News

Four of Rangers FC’s most respected legends and ambassadors met veterans who have been attending the Rangers Charity Foundation’s Veterans At Ease programme over the last 14 weeks. Their visit highlighted the club’s continued commitment to supporting veterans’ mental wellbeing and brought inspiration and encouragement to those taking part in the 14-week course.

Veterans At Ease is a free, confidential, and professionally led mental wellbeing programme specifically for former members of the Armed Forces. Delivered on Thursday afternoons at the Ibrox Community Complex, the course is run by the Foundation’s in-house trauma counsellor, Jane McLean, alongside an experienced community coach.

Over 14 weeks, participants build resilience, teamwork, and emotional coping strategies, as well as gaining First Aid and Mental Health First Aid qualifications.

During the visit, programme participants were thrilled to welcome Barry Ferguson, John ‘Bomber’ Brown, Ian Durrant and Lee McCulloch. The former players spent time in a group session, listening to veterans’ stories, offering words of encouragement, and sharing reflections about their own lives and careers.

Former Rangers Football Club Head Coach and Club Ambassador, Barry Ferguson said:

“It’s really important that we show our support for veterans. I was with the group for an hour but to be completely honest, I could’ve spent another six in there with them.

“They had some great chat and were sharing some fantastic stories and all of them have my utmost respect for what they’ve done for this country.

“It just goes to show what kind of club Rangers is. What they do alongside the Charity Foundation is so important. Having the chance to come in here and listen to some of the veterans on the programme has been a real privilege.

“Everyone involved in this programme deserves a huge pat on the back but the guys who have decided to come along deserve an extra one because it’s difficult to open up for a lot of people but you can see first hand here, when they do, it creates a great support network for everyone.”

For the veterans taking part, the visit brought a very real sense of recognition from the wider Rangers family. One participant, George, added:

“Today was amazing! It was totally unexpected. Veterans At Ease has been amazing for me and it’s changed my life but to see the four of them come in, on their own time and spend an hour with us has really capped the whole thing off for me.

“Knowing that they’ve come to the group and appreciated what we’ve been through, it makes you feel good about yourself knowing that guys you idolised have that respect for you is a really great feeling.”

Trauma Counsellor, Jane McLean, added:

“It was amazing to have four of our Rangers legends along to meet our Veterans at Ease group, and I know that every veteran took a massive amount of pride in sharing their stories with all the players.

“The four legends showed a genuine interest in every one of the veterans, not only learning more about the programme but also by giving the group the space and time to share about themselves and their experiences. It’s great to be able to create moments like these for our wonderful veterans.”

Veterans At Ease supports military veterans in Glasgow by providing a structured, trauma-informed space to rebuild confidence, develop emotional resilience, and connect with others.

The programme’s mix of counselling, peer support, physical activity, and accredited training (First Aid, Mental Health First Aid) helps participants develop practical tools and long-lasting relationships.

To register your interest for the next Veterans At Ease programme please contact the Foundation on: rangerscharity@rangers.co.uk

We would like to thank the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for their funding support of Veterans At Ease.