The game kicks off at lightening pace with enthusiasm overflowing from both Rangers and their Callander opposition. I am the goalkeeper in today’s fixture, which provides an ideal vantage point to assess Glasgow’s newest football club.
Alexander Campbell and John Hunter are my backs, with William McBeath and Peter McNeil playing at half-back. The forward line consists of William Miller, Billy Mackinnon, Moses McNeil, Harry McNeil, Peter Campbell and John Campbell.
The youthful exuberance of the four founders is quite astonishing, illustrating the fitness of their age of sixteen years. The men, draped in club colours, show better technique and skill, but their frustration overflows at their teammates, who continually chase the ball around the park. The formation quickly evaporates and is profoundly exemplified by William McBeath, who covers every blade of grass by the end of the match.
The match is bereft of clear cut opportunities and ends in a goalless draw. Peter Campbell, Moses McNeil and Peter McNeil hoist William McBeath into the air and declare him ‘Man of the Match’ for his considerable athletic efforts. These four young gentlemen are the proudest on the planet.
Billy Mackinnon and I stand, reflecting on the game. “They’ll go far.”, said Billy.
“Yes. One day they’ll be a match for anyone.”, I said, smiling at the thought of more opposition.
The Hampden Collection 