THE match ball from the 1963 Scottish Cup Final will now take pride of place in the Ibrox trophy room after it was generously loaned by the family of the late Hall of Famer, Ian McMillan.
The ball itself was reconditioned by the team on the BBC programme, The Repair Shop, with the episode airing yesterday evening.
Rangers triumphed in a memorable Old Firm replay at Hampden Park that evening after the two sides were unable to be separated 11 days earlier.
Indeed, it was McMillan’s return to the starting lineup for the replay which inspired a 3-0 victory for the Gers, earned through a Ralph Brand double and Davie Wilson strike.
In a nod to the match being McMillan’s likely last cup final, Jim Baxter “presented” the creative midfielder with the match ball, later sent formally by the SFA who initially retrieved the ball from Baxter and were duly persuaded by the winger to gift the ball back to McMillan.
The family of The Wee Prime Minister, as he was nicknamed, were invited to Ibrox recently for a tour of the stadium and Rangers Museum from club historian David Mason.
RangersTV were on hand to speak to the family about the gifting of the ball to the club and their memories of the Gers legend, with McMillan’s grandson, Iain Russell, detailing his own journey as a Rangers Academy player which eventually led to him scoring at Ibrox as an opposition player.
Alongside additional items presented by the McMillan family, the reconditioned match ball is now on display in the Ibrox trophy room and you can experience one of our of famous stadiums tours by booking here.
Why not pay a visit to the Rangers Museum too for an immersive experience delving into the rich history of Rangers Football Club?
It is a must-visit for all Rangers supporters and football enthusiasts to experience a world-renowned club and stadium.
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