ONE of Ardencaple Football Club’s longest-serving players rubbed shoulders with past and present Rangers legends on a visit to Ibrox Stadium recently.

Ronan Cross was the lucky recipient of one of the most sought-after auction prizes at a ‘sporting dinner’ held last year as part of Caple’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

Parents Robert and Lisa bid top dollar for the prize of a top signed by six of the Rangers legends who won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in Barcelona in 1972.

READ MORE: Old Firm legends dine out in Helensburgh with Ardencaple auction winners

The prize was obtained by the club with the help of Colin Stewart of the Rangers Youth Foundation, who also arranged for the prize to be presented on the pitch at Ibrox before a Rangers match of the winner’s choice.

Ronan, who currently plays for Ardencaple’s under-19 team, has hardly missed a Caple match since he began playing for the club at the age of five – and he and his dad went along to the recent Premiership match between Rangers and Hearts as a birthday treat, with the full scale of the day not becoming apparent to Ronan until after his arrival at the ground.

Not only was Ronan presented with his framed shirt by John Greig, captain of the team which defeated Dymano Moscow in the Nou Camp 48 years ago, but he and Robert also had the chance to meet Ibrox legends Mark Hateley and Derek Johnstone and with present-day stars James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Scott Arfield and Ryan Kent, all of whom had their photos taken with the lucky Burgh pair.

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