By Ralph Barnett

A GROUP of Royal Marines from Arbroath-based 45 Commando Group were given a rousing reception at Ibrox yesterday when they were introduced to the capacity crowd at half time during the SPL meeting between Rangers and Hearts.

The commandos, most of whom have recently returned to their home base after a gruelling operational tour of duty in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, were given a standing ovation by both sets of fans as they took to the pitch and acknowledged the tribute.

The visit was the climax of a link-up between the Ibrox club and the 45 Commando football team, which won a friendly match with a Rangers select at Murray Park on Friday.

Colour Sergeant Ian Clark, the coach of the 45 Commando team, said, “This really is a great honour and we are all very grateful for the way Rangers Football Club have responded to what was initially a very low-key approach by us.

“About three months ago a friend of a friend put me in touch with Colin Atkinson, who is one of the development managers at Ibrox.

“We then entered into an Email conversation—which wasn’t easy sometimes as I was in Sangin in Afghanistan for most of the time—and what I was hoping for was that maybe Rangers would send a youth team up to Arbroath to give us a game at Condor.

“What we ended up with, however, was the gold medal option!

“We were invited to the Rangers training facility at Murray Park where we met Walter Smith and quite a few of the first-team players, and then played against a Rangers select side coached by Mark Hateley.

“I’m pleased to say we played them off the park and comfortably won 2-0.

“Everyone at Rangers has been fantastic, and the lads were presented with goodie bags containing club ties and other souvenirs,” he said.

“Being invited to Ibrox for the Rangers v Hearts game was the icing on the cake, and we are delighted that 50 of the lads were guests of honour and were introduced to the crowd at half time,” he added.

“The job we do isn’t always appreciated back home, so it’s nice to get this kind of recognition for our efforts but, for us, it’s all about the football.”

Among those at yesterday’s game was Marine Ian Danby, from Stockton-on-Tees, who was awarded the Military Cross for his ‘selfless and tireless’ actions in January 2007, when his patrol came under a Taliban rocket attack in Afghanistan. As the grenades exploded, his Land Rover and another of the patrol vehicles were able to extract themselves from the killing area.

They laid down fire support for their comrades.

His citation stated that he “provided accurate and sustained fire support, engaging a large number of enemy from 30 to 500 metres away, allowing the remainder of the patrol to move.

“Marine Danby’s selfless and tireless efforts at the expense of his own safety enabled the commander on the ground to extract the patrol.”

Also in attendance were 45 Commando team captain Sergeant Paul Barret, who is currently confined to a wheelchair after being injured in Afghanistan, and Warrant Officer Steph Morran, who gave emergency first-aid in the field to Sergeant Barret.