JAMES WILSON

Craigton Cemetery

James Wilson
1862 - 1914

In 2015 our research, gleamed from the records at the Mitchell Library, confirmed that a James Wilson who was trainer at Rangers from 1897 and a respected individual who also worked tirelessly with the building process of our great Club, had died suddenly due to a bout of double pneumonia in 1914 at 21 Princes Street in Govan aged 52 and was buried at Craigton Cemetery.

Bill Struth who was trainer at Clyde at this time was offered Mr Wilson’s job at Rangers but refused to take another man’s place at our Club and that changed upon the sudden passing of Mr Wilson. The Club had actually organised a benefit match for Mr Wilson against Everton at Ibrox only a week before he passed.

We recently discovered Mr Wilson’s stone at Craigton and were incredibly fortunate that although sadly it was off it’s base it was lying on the grass inscription side up.

A real chill went through us as we cleared the earth and moss from James Wilson’s stone and the words ‘’Trainer of Rangers’’ emerged.