THE scene: Murray Park, Rangers FC's training complex.

Gathered in one corner are a group of men, deep in conversation with Jim Henry, the club's highly respected Head of Sports Science.

They're not Rangers players, though. What they have in common is the fact that all of them are undergoing treatment for cancer.

They're here as part of a pilot course. It's called Making a Start and is designed to help the men understand the benefits of the support programme offered by Maggie's Glasgow. The course lasted for seven weeks and took place at Maggie's base at Gartnavel Hospital and here, at Murray Park.

Each informal class combined exercise sessions led by Jim with workshops delivered by Maggie's specialist staff. The subjects they discussed covered a lot of ground: self-confidence, stress and relaxation, advice on eating well. Stopping smoking, too, and alcohol awareness.

Last year, the Rangers Charity Foundation said that Maggie's would be its National Charity Partner for the season in memory of Sandy Jardine, the club legend who was supported by Maggie's during his own illness. Sandy died in April last year.

The foundation has presented Maggie's with a cheque for £25,000, raised over the season, to fund the first Making a Start course and a pilot scheme to extend opening hours at Maggie's Glasgow.

The course will eventually be rolled out across Maggie's centres across Scotland. The charity hopes that a lot of male patients will benefit as a result.

Nine men took part in the pilot project. And all of them took a lot away from it.

Nick Ionta is one of them. Aged just 41, this dad-of-two was diagnosed with testicular cancer a year ago this month. He had surgery, but the cancer spread to a lymph node and his abdomen. Nick had to undergo intensive chemotherapy treatment.

He initially took part in another Maggie's course, Where Now?, which is aimed at people adjusting to life after cancer treatment. It was a genuine help for him. Now Nick speaks highly of Making a Start.

Nick, a tree surgeon with the local authority in North Lanarkshire, is married to Julie, who works for Maggie's.

He said: "I had my operation and chemotherapy but afterwards I found I was having mental problems more than physical ones.

"I was looking for something that would put my mind at rest. Maggie's was doing the Where Now? course. It lasted for seven weeks and that's when I found I was lifting my spirits often.

"When that finished, Debbie mentioned they were doing this new course." Debbie is Debbie Roebuck, a counselling psychologist at Maggie's. "It has been amazing. Absolutely amazing. It has made a real difference to me, physically as well as mentally.

"The biggest difference for me has been mentally. I was able to start back at work a few weeks ago - without the course, I don't think I would have been in the right place to go back.

"It has just lifted my spirits and left me a wee bit fitter."

Jim Henry even gauged the fitness of Nick and the others by means of high-tech GPS fitness trackers normally used by Rangers players. "They're great," Nick enthuses of the units. "They take information on things like your speed, the metres you cover a minute, and things like that.

"I've noticed a difference in the time I've been using it," he adds. "Some of the other guys have noticed a bigger difference. It has made a difference, which is good to see. It's doing the trick.

"It's brilliant that the course exists. It has been such a positive experience. I hopes it keeps going and that more men are able to benefit" he says. He's glad he's back at work a few mornings a week, as it is physically demanding.

The men all have Jim's email address. They're encouraged to drop him a line if they have any questions.

Jim himself said: "The GPS for the lads on the course was a bit of fun. We've tried over the weeks to put them through a little of what the players have been doing.

"We've had them in the gymnasium here at Murray Park. We've been in the indoor hall and out in the parks. I think they've enjoyed it and have taken a lot out of it. There have been improvements, too. I've enjoyed that. I've had a lot out of the course.

"It's been productive, too, when it comes to seeing the challenge for men. Men are not big at coming along to group sessions but we've had fantastic success with that."

By working with the Rangers Charity Foundation, Maggie's aims to reach more men and to raise awareness amongst men of Maggie's programme of support across the country.

Every year, more than 30,000 people in Scotland are diagnosed with cancer. Nearly half of them are men.

Some 32 per cent of visitors to Maggie's Centres in Scotland are male - meaning that men are missing out on support that could make a difference to their ability to cope with the physical and emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis.

Debbie Roebuck, one of the two facilitators of Making a Change, said: "The whole course was about making healthy changes to your behaviour.

"We've had a fantastic group of guys on the course. I've thoroughly enjoyed facilitating the group.

"We've seen differences in the men - physically and probably emotionally, too.

"When you're diagnosed with cancer, it is something that is so out of your control that there is nothing you can do about it.

"Doctors make decisions about your treatment and when you need to be in hospital. Some people just hand themselves over to doctors in that situation. But it's the most uncertain thing that people are going to have to live with.

"Making a Start is about helping them tolerate that level of uncertainty, giving them a sense of control, making the changes they can do when everything else is so outwith their control, while also looking at healthy behaviours like exercise."

* www.maggiescentres.org