Euan is a member of Club 1872’s Board and donates much of his spare time to help run the organisation.
Like many supporters, he was thrilled to see Rangers launch the EA campaign ahead of the 2019/20 season and has praised the club for creating a lasting and meaningful initiative which champions diversity, tolerance and inclusion.
The 37-year-old season ticket holder, who works for Dell Technologies, believes the initiative helps makes Ibrox a welcoming place for fans from all backgrounds.
He explained:
“This is what makes Rangers so special and demonstrates that we are open to all communities, race and religions. By spreading that message and enshrining it within our culture, it can only help new and future supporters feel valued members of the Rangers community.
“I was fortunate to meet a lot of the people involved in the campaign and it was great to hear the many different stories about how they came to follow Rangers and how included they were made to feel by the club as well as within the support.
“That said, there is always scope to do more which is why this campaign is vital, the more we get the message out there the more the club can be at the forefront of change within society. Sadly, recent events in the world has shown we need to continue to do as much as we possibly can to build a culture of tolerance, acceptance and understanding to those around us. We all have a part to play.
“As part of my work I travel to difference countries and I have managed team members around the world all of whom bring something different to their roles in terms of skills, knowledge, culture, humour etc.
“Diversity makes the workplace stronger and when you have such a wealth of different perspectives you learn to appreciate there are so many different ways to succeed together. This can only be done by listening to each other, having an open mind and learning from the experiences and values of others.
“I think this is also true at Rangers.
“It was great to see him share his experience and love of Rangers with the people he met but also the willingness of club officials to not only introduce him to their club but to immerse him within the culture of India.
“It looked an amazing experience and one that I’m sure changed him forever. We have a Dell Office there and I will 100% be looking for a ticket when I get the chance to go there next. I’d encourage anyone to go and view the video of his journey and to read his Everyone Anyone story and you will see exactly what I mean.
“I was so proud the club were making these connections and look forward to these continuing. It’s these new connections, the shared passion for the game, and the love we all have for our club that helps spread the word around the world and helps us continue to build our brand.
“But it’s not just Jamie’s story. I have found all the recent EA fan stories really engaging to read and although they feature supporters from many different backgrounds they resonate as ultimately we all share the same passion for the club and desire for every success we can achieve together.
“Everyone has their sights set on winning title 55 and we all look forward to celebrating that day together. My fellow Club 1872 Directors, Laura and Stuart, were also part of the campaign and while I work with them closely I also found there was so much I didn’t already know about them and their experiences, which again highlights the importance of taking the time to ask questions and listen to people’s perspectives on life.
“Jamie’s story on his trip to India resonates with me greatly as the opportunity to travel with my company to meet new people, work together, eat and drink together and share experiences is such an enriching experience I can completely relate to. I also now follow a number of them on social media where I can stay updated on their perspectives on the club too.”
Euan was one of a number of supporters from different backgrounds who took part in a photoshoot to kick the EA campaign off last summer and he was thrilled to see the final adverts introduced.
He continued: “The campaign was very well executed and I thought the images and the launch videos were extremely well presented. You know they’ve hit the mark when you get stopped in the office and asked about it or your Rangers supporting friends say they saw you on Rangers TV in an advert, at the match or on the Social Media channels.
“It’s important to find a way to ensure we can reach as many supporters as possible with a message as important as this. Oh and I’ve lost count of how many of my WhatsApp and Facebook chats had my photos plastered over them for a while, so that’s nice!
“It is not just fancy images though.
“It’s as much as about making Ibrox as positive an environment as possible as well as rooting out any negative aspect of behaviour that aren’t acceptable. That’s why it’s on all of us to take part and make a difference.”
Euan started following Rangers as a teenager and his love and awareness of the rich history of the club was cultivated when he started his first job, ironically in the East End of Glasgow.
He explained: “Traditionally my family wasn’t a big football family, although we all appreciated sport greatly, it was only when I got my first job at the age of 15 in a Tool Store in the East End of the city that I really started taking an interest in Rangers.
“Contrary to what you might think, almost everyone who worked there supported Rangers, even some of the décor in the building was Red White and Blue in places!
“When you went for lunch in the kitchen there would be paper cuttings of famous teams, players and match reports from Old firm games. I used to spend my lunch break just reading the stories and learning all about the players, where they played, who scored etc.
“In time, I’d learnt a lot about Rangers by just talking to the staff and they were so keen to share their experiences of the club that I immediately felt part of it and after that I couldn’t get enough of Rangers.
“I used to read each copy of the Rangers News from front to back 2-3 times over, you just want to absorb everything at that age! We would watch the weekend games on the TV in the store while attempting to serve customers. It was difficult trying not to over celebrate when a goal went in. Working on an Old Firm matchday was torture, although well worth it when you won because you were immediately celebrating with fellow supporters!
“I also feel an emotional connection to the last Scottish Cup semi-final we won against Celtic. After all we’d been through this was just such a release. I also just reminisce about growing up with my friends watch the Champions Leagues nights after school and the games against Bayern Munich, PSV, Monaco and Parma. This felt like a new era of glamour football and it felt a privilege to watch Rangers hold their own against the best.
“Actually I am still in touch with all those lads from school and even had a Facetime beer session along with a few others just last week. I’m proud we all still talk and follow our team together.
“I come from Lenzie but now stay in Newton Farm near Cambuslang. It’s a great location and I can get to Ibrox in 10 minutes or so. Initially I went to the odd game or two with friends until I could afford a season ticket and I had the flexibility with my weekend job to attend often enough.
“I actually had a season ticket on my own for my first season as I was just so desperate to go as soon as I could, but then we got another one for my father in law for his birthday. He hadn’t been for years and he was over the moon. We’ve both been going together ever since and look forward to the day we see us bring home our 55th title.
“We have had so many fantastic players who have pulled on the famous blue jersey but quite simply Barry Ferguson was my all-time favourite player.
“Growing up I watched him dominate Champions League matches against the top players in Europe as a Scottish midfielder at such a young age. That’s the sort of local hero inspiration that really grabs you as you follow a team. He’s the type of player you’d watch and try to learn what it was that made him so good, how he always had time on the ball, was always aware of what was around him by keeping his head up at all times and the technical ability needed to rival the superstars around him.”
Euan is also proud to play a key role on Club 1872’s Board and says the organisation continues to go from strength to strength.
“We have raised over £1.5 million in share purchases alone in the time I’ve been involved with the money going directly to club investment. We have also been able to fund a number of projects that benefit the Rangers Community, for example we restored the Tom Vallance painting visible at the top of the Marble staircase, we also funded two seasons of Walking Football as well as the Charity Foundation’s recent Children’s Christmas party.
“We’ve built up many relationships with the club and working together for the benefit of the support can only help us do more and more for the fans in the future as well as continuing to provide significant funding for Rangers.”
CLICK HERE for more information on the Everyone Anyone campaign.
CLICK HERE for more information on the new Rangers Fans Charter.
CLICK HERE for more information on Club 1872.