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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Jackie Grant

Rangers-mad Kirkcudbright schoolboy with Down's syndrome ditches his wheelchair to lead team onto Ibrox pitch

A Rangers-mad schoolboy with Down’s syndrome ditched his wheelchair to lead his team out on to the Ibrox pitch.

Mason Gordon, 11, blew kisses to the crowd as he walked out of the tunnel with Gers captain James Tavernier last Wednesday.

Proud mum Ruth, 49, believes Mason is the first club mascot with the condition, and admitted it was an “emotional moment” when he took to the pitch just months after having heart surgery.

She said: “Mason has had a number of heart operations. The last one was in February when his pacemaker needed replaced at Glasgow ­Children’s Hospital.

“He gets tired really quickly and is in a wheelchair most of the time but he also has ADHD and can be absolutely hyper.

“The whole family are Rangers fans and when Mason was at a Hallowe’en party at Ibrox, we were asked if he’d like to be a mascot at one of the games and I jumped at the chance.”

Primary school teacher Ruth, from Kirkcudbright, was allowed into the tunnel before kick-off on Wednesday when Rangers faced Motherwell.

She added: “I watched from the dugout as he came out holding hands with captain James Tavernier and it was a really emotional moment.

“He was over the moon when Broxi Bear brought him back off the pitch.”

After Rangers’ 3-0 win, Mason had his photo taken with the players and Ruth said it was the “experience of a lifetime” for him.

A spokesman for the club said: “Rangers are always thrilled to give our young supporters the opportunity to meet our first-team, and to lead them out at Ibrox Stadium.

“We hope Mason, and indeed all the mascots, had a fantastic evening.”

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