Story of a new fan

Rangerslion said:
I've seen other do this and wasn't sure if I should but thought it would be nice to tell the story.

My papa was never into football. For 84 years of his life he couldn't tell you much apart from Rangers where the blue ones and that mob where the greens ones. To be honest the only thing he ever done football related was a very long time ago, he used to make flags and sell them to fans coming over from Northern Ireland. As a Northern Irish man himself he had loads of friends and family who came over for the football regularly so knew there was boat loads of people.

He's was an army man, served his time and told me many a story about the soldiers in his regiment singing football songs. One story in particular always brought a smile to my face. He was posted in Malaya in the 1950s and they were all terrified and always trying to cheer each other up. One night as the camp was quiet as a mouse, everyone settled down and most of them getting ready to go to sleep. They heard a lone piper at the other side of the camp strike up a song on the bagpipes. It was non other than the Sash which most of the camp got a right good laugh at.

Anyway later in life around his late 70s my papa ended up in a wheelchair due to health issues. Due to this I started spending as much free time with him over the last 8 years roughly as possible. He would always ask me where I was going when I used to leave and a lot of the time it was me going to see the football with the boys.

Around 3 years ago, he started asking me questions about Rangers. Who you playing tonight? Is wee Morelly playing? He seems to score quite often eh? To which one night I said if you'd like papa I'll tell the boys I'll give it a miss and stick it on the telly for us to watch here. That was around 3 years ago and from that first match my papa was hooked on us. He'd watch every game, even watch that mobs games hoping they'd drop points, read all the papers and Google everything about us. At first my family would crack jokes because at 84 years old never having watched a game in his life they were surprised how he'd started watching it so late in life. As time went by and they seen how passionate he was and how he'd shout at the telly like he was there and celebrate every goal they knew football time was serious and we'd religiously watch every game together.

This Season he was buzzing because of how great we've been. He was always talking about us and you could see the excitement about how we were going to win the title this season and how much he was looking forward to it. Me personally I was over the moon that I'd get to celebrate a title with my papa as I've seen us win plenty, but never with the auld boy and every point closer we got was another step towards that first title he'd see us win as a fan.

Unfortunately my papa had loads of health issues as I said earlier. Testicular cancer, skin cancer, cancer in his spine, senile dementia, blood clots, you name it he had it, but still fought on and was always smiling. Last week he got took into the hospital for a sore stomach which we all thought would be dealt with quite fast, and he'd be back out in time for the second leg. Unfortunately that sore stomach was severe acute pancreatitis which he fought for around 8 days and past away this morning.

As heart breaking as it is that I know he never got to see us lift the title. I wanted to tell his story about how he became a fan at the grand old age of 84 and was as passionate about us as anyone I know.

Sorry if that's too long guys it's late and I just kept typing.
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Great story mate. Lovely you spent time with your papa.
 
That’s a nice story well told.
Shame your papa just missed the finale of our incredible comeback story but you made his final years so much more enjoyable by sharing your time and your love of Rangers with him.
 
Thanks for sharing the moving story of your papa. You’re never too old to join the Rangers family. I am sure you will take great comfort from all the wonderful comments this wonderful family will send your way. Take care ;)
 
Condolences mate. My auld man went to Ibrox and watched Rangers in the 50s and 60s. Told me about Baxter, Forrest etc when I was growing up in the 70s. Had to work shifts in the steelworks to bring us up and stopped going (struggling to feed his family).
I got a season ticket because of my upbringing.
I’ve not been able to go lately, due to other circumstances but still remain a fan, but probably not a financial supporter.
Everybody who has supported the bears over our long history had a part to play.
I stood in the enclosure in the 80s when less than 10 000 were there and you could shout to your mates in the Copeland!
Had a conversation with him last week and he’s absolutely elated this season, 82 years old.
 
Rest in Peace old fella. I enjoyed the read, sad as it was mate. Condolences to you and yours. Raise a glass to him when 55 arrives and take comfort from the fact that he died knowing that we've won it this year.
 
I'd like to personally thank each and every one of you that took the time to say some kind words and interacted with the post. It took me a couple of days to read everything as the support shown and the kind words had me in tears several times.

I wrote the post in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep and could have added so much more to it. My auld papa got me a brick in the Broomloan last season which will always be there now and I'll always have that to remember him by anytime I'm at Ibrox.

I'm glad I posted it now, I wasn't too sure at first but it helped me putting some of the things I had in my head into words. The support shown by fellow fans was unreal and really showed me that we are one big family and always look out for each other.

I'll leave the thread on a good wee story I didn't know about until the last few days and thank you all again. After every game we won and I'd left my papas house. The auld yin who was always phoning the family on video call for a wee chat would phone my sister and sing her a wee song or two. I didnt know this until the last couple of days but he had learned the words to Penny Arcade and 4 lads had a dream, and would call my sister after I'd left and belt out both songs with a big smile on his face.

Thank you all again everyone and wee Hagi just popped the third in there just as I was about to click post.
 
Rangerslion said:
I'd like to personally thank each and every one of you that took the time to say some kind words and interacted with the post. It took me a couple of days to read everything as the support shown and the kind words had me in tears several times.

I wrote the post in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep and could have added so much more to it. My auld papa got me a brick in the Broomloan last season which will always be there now and I'll always have that to remember him by anytime I'm at Ibrox.

I'm glad I posted it now, I wasn't too sure at first but it helped me putting some of the things I had in my head into words. The support shown by fellow fans was unreal and really showed me that we are one big family and always look out for each other.

I'll leave the thread on a good wee story I didn't know about until the last few days and thank you all again. After every game we won and I'd left my papas house. The auld yin who was always phoning the family on video call for a wee chat would phone my sister and sing her a wee song or two. I didnt know this until the last couple of days but he had learned the words to Penny Arcade and 4 lads had a dream, and would call my sister after I'd left and belt out both songs with a big smile on his face.

Thank you all again everyone and wee Hagi just popped the third in there just as I was about to click post.
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Brilliant wee closing story mate.

What a character he was.
 
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