The Founders Trail

The research into the lives of the young lads who formed Rangers Football Club began in 2006. Their untold story was something that had intrigued me from an early age, what kind of people were they, were they as successful off  field as they were on it , where did they live, did they work within the City, what became of them ?

As the research intensified into their story locations all around Glasgow started to reveal themselves, it truly was fascinating. I would often find myself walking from Fleshers Haugh, through Glasgow city centre and on up to the west end of the city, having of course a couple of well appointed pit-stops on route!

This was a story that had to be shared with my fellow Rangers supporters, so friend and fellow enthusiast Gordon Bell got to work on creating the Founders Trail Map that could be downloaded from the internet that would allow fans to set-off on foot around the city.

The Founders Walking Trail set off in August 2009 where we took a large group around the various sites that had been located and it proved very popular, that's apart from the aching feet that followed over the next couple of days!

As the Founders Trail evolved we were flooded with enquiries via  our email address and various fans forums. The next logical step was to take our 'Journey of Discovery' around Glasgow by using the novelty of an open-top bus and approach Rangers about adding on a Stadium Tour to finish off our day.

The Founders Trail by bus has been operating from November 2009 on a monthly basis, and with the addition of a Tour of our magnificent Ibrox Stadium from March 2010. It  continues to grow and we've been totally overwhelmed with the response. Young and old have came in their hundreds to share our unique and wonderful story.

We were told often enough that people just weren't interested in the history of the Club but time and again the supporters have proved them wrong.

Over the last couple of years more locations have sprung up as the Founders Trail has evolved.

Visit Scotland have embraced the venture as have other Tourists promotion outlets within the City of Glasgow.

Rangers TV have filmed the Tour and also highlighted other projects which we've worked on  such as the Tom Vallance Painting.

Tom Vallance Painting
The issue of a Museum at Rangers has been rumbling on for a number of years without any one person at our Club taking the project fully  on board.

It's appreciated by all  that the Club has been shuttling between pillar and post over the last couple of years and this project, along with many others, has simply been put on the back burner.

Over the last 6 months  we watched in total disbelief and horror as our Club almost slipped off the radar completely, this in turn has led to more and more people  looking back at our roots and the Rangers story.

No, it wasn't  always about EBT's, Administration and individuals in the corridors of power hell-bent on destroying the country's  greatest sporting institution.  Rangers is a Club who were and are  for millions around the world the very cornerstone of society. A Club built on hard-work, sporting excellence, fair play and honesty.     

Perhaps now the need and want for a Museum at Ibrox Stadium has never been greater. Technology in 2012 has gone way beyond any of our dreams and it's now time for Rangers to take full advantage of this.

We have many within our community who have skills to make all of this happen, it's now up to the Club to take full advantage of this.

Glasgow will host the Commonwealth  Games in 2014 which will see an massive influx of Tourists into our City.  A Museum at Ibrox Stadium and subsequent initiatives aimed at not only visitors to our City but the population as a whole should  now be one of the main focal points for our Club.

 

Iain McColl is a Rangers Supporter aged 47 from Cumbernauld, originally from Glasgow. Iain has been attending Ibrox since 1970 and is a history of Rangers enthusiast. He also operates the Founders Trail and Ibrox Stadium Tour.

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