions" as a way to back up some belligerent viewpoint.

 

However, I disagree in that I like those colors which make the strip more interesting even though I'm sure I was brought up on fully red socks.

 

To match the "up to our knees in blood" example, then fully blood red socks would surely be more fitting, as well as blood red boots? Where does the black come into it or is the blood hovering a foot in the air? It's obviously a complete nonsense and akin to the protests to Ibrox being supposedly cut to look like an orange sash, when in fact it was done in a tartan pattern, with the "horizontal" lines to the viewer obviously having less contrast. Some people will protest at anything, and it's strange that protesting against anything to do with the Orange Order is by definition, a sectarian act.

 

With colour of the shirt, are people saying they want "royal blue" because it's a nice colour or merely because it has the word, "royal" in it? Would they be happier with a shade of blue that is slightly darker or slightly lighter than royal blue and so could not correctly be called royal blue? Or would they compromise with "British Racing Green" as it's got "British" in it?

 

Aesthetically, I prefer a darker blue than what we presently have. I have a Rangers training top which is an excellent colour of blue. I don't really care whether the colour can be called "royal" or not, but royal blue is actually a nicer colour in my opinion.

 

In the end it's all down to personal taste and so how do we decide what the colours should be?

[pete 2,499]

Taken from The Rangers Micellany:

 

It is a common assumption that Rangers nickname of the light blues refers to the club colours-but in fact originally the term was a reference to the youthfulness and lightness of build of the Rangers players compared to the older and more physical nature of many of their opponents. in a particular press coverage of the 1877 Scottish cup final against vale of Leven and the then Kinnings park outfits training methods of being "out on the Queens highway"early in the morning caught the public's imagination The players were referred to in the press as the "Light and speedy blues" and thereafter became known as the light blues for short, although clearly this nickname through common usage was accepted as referring to the club's colours.

 

The teddy bears was obviously rhyming with the Gers. we were also known as the Honey pears, also rhyming with the Gers.

[26th of foot 5,836]

I'm sure it isn't to do with the colour of our tops, it was to do with our agility as a team - think I read that somewhere!

 

Cammy F

 

Although Rangers did play in a lighter shade of blue for the first dozen or so years, the derivation of the established nickname, 'the Light Blues' is from the longer, original tagline, 'the Light and Speedy Blues'. Our origins as a team of mainly teenagers from the Gareloch area was a hook to hang considerable interest. Callow youths playing the game with pace and enthusiasm attracted good crowds from the off. Rangers were not a successful team in terms of trophies in their formative years, it was the obvious effort, dash, and skill they put into the game that attracted the crowds.

[26th of foot 5,836]

The Black and red socks debate has raged all my Rangers supporting life.

 

I attended in the mid-sixties, Rangers played in blacks socks, red tops. Late 60s, this changed to red socks, white tops. Jock Wallace became Manager in 1973, back to black socks, red tops. John Greig's tenure saw us in all blue socks in 78-83. Jock Wallave reappears, it's black, red tops again. Souness had us in all red socks, ................and so it goes on.

 

Rangers earliest days saw the Club play mostly in black socks, all teams played in black socks until the 20s. Often, these black socks would contain a coloured band(s) at the top to match the jersey. Look at photos of the 1928 old firm final, both Rangers and ra Sellik are in black socks. I imagine black socks for over 50 years was a practical thing, considering the state of pitches in those days.

 

If we accept, Rangers began wearing black socks, red tops around the turn of the last century, then I have heard two very plausible suggestions for these being accepted as our 'official' socks. The first is more plausible(IMO), red and black are the colours of the Parish of Govan. I have even heard the configeration of black with red on top was deliberate, a homage to the funnels(smoke stacks) of the various ferries, tugs, coasters, ....etc that populated the river Clyde in those days. The other, and this could easily be the origination, is that a turn of the century game at Broomfield saw us turn up without socks. Airdrie provided a spare set(there was no law insisting teams wore different socks or shorts then), we won, liked the flash of red, and decided to adopt them.

 

It could have been worse, much worse. Many Rangers players that represented Scotland over a 70 year period from 1880ish to 1950ish, often played in the official Scottish Rosebery colours. Lord Rosebery was the Patron of Scottish football, his racing colours were Pink and Primrose. The football jersey was Pink and Primrose hoops, as were the socks. There you go, returning players from Scotland duty(particularly when we beat England 4-1 in 1901) might have suggested/demanded we play in pink and lemon hooped socks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CammyF 6,787]

Thanks for the info 26th of foot.

 

Like I said at in the initial article, I know I'll be in the minority, but its red with white tops for me anytime

 

Cammy F

[Norris Cole 0]

Being old-fashoned way beyond my years, I've always been a staunch supporter of black-socks-red-tops or nothing. However, I have to say the red socks at Parkhead looked really good. It was the all white nonsense under Advocaat I hated.

[26th of foot 5,836]

A wee socks tyale I was relating to one of our seperated brethern recently.

 

In the 1970 European Cup semi-final between ra Sellik and Leeds United, ra green'n'grey hooped horrors arrived at Elland Road for the first leg with white socks. Leeds United played in all white, the Referee demanded ra Sellik change their socks. Of course, they did not have a second set and thus had to accept Leeds offer of their reserves team socks. They were coloured ORANGE.

 

The Yahoo was clearly unsettled at the telling of these events, we met again a week or so later and he informed me he had checked it out and told me with tremendous certainty that his beloved hooped heroes had NEVER played in orange socks. I enquired as to the colour of socks that evening at Elland Road, he replied, "GOLD". He could only get comfortable with ra Sellik in green, white, and gold, it was a deliberate action on Sellik's part.

 

As it is often said, Yahoos and the truth, akin to oil and water.