A group of die hard fans of Rangers FC, who are regulars at an Essex Road pub, have put their team’s managerial turmoil behind them with a fundraiser.

The group, who meet at the Green Man, are collecting selection boxes - which they plan to donate to local food banks to provide Islington children with a happy Christmas.

Islington Gazette: Selection boxes can still be donated at the pub to help them reach their goal of 1,000 boxes.Selection boxes can still be donated at the pub to help them reach their goal of 1,000 boxes. (Image: Polly Hancock)

Roundhouse, Copenhagen Street, and Kings Cross food banks are all set to profit from the generosity of the fans, who have already gathered 600 of the selection boxes.

Having only started their appeal this week - around the time Steven Gerrard left Ibrox having won last season’s SPL with the Blues - the fans are now looking to get 1,000.

And it has been a doubly good week for the regulars, who cheered on the Glasgow team to a 2-0 win over Sparta Prague in the Europa League last night (Thursday, 25) in what was Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s first game in charge.

Karen McPhillips at The Green Man said: “It really shows that community spirit is alive, it is wonderful to have raised so much.”

The fans have been meeting to watch games for several years and for the past four they have raised money for a charity. The tradition of following Rangers began with the pub’s own John Lewis who invited friends over and, ‘they kept coming,’ according to Karen - who added that some even come down from Glasgow to watch games in the pub.

Islington Gazette: The boxes will be donated to local food banks including The Roundhouse, Copenhagen Street and Kings Cross.The boxes will be donated to local food banks including The Roundhouse, Copenhagen Street and Kings Cross. (Image: Polly Hancock)

“They’re a great bunch and so well behaved that we never need to worry about security,” she said.

“We’re now well on our way to getting 1,000 selection boxes.”