Rangers fans cycling from Markinch Ibrox Disaster memorial to Ibrox for fundraiser

mdingwall

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https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/pe...OkROiuRedZF5cthK4kRFU_q0eyxNBz7-xm6WCuGupvBIk

Rangers fans cycling from Markinch Ibrox Disaster memorial to Ibrox for fundraiser​

A group of Rangers fans from Coatbridge are cycling from Markinch to Ibrox later this month, raising funds for a grave restoration fund.​

Memorial to Rangers fans from Markinch  who died in the Ibrox Disaster.
Memorial to Rangers fans from Markinch who died in the Ibrox Disaster.
12 fans are taking part, setting off from the Markinch Ibrox Disaster memorial – to the five boys from the village who died in the 1971 disaster – and finishing at Ibrox, some 72 miles later.
The group are aiming to start at 7am on June 12, and will be laying a wreath at the memorial beforehand.
The funds raiser will go towards The Founders Trail grave restoration fund, which used to make sure the graves of the club’s founders are kept pristine.
David Campbell, one of those taking part, said he was unaware of the story of the five boys from Markinch until he watched a BBC documentary about the disaster earlier this year.
January 2, 2021, marked the 50th anniversary of the disaster.
David said he thought setting off from the memorial would be “poignant”.
For more information or to donate, visit – https://bit.ly/3uNa1mL.
 
Donation sent.

Great effort by the cyclists from Coatbridge for what was the saddest chapter of the saddest day in our Club’s history.
 
Thanks for posting this and raising awareness I’m one of the group taking part. We really appreciate the donations already and welcome anyone else to donate no matter what amount.

It’s a fair distance and some of those taking part haven’t cycled for years but training has been going well.

Also thanks to Robert Marshall from the Louden who is holding space for us when we get back for a few refreshments.
 
Thanks for posting this and raising awareness I’m one of the group taking part. We really appreciate the donations already and welcome anyone else to donate no matter what amount.

It’s a fair distance and some of those taking part haven’t cycled for years but training has been going well.

Also thanks to Robert Marshall from the Louden who is holding space for us when we get back for a few refreshments.
This is a fantastic effort. Thank you.

I’m going to be in Belfast next weekend but I’ll be kept up to speed.
 
Thanks for posting this and raising awareness I’m one of the group taking part. We really appreciate the donations already and welcome anyone else to donate no matter what amount.

It’s a fair distance and some of those taking part haven’t cycled for years but training has been going well.

Also thanks to Robert Marshall from the Louden who is holding space for us when we get back for a few refreshments.
Made a wee donation on behalf of the site.
 
Small donation made. .....(73 auld pensioner)

Funny how things like this brings back memories!

I remember the day well, travelling from Parkhead to the game via a 74 bus from London road and walking under the Clyde tunnel too the Govan side then hoofed it over it to Ibrox! A trek we did on every home game!

We always stood at 13 just under the covered bit , that day was no exception!

I remember wee Jinky scoring with minutes to go!
Like most there we thought that the game was over and made our way down the stairs, half way down the roar went up, that young Stein had equalized that's when the some of the crowd tried to go back up the stairs causing mayhem.

I was lucky as I was near the tubular handrail on the left of the staircase if you look up the stairs, so, I managed struggle my way to stand on the handrails and pull my mate out of the crowd and on to the handrails losing one of his shoes in the process!

We were both scaffolders so we were lucky we had upper body strength gained by tossing 21ft scaffolding tubes about all day weighting 56lbs.

We did our best to pull others out of the crowd? Then the handrails went and we all spilled over the embankment so we decided to make our way home my mate and me with the one shoe!

We were lucky the Govan ferry was in at that side so we got it over to the Anderson side, had couple of pints in Keenans bar and made our way to catch the bus back to Parkhead! No mention of disaster at this point?

When we got back to Parkhead my mate jumped into his flat for some shoes and we made our way down Westmuir St to the Anchor bar for a game of cribbage and a couple of pints our usual pastime after the game?

The only thing that was mentioned at the time was there was a bit of trouble over at Ibrox after the game?

About 8 o.clock our girls came into the pub very distressed thinking we were in the carnage at Ibrox?
We did not know what they were talking about as we did not know that anyone had died?

We got the barman to turn the auld TV on!
The reporter said there were 15 to 20 people had died up to that time?

I remember thinking at the time "There for the Grace of God go me and my mate"

When you think back to them days how lucky we are today with wall to wall reporting and mobile phones! Information is at our finger tips.

The best tribute to the 66 on that fateful days events in my opinion is by Matt McGinn a well known (Keltic diehard) in his time.

It's called "The Ibrox Disaster" you can get it on Utube it will surely bring tears to your eyes it also gives you a feeling of how it was on that fateful day!

"All Scotland mourned"
 
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Bumping this as we approach Saturday. We are going to smash through the £3000 barrier for fund raising today.

Further donations welcome as we try for even more.

Evening Times running an article on this later in the week as well.
 
KIND-HEARTED Rangers fans will use pedal power to generate cash for a good cause in memory of five boys who lost their lives in the Ibrox Disaster.

Members of Coatbridge supporters’ groups are saddling up to cycle from Markinch, in Fife, to the Light Blues’ Govan home on Saturday to raise money for The Founders Trail grave restoration fund.

The 72-mile trek will begin at the Markinch Ibrox Disaster memorial – erected in memory of the village's Peter Easton, 13, Bryan Todd, 14, Ronald Paton, 14, Mason Philip, 14, and Douglas Morrison, 15 – and see around 10 fans take on the daunting challenge.

Davie Campbell, one of the organisers of the cycle, said it would be a “poignant” way to honour the teenagers.

The 55-year-old said: “Every fan is aware of the Ibrox Disaster but not everyone knows about the five boys who lost their lives in Markinch.

“For one village to lose five boys in one day and for them not to come home from a football match is just crazy.

“We’ve been doing the cycling for a bit and just wanted to bring the two of them together. It will be very poignant to do it from Markinch.”

The cycle is set to begin on a touching note when the supporters meet Peter Lee – a friend of the five boys who was also at the match – at the memorial and lay a wreath.

He reached out to the group after reading about their plans.

“They all walked together to their buses for the game,” Davie added. “It was really nice of him to contact us.

“We are really looking forward to it and can’t wait to get going.”

A total of 66 people lost their lives in the Ibrox Disaster of 1971 during a crush on Stairway 13 in the final moments of a January 2 Old Firm clash.

To donate, visit the JustGiving page.
 
KIND-HEARTED Rangers fans will use pedal power to generate cash for a good cause in memory of five boys who lost their lives in the Ibrox Disaster.

Members of Coatbridge supporters’ groups are saddling up to cycle from Markinch, in Fife, to the Light Blues’ Govan home on Saturday to raise money for The Founders Trail grave restoration fund.

The 72-mile trek will begin at the Markinch Ibrox Disaster memorial – erected in memory of the village's Peter Easton, 13, Bryan Todd, 14, Ronald Paton, 14, Mason Philip, 14, and Douglas Morrison, 15 – and see around 10 fans take on the daunting challenge.

Davie Campbell, one of the organisers of the cycle, said it would be a “poignant” way to honour the teenagers.

The 55-year-old said: “Every fan is aware of the Ibrox Disaster but not everyone knows about the five boys who lost their lives in Markinch.

“For one village to lose five boys in one day and for them not to come home from a football match is just crazy.

“We’ve been doing the cycling for a bit and just wanted to bring the two of them together. It will be very poignant to do it from Markinch.”

The cycle is set to begin on a touching note when the supporters meet Peter Lee – a friend of the five boys who was also at the match – at the memorial and lay a wreath.

He reached out to the group after reading about their plans.

“They all walked together to their buses for the game,” Davie added. “It was really nice of him to contact us.

“We are really looking forward to it and can’t wait to get going.”

A total of 66 people lost their lives in the Ibrox Disaster of 1971 during a crush on Stairway 13 in the final moments of a January 2 Old Firm clash.

To donate, visit the JustGiving page.
Thanks mate.
 
Tribute in Remembrance of the Five Young Boys from Markinch, who tragically lost their lives in the Ibrox Disaster on January 2nd, 1971

Peter Easton, 13,

Bryan Todd,14

Ronald Paton 14

Mason Philip,14

Douglas Morrison, 15

The Five Young Boys From Markinch

It was January the 2nd in Nineteen Seventy One when ....

The hills of Scotland softly wept
Their tears flowed through the glen
The Bard sat with an empty scroll
And an ink filled fountain pen

As Angels bore upon their wings
A thorned rose at dawn
Golden harps with broken strings
Lay strewn on Heaven's lawn

For five young boys had come from Markinch
Just to watch the Rangers play
And they would never make it home
Upon that woeful, tragic day

They were Peter, Bryan, Ronald
Mason, Douglas too
Loving friends together
Bedecked in Royal Blue

Oh blessèd sons of Markinch
The village has never been the same
Since yous left without returning
From that Old Firm game

Five empty seats upon the bus
Of the Glenrothes RSC
Five angels soaring skywards
Heaven's gain, our misery

Oh If only we could see you all
Walk down our streets once more
Singing songs of Rangers
The team yous did adore

Each name's engraved upon a stone
To keep your memory alive
Lest we should e'er dare forget
The absence of our Markinch Five

But your forever in our thoughts
We'll forever feel your presence
Alive within our aching hearts
In all of your immortal essence

So God bless our Markinch Bluebells
With Your everlasting love
And may they bloom forever
In Your Celestial Fields above

Rest Easy Lads

ItsInTheNet
 
About 8 o.clock our girls came into the pub very distressed thinking we were in the carnage at Ibrox?
We did not know what they were talking about as we did not know that anyone had died?

This is similar to what happened with my dad who was at the game.

Left the game, went to the pub. At about 8-9pm my mum comes into the pub in tears and starts leathering him. He had no idea anything had happened and went to the pub as normal, my mum had spent hours trying to find him thinking he was dead
 
Tribute in Remembrance of the Five Young Boys from Markinch, who tragically lost their lives in the Ibrox Disaster on January 2nd, 1971

Peter Easton, 13,

Bryan Todd,14

Ronald Paton 14

Mason Philip,14

Douglas Morrison, 15

The Five Young Boys From Markinch

It was January the 2nd in Nineteen Seventy One when ....

The hills of Scotland softly wept
Their tears flowed through the glen
The Bard sat with an empty scroll
And an ink filled fountain pen

As Angels bore upon their wings
A thorned rose at dawn
Golden harps with broken strings
Lay strewn on Heaven's lawn

For five young boys had come from Markinch
Just to watch the Rangers play
And they would never make it home
Upon that woeful, tragic day

They were Peter, Bryan, Ronald
Mason, Douglas too
Loving friends together
Bedecked in Royal Blue

Oh blessèd sons of Markinch
The village has never been the same
Since yous left without returning
From that Old Firm game

Five empty seats upon the bus
Of the Glenrothes RSC
Five angels soaring skywards
Heaven's gain, our misery

Oh If only we could see you all
Walk down our streets once more
Singing songs of Rangers
The team yous did adore

Each name's engraved upon a stone
To keep your memory alive
Lest we should e'er dare forget
The absence of our Markinch Five

But your forever in our thoughts
We'll forever feel your presence
Alive within our aching hearts
In all of your immortal essence

So God bless our Markinch Bluebells
With Your everlasting love
And may they bloom forever
In Your Celestial Fields above

Rest Easy Lads

ItsInTheNet
A wonderful moving tribute.
 
Thanks for posting this and raising awareness I’m one of the group taking part. We really appreciate the donations already and welcome anyone else to donate no matter what amount.

It’s a fair distance and some of those taking part haven’t cycled for years but training has been going well.

Also thanks to Robert Marshall from the Louden who is holding space for us when we get back for a few refreshments.
What time do you expect to get to The Louden?
 
Set off from Markinch on time with the backing of a small group of locals! Sun shining on the righteous and I’m sure there will be a great welcome awaiting at the Louden.
 
Small donation made. .....(73 auld pensioner)

Funny how things like this brings back memories!

I remember the day well, travelling from Parkhead to the game via a 74 bus from London road and walking under the Clyde tunnel too the Govan side then hoofed it over it to Ibrox! A trek we did on every home game!

We always stood at 13 just under the covered bit , that day was no exception!

I remember wee Jinky scoring with minutes to go!
Like most there we thought that the game was over and made our way down the stairs, half way down the roar went up, that young Stein had equalized that's when the some of the crowd tried to go back up the stairs causing mayhem.

I was lucky as I was near the tubular handrail on the left of the staircase if you look up the stairs, so, I managed struggle my way to stand on the handrails and pull my mate out of the crowd and on to the handrails losing one of his shoes in the process!

We were both scaffolders so we were lucky we had upper body strength gained by tossing 21ft scaffolding tubes about all day weighting 56lbs.

We did our best to pull others out of the crowd? Then the handrails went and we all spilled over the embankment so we decided to make our way home my mate and me with the one shoe!

We were lucky the Govan ferry was in at that side so we got it over to the Anderson side, had couple of pints in Keenans bar and made our way to catch the bus back to Parkhead! No mention of disaster at this point?

When we got back to Parkhead my mate jumped into his flat for some shoes and we made our way down Westmuir St to the Anchor bar for a game of cribbage and a couple of pints our usual pastime after the game?

The only thing that was mentioned at the time was there was a bit of trouble over at Ibrox after the game?

About 8 o.clock our girls came into the pub very distressed thinking we were in the carnage at Ibrox?
We did not know what they were talking about as we did not know that anyone had died?

We got the barman to turn the auld TV on!
The reporter said there were 15 to 20 people had died up to that time?

I remember thinking at the time "There for the Grace of God go me and my mate"

When you think back to them days how lucky we are today with wall to wall reporting and mobile phones! Information is at our finger tips.

The best tribute to the 66 on that fateful days events in my opinion is by Matt McGinn a well known (Keltic diehard) in his time.

It's called "The Ibrox Disaster" you can get it on Utube it will surely bring tears to your eyes it also gives you a feeling of how it was on that fateful day!

"All Scotland mourned"
The disaster happened a few minutes after the final whistle
 
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