Given that Rangers Glasgow FC is undoubtedly among the biggest and most significant football teams in the UK, let’s take a closer look and see what truly makes this team so amazing. Of course, the main ingredient of the Rangers cocktail is the fanbase.
The Rangers FC supporters are the greatest example of how to demonstrate loyalty in football. The Gers followers are fuelled with passionately loyal support that draws from a mix of deep traditions, strong community relations, shared victories and defeats and, especially, cultural identity.
This passion is not directly linked to football on the turf, which gives this article the role of presenting what Rangers FC fans really mean to the core. Thus, football is the vehicle that brings Rangers’ fans together, a statement confirmed by the reputable BetBrain, since The Light Blue’s matches are the most popular on the website among the Scottish Premiership ones.
152 years of deep-rooted traditions
Rangers FC was founded in 1872, and since then, it has developed an incredible legacy that is deeply held by its supporters. A plethora of cultural symbols helped these fans build a proper identity that broke Sctoland’s boundaries over the years.
In their royal blue jerseys and with the „Follow Follow” song shouted by tens of thousands of people, the Rangers FC fans celebrate Founders Day every year. These traditions, however, are much more than simply rituals: they call for a general memory and a shared identity which dates back over a century.
Ibrox Stadium is home to the club, and it remains an icon for fans who visit not only to witness football but also to experience something unique: the energy that Rangers FC fans generate.
Strong Community Ties
The Rangers supporters are considered community loyalists who never back down. This could be supported by the many supporter charities and community programs to which the club is associated.
For example, the Foundation of Rangers Charity works in partnership with fans to give them a sense of responsibility and pride in contributing to improving the lives of children and adults in and around Glasgow.
Shared Victories and Defeats
Every Rangers FC fan has a truly special experience when the team wins or loses. Apart from an impressive record consisting of over 50 league titles, numerous domestic trophies, and triumphs in European competitions, most fans have a winning mentality. Therefore, by celebrating these victories, the supporters have built a real connection between them.
The financial troubles of 2012, followed by relegation to the fourth tier of Scottish football, tested the loyalty of Rangers FC fans who had been through difficult times. The response was phenomenal as fans reunited around the club at a time when attendance in the lower divisions of the club was at record levels, showing it was not just in victory but also in an adverse environment.
Speaking about attendances, Rangers supporters have contributed to a bunch of records. Some notable to mention:
- The highest home attendance for a British league fixture - 118,567, on 2nd January 1939;
- The highest attendance at a friendly fixture - 104,679, established in 1961, at Hampden Park, against Eintracht Frankfurt;
- The highest attendance for a fourth-tier match against Berwick Rangers during the 2012-2013 season: 50,048 spectators;
However, among the main reasons Rangers FC fans are known for are their unique supporter groups. The most known are Rangers First, Rangers Supporters’ Trust, Club 1872, Rangers Supporters Assembly, Rangers Supporters Association, Rangers Fan Board, Sons of Struth, Vanguard Bears, NARSA, ORSA, The Blue Order and Union Bears.
In conclusion, the loyalty of Rangers FC supporters is more than a phenomenon rooted in a rich part of Scottish football history. It is a cultural identity. Every game played at Ibrox helps to celebrate and solidify the collective culture, strengthening the ties that connect the Rangers community.