A Dedication to Neilly Gibson. Saturday 16th November 12pm Larkhall Cemetery.

The Moonlighter

The Moonlighter

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A few weeks ago I was contacted by and met a Joel Leslie who informed me that he has been researching the story of the Rangers team from season 1899 who of course set that incredible record of winning every league match, Joel’s aim is to publish a book on his work.

During his extensive research Joel sadly discovered in Larkhall the unmarked grave of an integral member of this great Rangers team Neilly Gibson. The plot has been unmarked since 1947.

We of course agreed that this would have to be rectified , Joel in turn got the necessary consent from Neilly Gibson’s family.

We at the Restoration of Rangers Graves Project have donated a sum to assist the funding of this project.

On Saturday 16th November at 12pm a dedication event will be held in Larkhall Cemetery, the cemetery is at Station Road Larkhall ML9 2DB.

All Welcome.

Neilly Gibson:

NEILLY GIBSON joined Rangers when he was still a teenager from junior side Royal Albert and went on to enjoy more than a decade of service with the club.

A man who would become a 14-times capped Scotland international, he would go on to win six major honours with the Rangers including four league championships.

Defender Gibson was an ever-present in the 1898/99 league campaign when Gers won every one of their 18 matches to win the title by 10 points.

Indeed, he scored three times in the two biggest wins that campaign, notching a double in an 8-0 rout of Clyde and scoring from the penalty spot in a 10-0 thrashing of Hibernian.

That championship win was the first of four consecutively and in the first three campaigns Gibson missed only three games overall.

Playing 377 times overall for Rangers – including in 184 competitive fixtures with 14 goals – he later spent five years in Partick Thistle’s squad.

Gibson had three sons – Neil, Willie and James – with all three going on to follow in their father’s footsteps as they played the beautiful game.

In James’ case, he emulated his dad by playing for Scotland and also scored once against Wales in 1929, some 32 years after his parent had struck against Northern Ireland.

Neilly Gibson (1894-1905)
Appearances: 184. Goals: 14.
Honours: Four league titles, Two Scottish Cups.
14 caps (Scotland).
 
From the book "Rangers: The Complete Record":

Gibson could pass the ball with stunning accuracy. But what really endeared him to the fans was his ball control, which he had perfected to a degree which made many of his performances border on arrogance. In spite of the heavy leather ball and boots of the time, Gibson could juggle the ball for 20 minutes or more with a succession of flicks, back-heels and headers, and it was said he could do the same with other objects such as blocks of wood, tin cans and the like.

"The greatest of my, and any generations following, in Scottish football" (Willie McCartney, former Hibs manager),

"The greatest half-back I ever saw or played against - most wing-halfs tried to pattern their play on his but none of them remotely hoped to emulate him" (Jimmy Dickson, wing-half in Hearts' Cup-winning team of 1906).

From the SFA website:

A superb wing half often described as the greatest footballer of his generation, Gibson helped Rangers to numerous honours.
 
Of all the players from our long and unrivalled history, Neilly Gibson is the one I wish I had seen more than any other.
A player who should be remembered in the same reverence as Alan Morton and Jim Baxter.
Fantastic and deserved tribute.

If I wasn't in Tenerife that weekend I would have went along.
 
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Hope there is a good turnout. Sadly cant make it due to no transport but will be in my thoughts. Once again well done to all involved in bringing this about.
 
Joel was pupil of mine. I’m proud and delighted to hear of his work. Unfortunately I am unable to attend today but my thoughts will be with you. Well done, once again, to the Restoration of Rangers Graves Programme.
 
Just read this. That would have been wonderful to attend.

Neilly Gibson was part of a famous Scotland side that beat England 4-1 at the scum hut in 1900. Possibly the most famous Scottish victory over the English at that point.

His son 'Jamie' was a Wembley Wizard.

So a generation on for father and son and two victories that rang through the ages.

His son 'Jamie' was also the highest transfered player in the world at one point. (If that makes sense)
 
JayDee said:
From the book "Rangers: The Complete Record":

Gibson could pass the ball with stunning accuracy. But what really endeared him to the fans was his ball control, which he had perfected to a degree which made many of his performances border on arrogance. In spite of the heavy leather ball and boots of the time, Gibson could juggle the ball for 20 minutes or more with a succession of flicks, back-heels and headers, and it was said he could do the same with other objects such as blocks of wood, tin cans and the like.

"The greatest of my, and any generations following, in Scottish football" (Willie McCartney, former Hibs manager),

"The greatest half-back I ever saw or played against - most wing-halfs tried to pattern their play on his but none of them remotely hoped to emulate him" (Jimmy Dickson, wing-half in Hearts' Cup-winning team of 1906).

From the SFA website:

A superb wing half often described as the greatest footballer of his generation, Gibson helped Rangers to numerous honours.
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Neilly would be a superstar in today's game and valued at a small fortune.
A true great of the game and it is joyful that his memory is still being celebrated.
 
wee bud's pit boots said:
Just read this. That would have been wonderful to attend.

Neilly Gibson was part of a famous Scotland side that beat England 4-1 at the scum hut in 1900. Possibly the most famous Scottish victory over the English at that point.

His son 'Jamie' was a Wembley Wizard.

So a generation on for father and son and two victories that rang through the ages.

His son 'Jamie' was also the highest transfered player in the world at one point. (If that makes sense)
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You would really have enjoyed this wee service, you and I have discussed Neilly quite a few times over the years.
 
wee bud's pit boots said:
That's the thing, because we usually don't pay full attention to those who came before, or promote our history as we should, the Gibsons of our world don't get the attention they deserve.

Today must have been wonderful.
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I was talking to a few folk before the service started and sadly none of us Larkhall lads even knew that Neilly was buried in that cemetery.
 
Iron_Curtain said:
I was talking to a few folk before the service started and sadly none of us Larkhall lads even knew that Neilly was buried in that cemetery.
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That must be the same for so many of our own.

However, the people running the Founders Trail, and what they are doing in the present day, sets the standard for future generations.

I'm pretty sure their efforts are recognised at the club.
 
wee bud's pit boots said:
I've always asked the poser?

Was Neilly Gibson the 'Victorian Baxter'?

Or was Baxter the swinging sixties version of Gibson?
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The truth is, all the old guys that could have answered this have passed, but there must have been many alive in the sixties who saw both.
I wish we had the nous back in the day to have asked these supporters that very question.

My father who had seen Meiklejohn, Morton and McPhail in their pomp would often deliberately irritate me with comments about stars of the sixties and later, by saying that they couldn't lace 'so and so's boots.
Watching the old clips on the TV I would often respond that the game was different back then and not worthy of comparison.
Yet today, I and my generation are wont to offer comparisons with players from the sixties and seventies regarding today's stars!

Neilly played fifty-odd years before Baxter, the same time distance as Baxter played before Ryan Jack and Steven Davis.

As for Meiklejohn he was a mere thirty years before Baxter and who would find it ridiculous and impossible to compare Ally McCoist with Alfie as strikers today?
Maybe the Auld Man had a point? :D
 
bilkobear said:
The truth is, all the old guys that could have answered this have passed, but there must have been many alive in the sixties who saw both.
I wish we had the nous back in the day to have asked these supporters that very question.

My father who had seen Meiklejohn, Morton and McPhail in their pomp would often deliberately irritate me with comments about stars of the sixties and later, by saying that they couldn't lace 'so and so's boots.
Watching the old clips on the TV I would often respond that the game was different back then and not worthy of comparison.
Yet today, I and my generation are wont to offer comparisons with players from the sixties and seventies regarding today's stars!

Neilly played fifty-odd years before Baxter, the same time distance as Baxter played before Ryan Jack and Steven Davis.

As for Meiklejohn he was a mere thirty years before Baxter and who would find it ridiculous and impossible to compare Ally McCoist with Alfie as strikers today?
Maybe the Auld Man had a point? :D
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And what a wonderful conversation/argument to have !
 
bilkobear said:
The truth is, all the old guys that could have answered this have passed, but there must have been many alive in the sixties who saw both.
I wish we had the nous back in the day to have asked these supporters that very question.

My father who had seen Meiklejohn, Morton and McPhail in their pomp would often deliberately irritate me with comments about stars of the sixties and later, by saying that they couldn't lace 'so and so's boots.
Watching the old clips on the TV I would often respond that the game was different back then and not worthy of comparison.
Yet today, I and my generation are wont to offer comparisons with players from the sixties and seventies regarding today's stars!

Neilly played fifty-odd years before Baxter, the same time distance as Baxter played before Ryan Jack and Steven Davis.

As for Meiklejohn he was a mere thirty years before Baxter and who would find it ridiculous and impossible to compare Ally McCoist with Alfie as strikers today?
Maybe the Auld Man had a point? :D
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That's the thing. Our history is of so wonderful a tapestry it would have made that Bayeux thingy look positively threadbare.

I know we live in the ultra modern world of technology, but we are nothing without the past. A past and traditions I am so wonderfully proud of.

Wee threads like this, and what they are about, make my day.
 
wee bud's pit boots said:
That's the thing. Our history is of so wonderful a tapestry it would have made that Bayeux thingy look positively threadbare.

I know we live in the ultra modern world of technology, but we are nothing without the past. A past and traditions I am so wonderfully proud of.

Wee threads like this, and what they are about, make my day.
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Let's be historically astute here, we can glean enough from the past to make the accurate assessment that Neilly Gibson running around a surface perfect Ibrox today, with the modern ball, footwear and kit, and under today's rules, would himself be a thing of sheer elegance and stunning football beauty and a sight of sheer sporting splendour for those privileged to watch him.
 
bilkobear said:
Let's be historically astute here, we can glean enough from the past to make the accurate assessment that Neilly Gibson running around a surface perfect Ibrox today, with the modern ball, footwear and kit, and under today's rules, would himself be a thing of sheer elegance and stunning football beauty and a sight of sheer sporting splendour for those privileged to watch him.
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The sooner they invent that Time Machine the better.

Moses of course.
John 'Kitey' McPherson
RC Hamilton

The list really is endless.

You mentioned Ally McCoist earlier.

Wullie Reid and George Henderson.

We'd be here all day and all of the night, just to straighten out the kinks. ;-)
 
bilkobear said:
The truth is, all the old guys that could have answered this have passed, but there must have been many alive in the sixties who saw both.
I wish we had the nous back in the day to have asked these supporters that very question.

My father who had seen Meiklejohn, Morton and McPhail in their pomp would often deliberately irritate me with comments about stars of the sixties and later, by saying that they couldn't lace 'so and so's boots.
Watching the old clips on the TV I would often respond that the game was different back then and not worthy of comparison.
Yet today, I and my generation are wont to offer comparisons with players from the sixties and seventies regarding today's stars!

Neilly played fifty-odd years before Baxter, the same time distance as Baxter played before Ryan Jack and Steven Davis.

As for Meiklejohn he was a mere thirty years before Baxter and who would find it ridiculous and impossible to compare Ally McCoist with Alfie as strikers today?
Maybe the Auld Man had a point? :D
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I really enjoyed your post Bilkobear. So many similarities to my family. I have posted on other threads that my grandfather’s heroes were from the Meiklejohn, Cunningham and McPhail eras, my Dad’s were from the Iron Curtain side and my first heroes were from the great side of the early 60’s. I used to listen to the both of them have friendly arguments about who was better than who. I was still at primary school at the time and my hero was Davie Wilson (who couldn’t lace Alan Morton or Willie Waddell’s boots : something I could never accept).

When looking at some black and white photos of the sides of the 20’s and late 40’s with the state of the pitches, the playing kit and overall fitness etc. it is obviously impossible to say who was better than who. It doesn’t stop us supporters making a case out for players of yesteryear though.
 
wee bud's pit boots said:
The sooner they invent that Time Machine the better.

Moses of course.
John 'Kitey' McPherson
RC Hamilton

The list really is endless.

You mentioned Ally McCoist earlier.

Wullie Reid and George Henderson.

We'd be here all day and all of the night, just to straighten out the kinks. ;-)
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I see that Steven Naismith is to win his fiftieth cap today.
Considering his unfortunate injury history, this is quite an achievement., so well done to him.

However, what value a cap today for Scotland in comparison to a cap back in Neilly's day?
In a period when every Scotsman played football, the pits emptied and any energy left was expended on the football field, where games were to be seen on rough open ground outside every village and the streets and backyards of every Scots town and city were confounded by makeshift balls being pounded through every hour of daylight, by kids and adults alike.

So much so, that teams in England like Preston would field eleven Scots and the greatest export we had of that time was our footballers, whom we developed at a rate in comparison to our small population possibly never again repeated throughout the world in such proportions?
 
Glad this went well if I wasn’t living in Texas I’d have been there but it will give me another site to visit next time I’m home and educating my sons in all things Rangers. Well done to all involved. Neilly Gibson is right up there with the most legendary heroes of our Club and like previous posters is one I wish I’d had the chance to watch play for The Rangers. I’ll add a few more names to the list Alec Smith Andy Cunningham Jimmy Smith.....
 
Ronnietheranger said:
Glad this went well if I wasn’t living in Texas I’d have been there but it will give me another site to visit next time I’m home and educating my sons in all things Rangers. Well done to all involved. Neilly Gibson is right up there with the most legendary heroes of our Club and like previous posters is one I wish I’d had the chance to watch play for The Rangers. I’ll add a few more names to the list Alec Smith Andy Cunningham Jimmy Smith.....
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Alec Smith is shouting out at us.

Twenty one years a Ranger.

Probably the first of a few 'half decent' left wingers to play for us too.

Smith and Neilly Gibson also in the same team.
 
There are more important issues for us to concentrate on during the coming months. However the stories about Neilly Gibson and a hundred plus other greats deserve to be told within any future Rangers Museum.
 
The Moonlighter said:
Today I had the honour and pleasure of attending the event to unveil a new stone on the plot of Rangers great Neilly Gibson at Larkhall Cemetery.

Thank so much to all those who attended.

The grave had lain unmarked since 1947.

Gone but never Forgotten.



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Wonderful! Befitting of the man!
 
The Moonlighter said:
Today I had the honour and pleasure of attending the event to unveil a new stone on the plot of Rangers great Neilly Gibson at Larkhall Cemetery.

Thank so much to all those who attended.

The grave had lain unmarked since 1947.

Gone but never Forgotten.



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And contained in that photograph is the tragedy no human being should have to bear.

We are not a football club.

We are a way of life.
 
wee bud's pit boots said:
And contained in that photograph is the tragedy no human being should have to bear.

We are not a football club.

We are a way of life.
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That framed pic on the stone contains Neilly’s Scottish Cup winners medal from 1897. Ian Loch brought it along. Neilly’s family attended the event which was touching. Also in attendance was the Great Grandson of Harry McNeil. The Rangers Family extended once again.
 
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This thread is wonderful.Thanks to those sharing their stories and memories of Neilly Gibson.

Well done to those restoring the graves of our former players.

However,no post made such an impression as #39

To lose a son of 2 years of age must have affected him greatly and as another poster highlighted this thread isn’t just about remembering the football but remembering and paying respect to the man

Cap doffed
 
Wish I’d seen this thread earlier.

My son & I were both in the area on Saturday. Would have loved to pop down and show our respects to one of our true Invincibles.

I love the sterling work that you guys do in keeping our cherished history alive and relevant p, and restoring the resting places of our honoured departed to a proper condition.

So proud of all of you.
 
Amazing stuff from our amazing torchbearers.

What a priveleage to be a Bear.

PS: I can't imagine that there are many headstones with "R.I.P." in Larkhall Cemetery. ;)
 
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