In 1948 a small group of Rangers fans left the Vale of Leven Association RSC and formed a club of their own.

They called the new club Burnside RSC and joined Rangers Association of supporters clubs. At the forefront of the new club were stalwarts such as Alan Brown and Davie Coventry. Mr Brown being the first President.

The club thrived in the early days, but, in the early fifties when the association threatened a boycott of Ibrox, a number of clubs including Burnside resigned and registered at Ibrox directly dealing with Rangers FC for the allocation of match tickets etc. These clubs became known as the "loyal" clubs. Burnside then changed the club name and were registered as "Dumbarton Loyal".

Initially the club prospered, but in the mid fifties as the teams fortunes declined the supporters club suffered. By 1958 it was in a critical position, the members disbanded the club, and, at the same meeting reconstituted, keeping the club title and registration at Ibrox.

A new committee was voted in with Davie Coventry as Chairman, Alex Beaton as Treasurer, Alex Hamill as bus steward and Colin McIntyre as secretary.

After two years of struggle things were to get better and the club thrived. As a way of a shock for todays members the cost of travel in 1960 was the princely sum of 10p for every Home game, and 25 pence for away games, including Aberdeen, Dundee etc. The 10p was made up of 5p per head for the drivers tip, and 10p for the sweep.

The 1960s were a great time for the club and it was then that we started the annual presentation dinner dances. Over the years we had many famous names attending, starting with Alec Willoughby, Kai Johannson, & Orjan Perrson. In the years that followed Davie Provan, Alex Miller, Willie Henderson & Ronnie McKinnon were all guests of the club, but the highlight of this era were when the legendary Willie Thronton and then big Jock Wallace honoured us with their presence.

There are many great memories such as Nuremburg and Barcelona, however there is also a downside.

In 1970, it was discovered that the club treasurer had been defrauding the club. As this came to light just after the dance honouring Ron McKinnon, the club could not meet the hospitality bills from the Hotel, and were in danger of being killed off. It was then that the club chairman Davie Coventry came to the rescue by drawing the total owed to all sources from his own account and settled the debts.

The club over a period of time paid the money back, and, at a later date made Davie honorary life President.

No charges were brought against the culprit at the members request,but, retribution was dealt out quietly and the said person was shunned by all Rangers fans till he died.

In 1982, Colin (Colie) McIntyre stepped down after 24 years as secretary and was rewarded with a presentation by the club, the presentation was carried out by Colin Jackson and former club captain Bobby Shearer.

Fortunately the club has continued in good hands since then and continues the support the Rangers deserve.

Note this was written by Colie McIntyre, and handed to Allan Hamilton in the mid eighties. Sadly Colie is no longer with us, having died soon after writing this history.

The following was written by Billy Beckett

From 1982 until 1986 lean years followed, the stadium at Ibrox was completed and the bus still ran to Home and Away matches.

The late Ian Mackie, John Paxton, Alex Gibson, Jim Crawford, Ian Marshall, Milky, Bobby Robinson, Mackers, Spadge, Alastair Neill, and a large group of members from Eastfield BC, Alastair Marshall, Drew McHard, Alan Gray kept the bus running along with the Vale diehards Billy (Pablo) Blake, Peter Downie, Fred Kennedy, Allan Hamilton, Alan McGlashan, Michael Rowe, Mary Halliday.

This was a hard time for the club as the crowds at Ibrox dropped dramatically but it was soon to change with one name Mr G Souness.

Big names arrived Butcher, Woods, Gough, Wilkins, and the fans flooded back as Rangers won the League in the 1st season under Souness. The bus also prospered with the late Ian Mackie, Jim Crawford, Davie Mair and Bus Steward Courtney Anderson at the helm, also there was a spotty youth sitting at the front of the bus who was to contribute greatly to the club, Allan Hamilton.

The bus was running well and when Rangers won the League in 1988/89, we did not realise the significance this would have in later years. Rangers on field success continued, but in the season 1992/93 the club committee split up and the finances had been frittered away.

At the EGM at Dumbarton Masonic the late Ian Mackie stepped down due to ill health, and proposed Billy Beckett as President and after some sterling work by Allan Hamilton, Davie Mair, the remaining committee and members the club had not looked back.

Allan did a great job for the club in this period as secretary running trips to Liverpool twice, Sunderland, and various Blackpool weekends, Player of the year dances were to follow, and in season 1995/96, Billy Beckett passed the President's job on to Robert Rankin.

The bus in the early eighties as seen through the eyes of the future El Presidente Allan Hamilton.

I first came onto the "Dumbarton Loyal" as it was known then, in 1981. I had previously been to see Rangers play Hibs at Ibrox on Jan 81 but had travelled by car. Funnily enough I actually was taken to see Celtic before I seen Rangers by an old friend's Dad (who was obviously not right in the head), however it proved to be a blessing in disguise as it meant my old boy basically got his finger out about a week later and got me to Ibrox (He had prior to that taken me to Vale Jnrs, and Dumbarton games, old cheap skate).

The person who introduced the club to me was in fact Frank Gale who will no doubt go into the clubs history as the person who held the Presidents job the shortest (2 hours I believe). At that time the club used Allander Travel of Milngavie and left at the Vale Car Park at 1:00pm and went around the back of the Burgh Bar, Dumbarton until 2:00pm before we set off. In those days I can remember guys like James "Jinky"Jordan, Jim Brown (now theVale bus convenyor), Harry Brown, Derek Brown, John Paxton, Collie McIntyre, Fred Kennedy (Snr), Fred Kennedy (Jnr), Donald Grant (both now John Greig bus organisers), Lawrence (aka Peter Sucliffe), Alan McGlashan (Sooty), Mary Halliday, Pablo, Peter Downie. Mick Rowe, Alan Chapel, George Smith, John Hamilton all being on the bus.

In my younger and much quieter days, I can remember nearly getting flung off the bus with my Dad at Dumbarton East Station as the bus was too busy and we had travelled for years as non members, the game was against Dumbarton in the Scottish Cup believe it or not in a game in which the Gers won 4-0. Sandy Jardine scoring the fourth on what was his Birthday. Other things took place like 3 bus windows being shattered by Hibs fans at Ibrox and the bus had to be replaced whilst we were at the game, the bus skylight was also smashed at a game v Forfar at Ibrox which again cost the club. One of my fondest memories amongst many of the trips was a game in which Rangers played Queen of the South at Palmerston Park, Dumfries in the old League Cup sections. My Dad did nt take take me to many away games, so it was brilliant when he said to me at the age of 10 that we were going to see Rangers in Dumfries. The bus left the Vale Car Park at 10am on the Sat, the Rangers team bus passed us on route and I got the chance to see Davie Cooper close up in the ground as he almost stood on me as he came out of the tunnel to shout in John McClelland from the warm up (what an honour to be nearly stood on eh!)

During that game a scuffle actually broke out between Queens fans and Gers fans in a game which we won 4-1 with Davie Mitchell scroing after 32 secs on his Rangers debut, and Davie McKinnon scoring from almost the halfway line where he shouted over to the Dugout "if only I could that all the time" tells you how sparse and quiet the crowd was on occasion. On the road home we stopped at a hotel in a wee place called "Crawford John" which you can see from the main road when heading South to England. My Dad popped in and got me two pies (which is the reason I am a fat Git now) whilst the "adults" went for a pint, and the rest of the guys had a kick about. Interestingly enough the bus driver had brought his daughter on the bus and a few of the guys fancied there chances (I was too young however). Just as I was getting dropped off, for some reason the driver decided to confide to my old man that he was a Tim and that he was glad to get the journey over and done with incase he was "done in" - for those of you who know some of the guys who went on the bus then that was quite possible!!

The bus over the years has taken me to many great games and things that I will always remember like seeing big Davie McPherson scoring on his debut for Rangers from the Penalty Spot in a 6-2 win against Albion Rovers. I can also recall having to stand coming back from some games including a game when we beat Maltese side Valleta 10-0 at Ibrox in 1983 the first leg had been 8-0. (Note that the club also attended the teams 10-1 victory v Keith in Aberdeen when Willie McLeish was the only person who got on the bus at Dumbarton). I can even remember on more than one occasion when the bus ran two buses to games normally for Cup Finals, and old Firm games, and can recall travelling with Castle Coaches (now defunct), Weirs Tours & MacTavish Coaches (Now defunct).

I can also remember the first time the club (post 80s) started using Park's of Hamilton. Jim Crawford the then club Secretary phond my house one Thursday night to inform me that we were going to be going with the company and that it came into effect the following night in a friendly match v Chelsea (which Gers won 3-2), these were the days when we played friendlies during the season as we had normally been knocked out of the Scottish Cup. Sometimes in these days it was also known for games to be switched the night before. One Friday we were due to play Clydebank at Kilbowie, but the pitch was covered in snow, so they switched the game to Ibrox on the Friday night (nightmare for the organisers or what). When we played Clydebank the first time at Kilbowie (in the Premeir League) the club did'nt run a bus, but done so the next game when Pablo and myself were about the only ones on it!!

Another game that sticks in my mind was on a Thursday night when we played Feyenoord in a night that was that bad that even the Erskine Bridge was shut due to high winds and the High Street was closed due to floods, we still managed to get the bus round the Quay which was worse than the High Street.

I have also been known to miss the bus on occasion though in 1984 v Meadowbank Thistle (Skol League Cup1st leg) I missed the bus due to Mary Halliday sending the bus away early as she thought nobody was getting on at the Vale Car park and since she was going to a keep fit class she thought no one could contact or direct him (No mobile phones in they days).

There has been many things I have saw and been part of on the bus including Pablo, my Dad and I, having to get the bus out of the snow before we could get out of the Vale Car Park, and the bus (A double decker Park's Bus v St.Mirren at Love Street Midweek) breaking down when the guys at the back who were pushing (me included) looked to the front to see another crowd pushing from the front!! (thinking the bus needed to reverse from its spot).

I was also knocked back for a Junior Member in 1985 by a guy who had only been on the bus for 5 mins, and yet got a committee place (?) in what on occasions seems to have been the norm for our club at certain intervals (so it has not always been all fun and games).

So thats what I can remember (or some of it) from 1981 until 85, I will get onto the later years in due course.

Now some people might realise why I have such a passion for the club, and hope that it gets back its popularity.