REMEMBER WHEN: Glasgow Rangers' Scots army marched into Barrow
Last updated at 11:07, Saturday, 07 July 2012
RANGERS may not be the most popular name in Scottish football these days – but there was a time when they were the talk of the town around Barrow.
The Glasgow giants, this week booted out of the Scottish Premier League and now looking for a place to play lower down the pecking order, were in Furness to honour Barrow skipper Glenn Skivington for his 10 years at the club.
And their fans followed them in their droves.
Holker Street was a sea of blue and white when Skivington and home town boy Gary Stevens led the two teams out into a carnival atmosphere of 3,500 fans – almost half of them there to cheer on the Scottish champions.The all-singing hordes of flag-wavers had been arriving in town since before noon and they were still in full voice at the and of an entertaining game which Rangers won 3-0.
Barrow boy Stevens said: “There are only the likes of Manchester United and Rangers who can provide support like we had tonight. It was a nice atmosphere with a couple of good goals and I think the fans have gone home happy.”
One man who was even happier than most was Skivington, an old school pal of Stevens.
“It was a great privilege and now we are going to have a thoroughly good drink,” said the long-serving Barrow defender. “Rangers did me proud and my experience of their fans tonight was that they were out to enjoy themselves.”
With the local police reporting “a lot of alcohol being drunk but no major incidents” the tartan army turned Holker Street into a second home for the night.
The game itself – delayed for ten minutes to allow the crowd in – was settled by three second half goals. But they were worth the wait, especially Steve Watson’s 30-yarder that beat Barrow keeper Darren Hoyland for pace.
Rangers went ahead early in the second half when Paul Patterson was left with the simple task of tapping the ball in from six yards from a low cross by Brian McGinty. Kenny Lowe almost pulled Barrow level on 54 minutes with a 25-yard cracker that was well saved by keeper Ally Maxwell and it was Watson’s scorcher that increased the Rangers lead on the hour.
Within a minute Patterson’s second goal had made the game safe for the Scottish visitors but that hardly mattered on a night to remember for 1990 FA Trophy winner Skivington, who had the last word.
“The Barrow fans came out to support me and for that I am extremely grateful.”
First published at 10:38, Saturday, 07 July 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
There will always be a Glasgow Rangers who will return to their rightfull place at the top of Scottish Football sooner rather than later.
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No Rangers - No Scottish Football !!!!
Posted by Jerry on 11 July 2012 at 16:53