Rangers legend Willie Mathieson has thrown his weight behind a bid for a statue in his honour in his Fife hometown.
Cardenden man Scott Carr has started raising cash for a tribute to the 79-year-old and legendary teammate Willie Johnston, who both hail from the town.
The pair played in Rangers’ 1972 European Cup Winners’ Cup Final in Barcelona, where Johnston scored twice.
It’s the only European trophy Rangers have ever won.
Johnston also made 22 appearances for Scotland.
But while Gers hero Jim Baxter is honoured with a statue just seven miles away in Hill of Beath, there is nothing in Cardenden to remember Mathieson and Johnston’s achievements.
Scott, 40, said it was time to change that.
The Rangers fan already has a sculptor on board and has just launched a fundraiser to make it happen.
He said: “Willie Mathieson and Willie Johnson grew up yards from each other, went to the same primary school in Cardenden and both worked down the pit here before joining Rangers.
“I can’t believe we don’t have anything to honour them.”
Mathieson ‘absolutely delighted’ by tribute
Mathieson enjoyed 15 seasons at Rangers and played in more than 300 games.
He said Scott’s suggestion came out of the blue.
“I’m totally surprised but absolutely delighted about it after all these years,” he said.
“It’s so nice of Scott to think about us. Willie and I are both really happy about it.
“I just hope it happens now.”
Mathieson described his playing career as some of the happiest days of his life.
And he revealed he is still in touch with many of his former teammates.
“I loved it, thoroughly loved it,” he said.
“I was in love with football and it’s all I ever wanted to do.
“Playing in Barcelona and winning that was the highlight of my career.”
Earned more down the pit than at Ibrox
Johnston and Mathieson worked at Bowhill pit after they left school.
While Johnston, now 76, wasn’t there for long, Mathieson’s dad insisted he finish his apprenticeship before opting for full-time football.
“I was an apprentice electrician and I was two years into it when Rangers asked me to sign,” he said.
The Ibrox side paid £6-a-week until he joined full-time but even then his earnings were paltry.
“If I’d stayed at the pit I’d have got £32-a-week but Rangers gave me £27,” Mathieson recalled.
He and Johnston travelled to Glasgow by train together on match days and had to endure the abuse of supporters on the way home when they lost.
“It’s certainly changed days now,” he laughed.
Both players later lived in Kirkcaldy
Mathieson left Rangers in 1975 when he moved to Berwick Rangers and later finished his playing career at Raith Rovers.
He lived in Kirkcaldy for many years before moving to Auchterarder.
Johnston, known as Bud, moved to West Bromwich Albion and in 2004 was named one of their 16 greatest players of all time.
He ran the Port Brae pub in Kirkcaldy for many years until it closed in 2019.
Scott is determined to honour the pair and has begun racking up support to raise £12,000.
Achievements ‘worth celebrating’
The Lothian Buses worker said the idea was inspired by his step-daughter who learned about Cardenden footballer John Thomson at school.
The Celtic goalkeeper died during an Old Firm clash at Ibrox in 1931.
Scott said: “There was nothing said about Willie Mathieson or Willie Johnston and I thought that was strange.
“There are 62 Scottish people who have won European trophies and two of them are from Cardenden.
“I’d say that’s worth celebrating.”
Plans for the monument
Scott has started a Facebook page dedicated to his quest.
The monument would take the form of a plinth with a plaque and possibly representations of the players’ faces.
And it would be built beside a memorial tree near the River Ore.
Scottish sculptor Hector Guest is on board and an online fundraiser has just gone live.
“We don’t know exactly how it will look as it depends how much we raise,” said Scott.
“We’ll probably need planning permission as well but I hope the people of Fife and Rangers fans get behind this.”
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