Why then did it take former England manager Don Revie to organise a Testimonial Match for George Young at Brockville?

[isawthat]

Did you see Meiklejohn?
I saw Gough and Greig

No I’m afraid I never saw Meiklejohn, but my uncle who looked after me when my Dad was away fighting Mr Hitler, told me all about him and several other legends. As for Big George Young, I saw him as a Centre Half, right back, then back to Centre Half when Woodburn was suspended.

 

[Coop1872]

There was a table reserved for the club at George's testimonial dinner.
It lay empty all night.
I have no idea what the issue(s) were between the club and George, but it left a bad taste that one of our most iconic players was not thought worthy of representation by the club.
I'd rate George Young as the greatest captain our club has ever had just ahead of John Greig.

I can understand the reasons for not having a testimonial for someone who retired 30 years previously. At this particular point only four of our players had had one. In hindsight this is where a former players benevolent fund was needed. I do find it disappointing though that we seem to have been poorly represented at the events which were subsequently organised, both the game and the dinner.

 

[biggee]

I was at this match. Kevin Keegan played in it but he couldn't remember the match when I asked him about it at a sportsman's dinner a few years ago.

Thats odd.

 

[Alex Venters]

I read what our former chairman John Paton said back in 1986 about why the club had declined a testimonial and in all honesty I have a fair amount of sympathy with what he had to say. George Young retired 30 years previously and became involved in a hotel business. I said in another thread on here a couple of weeks ago that some of our supporters felt that Young had retired prematurely and that in many ways had left the club in the lurch at the time. Young was a great servant to the club but my own opinion is that the decision by the club not to become involved in a testimonial 30 years after his retirement was not unreasonable.

I agree.
However,the failure to take up an invitation to his testimonial dinner was,in my opinion,shameful.

 

[Hap Hapablap]

I understand the reasoning behind the Alan McLaren testimonial, but it still seems mental to me that he got one and the likes of DJ and Doddie didn't.

 

[beowulf]

I cant answer as to why Rangers didn't present George with a testimonial but Revie had strong Scottish connections. His wife was from Fife (her uncle was John Duncan ex- Leicester and Raith Rovers) and im sure he is buried in Edinburgh? Maybe his wife's family were blue noses?

Sounds very O-Grade English Shakespeare, esp. MacBeth - "The Thane of Fife had a wife"

 

[High Society]

Wasn't there a culture at Ibrox that lacked sympathy towards benefit matches for former players?
Rangers simply didn't believe in testimonials.
Whether people agree or not, there is an egalitarianism about this attitude as it eschews favouritism and eliminates disputes over who does and doesn't deserve such largesse.

Eventually 10 years service entitled a player to a Testimonial.

 

[willemtway]

I understand the reasoning behind the Alan McLaren testimonial, but it still seems mental to me that he got one and the likes of DJ and Doddie didn't.

I think that would be classed a benefit game, due to retrial through injury

 

[Lairdo]

There was a table reserved for the club at George's testimonial dinner.
It lay empty all night.
I have no idea what the issue(s) were between the club and George, but it left a bad taste that one of our most iconic players was not thought worthy of representation by the club.
I'd rate George Young as the greatest captain our club has ever had just ahead of John Greig

I read what our former chairman John Paton said back in 1986 about why the club had declined a testimonial and in all honesty I have a fair amount of sympathy with what he had to say. George Young retired 30 years previously and became involved in a hotel business. I said in another thread on here a couple of weeks ago that some of our supporters felt that Young had retired prematurely and that in many ways had left the club in the lurch at the time. Young was a great servant to the club but my own opinion is that the decision by the club not to become involved in a testimonial 30 years after his retirement was not unreasonable.

My late father expressed similar sentiments as you "Jimbear." While a fan of the "Iron Curtain" team, he opined that they were handsomely compensated for their efforts - far more than my father and his mates in McNair Street, Shettleston who worked at Parkhead Forge!

 

[bradfield]

Did Don Revie sister not stay in airdrie

 

[The Hawk]

Thats odd.

I was surprised but it was one of those dinners when there was a queue of folk getting a selfie with him. And everyone thought they were his best mate. Plus....I was pished.

I can barely remember it so can't criticise him for not remembering it.

 

[bilkobear]

I would have Gough, Greig, and Meiklejohn ahead of him

Meiklejohn surely set the template for what being a captain of Rangers was all about?
Perhaps even a template for being captain of any football club?
Young, Greig, Gough and even Tavs are merely inheritors of his tradition.

 

[htws]

Ronnie MacKinnon, over 10years at Ibrox, Ralph Brand, Jimmy Millar and Willie Henderson never received any benefit games or any special recognition and were part of probably the best of Rangers teams.