Risborough Rangers F.C.

Risborough Rangers
Full name Risborough Rangers Football Club
Nickname(s) 'Rangers' or 'Borough'
Founded 1971
Ground 'Windsors',
Horsenden Lane
Princes Risborough
Capacity 1,500 (Record attendance 1,562 vs. Showbiz Team 1992)
Chairman Richard Woodward
League Spartan South Midlands League Division One
2017–18 Spartan South Midlands League Division One, 8th of 20

Risborough Rangers Football Club are a football club based in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England. They are members of the Spartan South Midlands League Division One.

History

Risborough Rangers were formed in 1970 as a team of 12-year-olds who wanted to play competitive football and in the 1975–76 season, the previous years Under 16's entered the Wycombe & District League.[1] In their second season they won the 3rd Division. However, the team then folded, after which the club provided only boys' football until the Under 16's of 1979–80 and entered the Wycombe & District League. They club then won promotion in successive seasons, gaining promotion to the Ercol Senior League. At around the time, they entered the Ercol Senior League the club moved to 'Windsors', the former home of the defunct Hellenic League club Princes Risborough Town. Within several years, the club had managed to improve the ground by building the clubhouse and extended the covered standing.[1]

In 1989 Risborough accepted an invitation to join the South Midlands League in Division 1.[1] In the first two seasons the club struggled finishing second from bottom and had to apply for re-election.[2] However, in their fourth season, 1992–93, in the league the club managed to gain promotion to the Senior Division under the management of Frank Carter. At the start of the 1997–98 season with the merger of the Souith Midlands league and Spartan League, the club became founder members of Spartan South Midlands League Senior Division.[2] The club remained in the Senior Division, which was later renamed Division one, until the end of the 2002–03 season, when they finished bottom of the Division and were releagted to Division two.

In 2003–04, former |Brackley Town and Abingdon Town manager Bob Rayner returned to the club from Thame United when chairman Richard Woodward persuaded him to return after last managing the club during the 1990s.[1] Under his guidance the club finished as runners-up in the 2011–12 season, and after getting their ground up to the required standard, 4th place in 2012–13 was enough to secure promotion to Division One.[3] The club also finished as Runners-up in the Anagram Trophy in the 2011–12 season losing to Baldock Town 1–0 in the Final.[4] The 2012–13 season saw the club reach the final of the Spartan South Midlands Football League Division two cup, where they lost to Aston Clinton 2–0.[5] Rangers were promoted to Division One at the end of 2012–13 season. They finished 14th in their first season in Div 1 and reached the final of the Div 1 Cup, losing to 2nd placed Kings Langley in the final 2–0.

Season 2014–15 saw Rangers finish in 5th place in the Div 1. It was also the club's first appearance in the FA vase where they lost in the preliminary round away at Spelthorne Sports of the Combined Counties Premier League, losing 2–1. Their top scorer during the 2014–15 season was Martin Griggs with 29 league goals, 35 goals in all competitions.

The 2015–16 season was a busy season for Risborough Rangers. They competed in the FA Cup for the first time in their history winning 3–0 at Ampthill Town before going out 3–0 to Southern League side Aylesbury FC at 'Windsors' in front of a crowd of 450. In the FA Vase Rangers travelled to United Counties League side Irchester Utd, winning 4–0 before losing to Cricklewood Wanderers 1–0 in the next round. Former Thame United, Chalfont St. Peter FC and Risborough Rangers player Jamie Rayner was also appointed as joint first team manager alongside Bob Rayner. On a managerial level, Jamie has previously worked as Risborough Rangers reserve team manager, where he guided them to a promotion in his first season, only losing one league game. He was then joint first team assistant manager and first team coach for the 2014–15 first team campaign. Rangers finished 7th in SSML Div 1 with top scorer Martin Griggs topping the division's goal-scoring chart with 35 goals from 33 matches. Risborough finished the season by winning the Berks & Bucks FA Intermediate Cup beating Olney Town 2–1 AET in the final at Newport Pagnell Town. At the end of the 2015–16 season Bob Rayner retired from football management having managed Rangers for 15 seasons in total, handing over the reins to son Jamie and his assistant Nick Young.

Ground

Risborough Rangers play their games at Windsor playing field, Horsendon Lane, Horsendon, Princes Risborough HP27 9NE.

Windsor playing field is also often referred by its locally known name of 'Windsors'. The ground was once the home of the now defunct Princes Risborough Town FC who were founder members of the Hellenic Football League.[6] After a long fund raising campaign the club finally installed floodlights at 'Winsors' in 2012 in order to take their promotion to Division One.

Structure

The club is an FA Charter Standard Club running two senior teams; First and Development, plus two youth teams at under 18 level. There is also a large thriving Junior Section fielding teams from under sevens up to sixteens for boys and girls. After finishing under sixteen football, players are then invited to play under the wing of the Senior Section at under 18 level and from there the best players are encouraged to play in the Spartan South Midland Development League side where, hopefully they will progress into the First Team.

Honours

Players

Goalkeepers: Jack Brooker, Stephen Clark and Luke Midwinter.

Defenders: Justin Gordon, Billy Harrison, Justin Hockley, David Newton, Joel Read (Captain) and Tom Swindlehurst.

Midfielders: Will Barnard, Laurence Clark, Dom Pavalopolous, Dan Rawson, Leon Read, Gary Rymer, Marcus Wylie, Asher Yearwood and Wesley Young.

Attackers: Martin Griggs, Harry Jones, Jack Kibble and Lamar Mason-Williams.

(As shown on the club website)

Records

  • Highest League Position:[2] 4th in South Midlands League Senior Division 1993–94. 5th in Spartan South Midland League Division One 2014/15.

Former players

1. Players that have played/managed in the football league or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
2. Players with full international caps.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Sponsors and Links". Risboroughrangers.com. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 RISBOROUGH RANGERS at the Football Club History Database
  3. 1 2 "NonLeagueMatters". NonLeagueMatters. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  4. 1 2 "The Cold End: Baldock Town In Anagram Trophy Glory!". Thecoldend.blogspot.co.uk. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Spartan South Midlands Football League Division Two Cup :: Overview". MITOO. 23 April 2010. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  6. ↑ "MARS Refuel™ Drink Fund". Marsrefuel.com. Retrieved 11 August 2012.

Coordinates: 51°43′04.94″N 0°50′47.14″W / 51.7180389°N 0.8464278°W / 51.7180389; -0.8464278

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