TWO charities have plenty to shout about after netting a bumper cash boost, thanks to kind-hearted football fans.
Rangers supporters have coined in £60,000 following a fundraising drive to score a Red Arrows flypast to celebrate the Light Blues' upcoming title triumph.
However, after the bid was declined by the RAF, the Bridgeton Loyal Rangers Supporters Club instead opted to split the cash between Erskine Hospital and Glasgow-based Emmie Smillie Charity Foundation.
READ MORE: Rangers fans raise £55,000 for Red Arrows to fly over Ibrox to mark Premiership title
Lee Calder, secretary of the Gers fans' group, said: "Everyone has come together and done it as one Rangers Family. We are proud as anything
"Erskine is a big one a lot of Rangers fans and the club get behind and Emmie Smillie is personal to a lot of members on the bus.
"We were actually just hoping for £14,000 at the start and then it just kept rising and rising.
"It was £30,000 in like six or seven hours. People just got the bug for it as a special thing to celebrate the 55 [league titles].
"The two charities mean so much to us and a lot of us knew Emmie as a person before she passed away. So it's quite personal to us to be able to hand it over to that charity."
The supporters club had initially hoped to have the iconic Red Arrows flyover Ibrox, George Square, and Bridgeton on the day Steven Gerrard's men lift the Premiership title.
Bridgeton man Lee, 38, added: "The RAF ultimately said they couldn't do it but sent us a nice letter wishing us well.
"We're absolutely gutted we won't be able to be together on the day to celebrate the title but we'd just like to thank all of the Rangers fans for backing us."
Sara Bannerman, head of fundraising and communications at Erskine. said: “While Erskine empathise with those who contributed towards securing this visual spectacle and are sorry to hear it won’t happen, we are delighted and extremely grateful to be named as beneficiaries to part of the unused donations.
"We salute the wider Rangers family who continue to go above and beyond in their unfaltering support of our cherished Veterans and thank them for their generosity.”
An RAF spokesman said: "The RAF have confirmed that the Red Arrows will not be able to participate in the Rangers FC celebrations.
"Such flypasts are normally reserved for state events and national commemorations, additionally the team will be unavailable due to essential training at that time.
"Nevertheless, would like to offer our congratulations to the supporters association on their generous fundraising for charity."
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