Facetime with Gio

[EastBelfastBear1872]

Last Saturday night I was out in Belfast city centre with 2 mates, We were out for a few beers.

A Lady came over to our table and set down a pint of Guinness and said there’s a pint if you want it, I thanked her for the drink but said i didn’t drink Guinness, So one of my mates took it,
I asked the girl where she was from and she said Holland, So I then asked does she follow Football, and she told me she supports Feyenoord.

I mentioned that I was a Rangers supporter and that both teams had someone who played and Managed them, I was about to say who it was and the girl said Giovanni… I said yes Van Bronckhorst, and she told me that he is her Uncle.

I had showed her photos of Gio playing for Rangers and even a photo of my Daughter re-enacting Gios celebration vs Celtic, Next moment she said to me would you like to speak to Gio, and me like a big kid was shocked, So she said to come outside and then FaceTimed Van Bronckhorst, I stood in disbelief at that point and had a brief conversation on the phone with Gio, just thanking him for service as a player and manager and he had asked do I go to many games.

Cool story bro etc, No pics of the lady, but a night out on the town ending with a brief conversation with an ex Ranger made my night.

 

[McQueen]

Brilliant!

Managed us during my best moment as a supporter. That Ibrox match against Leipzig has been the best I’ve ever felt as a fan

 

[EastBelfastBear1872]

Brilliant!

Managed us during my best moment as a supporter. That Ibrox match against Leipzig has been the best I’ve ever felt as a fan

I’d probably have to agree with you mate.

 

[Whitburnbear]

Superb to hear.

Gio will always be a Rangers Legend

 

[TerrySilverLoyal]

A genuine cool story bro for once

A gentleman is Gio and although it never fully worked out I still love him and would be welcome back.

 

[UncertainSmile]

Such a shame that it didn't work-out in the long-term for Gio. He just exudes class in the way that he conducts himself.

 

[venturablue]

Used to meet him often whilst getting a coffee in Eusebi Deli. Regardless of how things ended he is a class act and the Europa run was unforgettable.

 

[Empire]

Can we just enjoy the OP’s decent story without it being sidetracked by a load of VL’s acting as if they’ve never spoke to a girl before.

 

[Crouchy]

A penalty kick and a save away from being immortal.

Seems like a top bloke.

 

[Spart7]

That's a great story.

 

[insanicdrunk]

Last Saturday night I was out in Belfast city centre with 2 mates, We were out for a few beers.

A Lady came over to our table and set down a pint of Guinness and said there’s a pint if you want it, I thanked her for the drink but said i didn’t drink Guinness, So one of my mates took it,
I asked the girl where she was from and she said Holland, So I then asked does she follow Football, and she told me she supports Feyenoord.

I mentioned that I was a Rangers supporter and that both teams had someone who played and Managed them, I was about to say who it was and the girl said Giovanni… I said yes Van Bronckhorst, and she told me that he is her Uncle.

I had showed her photos of Gio playing for Rangers and even a photo of my Daughter re-enacting Gios celebration vs Celtic, Next moment she said to me would you like to speak to Gio, and me like a big kid was shocked, So she said to come outside and then FaceTimed Van Bronckhorst, I stood in disbelief at that point and had a brief conversation on the phone with Gio, just thanking him for service as a player and manager and he had asked do I go to many games.

Cool story bro etc, No pics of the lady, but a night out on the town ending with a brief conversation with an ex Ranger made my night.

Love random shit like this. Cool as fuk.

 

[EastBelfastBear1872]

Love random shit like this. Cool as fuk.

It was very random, out of any table she could’ve set that pint at it was mine, and I doubt there was many if any other Rangers fans in that bar on the night.

 

[chilebear]

Good story mate . Gio was good for us I’ll always love Gio

Did you pump the lady though?

 

[JC85]

Never been as gutted that it didn't work out for a manager as I was with Gio. He's a class act and I'd really like to see him back at Ibrox as a guest of the club. Took us to literally a penalty kick away from the greatest achievement in our history.

 

[DrMantisTobogganMD]

Great story mate.

It's still sad the way Gio was treated and iam just as disapointed in myself for some of the grief i gave him.

 

[PT98]

A penalty kick and a save away from being immortal.

Seems like a top bloke.

Closer than that mate, a Kent chance that 9/10 times ends up in the back of the net.

Still feel sick when I think of that

 

[bud_light]

Love the guy.If we had won in Seville who knows what could have happened next

 

[Crouchy]

Closer than that mate, a Kent chance that 9/10 times ends up in the back of the net.

Still feel sick when I think of that

I’ve watched the pen since, not through choice, but never the Kent chance actually.

 

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

Brilliant story and love to hear the positives about Gio, as great servant to the club and got us very very close, giving us some great nights along the way.

What’s he doing up so late though?! Was he in his pjs?

 

[MartinS93]

Brilliant!

Managed us during my best moment as a supporter. That Ibrox match against Leipzig has been the best I’ve ever felt as a fan

Braga itself was a special night, but Red Bull at home was like Braga on acid.

Like you say, never felt anything like that as a fan before that. Best night supporting Rangers we'll probably ever have, unless we can go that one step further of course!

 

[TWFWSOJB]

Got great love for Gio, what a player

 

[LoyalAndBlue82]

Genuinely one of the best story's I've ever ever heard re Rangers

GVB is an utter gentleman and welcome back at Ibrox anytime. He gave us some of the best nights of our lives

 

[wee_bear]

Gio was a great player and my favourite of the Advocaat era, he really filled the Gascoigne void in that number 8 jersey and away one of only a few who actually went on to better things after Rangers.

The Seville run was the best experience I’ve had following Rangers and Gio will always be remembered fondly for his part played.

That said, I think it was right to move on when we did. He’ll always be welcomed warmly by us for sure.

 

[Orange Peel]

Nice.
Did ye slip the hon?

 

[cooprfc]

She's came over to you and broke the ice and you asked her if she liked football? You blew it!

Na that's actually a class story! Well in mate.

 

[Cambuslang Ranger]

Brilliant story !

 

[Johnny Yen]

Closer than that mate, a Kent chance that 9/10 times ends up in the back of the net.

Still feel sick when I think of that

I've tortured myself many a time on this, I genuinely think VAR would have ruled it out anyway, which would have been a billion times worse.

 

[thomsonstackle]

I've tortured myself many a time on this, I genuinely think VAR would have ruled it out anyway, which would have been a billion times worse.

I actually think about Tav’s free kick in the last minute of ET a lot.

He genuinely buries that free kick 8 times out of 10.

 

[VGM]

I've tortured myself many a time on this, I genuinely think VAR would have ruled it out anyway, which would have been a billion times worse.

That Japanese goal at the World Cup makes me think it would have stood.

Doesn’t matter now anyway.

 

[Cooper 11]

That is a cool story, brother

 

[Russell]

Outstanding story. Thanks for sharing pal.

 

[Bluesea81]

Brilliant story mate.

 

[UpToMyKnees]

Nice uplifting story to share. I’d have said (in a starstruck way) exactly the same. Being at the EL Final in Seville - for those 12minutes we were ahead - were the best in my life. I’ll be forever grateful to him for it.

 

[Micah Bell]

Brilliant story. I’ll always have huge respect for Gio, guys an absolute class act and deserved better. The fact he was willing to take a call and just chat away to a random fan says it all.

 

[Ron Swanson]

Good to see that history is already looking kindly on Gio’s time with us.

A European Final, a Scottish Cup and a CL qualification in such a short space of time gave us some great memories, but also really helped counter a lot of the damage done financially by Covid.

I’ll never forget that period of time from beating Leipzig to the penalty shoot out in the final - it felt like I was walking on air.

I’ll always thank him for that.

It wasn’t to be in the final, and my therapist assures me that that pain will eventually start to fade if I keep focusing on the positives of getting there in the first place.

 

[FMTLoyal]

Good to see that history is already looking kindly on Gio’s time with us.

A European Final, a Scottish Cup and a CL qualification in such a short space of time gave us some great memories, but also really helped counter a lot of the damage done financially by Covid.

I’ll never forget that period of time from beating Leipzig to the penalty shoot out in the final - it felt like I was walking on air.

It wasn’t to be in the final, and my therapist assures me that that pain will eventually start to fade if I keep focusing on the positives of getting there in the first place.

too much to even think about on a Monday morning. We will be back one day and win the fcking thing! (Hopefully)