One of the most successful clubs in the Scottish Premiership, Rangers FC, are celebrating their 150th anniversary this year, and they’ve unveiled a special kit to mark the occasion.
The Glasgow-based club’s “Gallant Pioneers” kit pays tribute to its four founding members: Moses McNeil, Peter McNeil, Peter Campbell and William McBeath. They met in March 1872 to start the club, and they were playing matches by May of that year.
The Castore-manufactured anniversary kit — which goes along with previously unveiled home, away and third kits — is predominantly white. The front of the shirt includes embossed stripes with lettering reading “THE GALLANT PIONEERS.”
It also features an off-centre henley collar, which the club notes was a prominent feature of the club’s early kits in the 1800s.
The shirt features an RFC monogram inside a shield on the left chest, with a ribbon underneath reading “1872 – 150 YEARS – 2022”. The shield does not appear on the club’s other 2021-22 kits, and the monogram is different. The ribbon, however, is consistent across all four kits. The embroidery is a light shade of blue.
The shorts and socks that go along with the shirts are also white with light blue embroidery.
The name of the kit is taken from a quote from Bill Struth, Rangers’ manager from 1920 to 1954:
“No matter the days of anxiety that come our way, we shall emerge stronger because of the trials to be overcome. That has been the philosophy of the Rangers since the days of the gallant pioneers.”
The kit — which does not feature a sponsor logo on the front — will be worn “in a competitive match wearing the commemorative kit during the season,” according to the club’s website, “with more details to follow on this and other initiatives throughout the year.”
Feature photo courtesy Rangers.co.uk