Risborough Rangers F.C.

Risborough Rangers Football Club are a football club based in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England. They are members of the Hellenic League Division One East. Their Reserve team play in the Hellenic League Division Two East.

Risborough Rangers
Full nameRisborough Rangers Football Club
Nickname(s)'Rangers' or 'Borough'
Founded1971
GroundThe B.E.P Stadium,
Horsenden Lane
Princes Risborough
Capacity1,500 (Record attendance 1,562 vs. Showbiz Team 1992)
ChairmanRichard Woodward
ManagerMark Eaton
LeagueHellenic League Division One East
2019–20Hellenic League Division One East (season abandoned)

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 into men's football via 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 also entered the Wycombe & District League. The club then won promotion in successive seasons, gaining promotion to the Ercol Senior League. During this period they also won the Berks & Bucks Junior Cup. At around the same time as entering 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 a clubhouse/bar and extended the covered standing area.[1]

In 1989 Risborough accepted an invitation to join the South Midlands League and were placed in Division One.[1] In the first two seasons the club struggled, finishing second from bottom and had to apply for re-election.[2] However, at the end of season 1992–93, the club gained 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 the London Spartan League, the club became founder members of the 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 and were relegated to Division Two.

In 2003–04, former Brackley Town and Abingdon Town manager Bob Rayner returned to the club from Thame United after chairman Richard Woodward persuaded him to return to the club he had last managed during the mid 1990s.[1] Under his guidance the club steadily rebuilt, using players from the successful Rangers junior ranks. They finished runners-up in Division Two in the 2011–12 season. They were also runners-up in the Anagram Trophy that season, losing to Baldock Town 1–0 in the Final at Letchworth.[3] After getting 'Windsors' ground grading up to the required standard the club were finally promoted to Division One at the end of the 2012-13 season. The club also reached the final of the Spartan South Midlands Football League Division Two Cup, losing to Aston Clinton 2–0 at Chesham United.[4] They finished 14th in their first season in Div 1 and reached the final of the Division One Cup, losing 2-0 to 2nd placed Kings Langley in the final at London Colney.

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 away to Cricklewood Wanderers 1–0 in the next round. Former Thame United, Chalfont St. Peter FC and Risborough Rangers player Jamie Rayner was appointed as joint first team manager alongside Bob Rayner at the start of the season, following a spell as joint assistant manager alongside long serving Nick Young. On a managerial level, Jamie had previously worked as Risborough Rangers Reserve team manager, where he guided them to promotion in his first season, only losing one league game. Rangers finished 7th in SSML Division One with top scorer Martin Griggs topping the division's goal-scoring chart with 35 goals from 33 matches. Risborough finished the season 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.

Jamie Rayner's first season in sole charge, the 2016-17 season, saw Rangers finish in sixth place in the Spartan South Midland League Division 1, ensuring qualification for the following years FA Cup Competition. They went out in the first round of the FA Vase to Broadfields United however. Their defence of Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup ended in the semi-final against Woodley United on penalties following a 1-1 draw. Their top scorer for the season was Lamar Mason-Williams with thirty goals. At the end of the 2017-2018 season Rangers finished eighth in the table. Again they failed to progress in the FA Vase. In the FA Cup they went out following a penalty shoot-out after a replay with higher division opponents Cockfosters. Rangers reached the final of the Spartan South Midland League Challenge Trophy beating four teams from the division above them en route, before losing in the final to Broadfields United. Their top scorer for the season was Martin Griggs with 38 goals.

In October 2018 then current manager Jamie Rayner decided to step down from his position because of work commitments. The Club advertised the position and after a healthy response, the Board appointed the former Aylesbury United, Aylesbury FC, Hemel Hempstead, Arlesey Town & Leighton Town boss Mark Eaton as their new manager. A remarkable turnaround in results ended with a 7th-place finish in the League after being 2nd from bottom when Eaton took charge. There was more success for Rangers with a 2-0 win over London Lions in the Spartan South Midlands Division One Cup Final, goals from Sam Pekun and Ben Cullen sealed the win at Leverstock Green's Pancake Lane.

Because of the ongoing re-construction of the non-league system the club made a lateral movement to the Hellenic League Division One East from the Spartan for the start of the 2019/20 season.

Ground

Risborough Rangers play their home games at the B.E.P Stadium, Horsenden Lane, Horsenden, Princes Risborough HP27 9NE.

Windsor Playing Fields is usually referred to locally as'Windsors'. The ground was once the home of the now defunct Princes Risborough Town FC who were founder members of the Hellenic Football League.[5] After a long fund raising campaign the club finally installed floodlights at 'Winsors' in 2012 in order to take their promotion to Division One. The ground has covered seating and covered standing facilities. As from Saturday 20 July 2019, Windsors was rebranded "The B.E.P Stadium" under a new Club sponsorship deal with a local company, B.E.P Contracting Ltd.

Structure

The club is an FA Charter Standard Community Club, running two senior men's teams; First and Reserves, 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. There are also two Pan Disability teams and a Walking Football Section for women and men aged over 50. 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 Reserve Team who compete in the Hellenic League Div Two, and hopefully progress into the First Team.

Honours
  • Spartan South Midlands League Division Two:[6]
    • Runners-up: 2011–12
  • The Anagram Records Trophy
    • Runners Up: 2011-12
  • Spartan South Midlands League Reserve Division Two
    • Runners Up: 2011-12
  • Spartan South Midlands League Division Two Cup:[4]
    • Runners-up: 2012–13
  • Spartan South Midlands League Division One Cup:
    • Winners: 2018-19
    • Runners-up: 2013–14
  • Spartan South Midlands League Reserve Challenge Trophy:
    • Winners: 2014–15
  • The Berkshire & Buckinghamshire FA Intermediate Cup
    • Winners: 2015–16
  • Spartan South Midlands League Challenge Trophy
    • Runners Up: 2017-18
  • Spartan South Midlands Development League Cup
    • Runners Up: 2017-18

Players

Goalkeepers: Jack Brooker, Jack Sillitoe

Defenders: Justin Gordon, Josh Urquhart, Alex Sethi, Joel Read (Captain), Jason Castello, Joshua Fox,

Midfielders: Ben Hammond, Laurence Clark, Davis Haule, Dan Rawson, Gary Rymer, Bertie Squire-Adams, Adam Morris, Steve Tavender.


Attackers: Brian Haule, Sam Pekun, Kyle Faulkner, Marcus Wyllie. Jake Plumridge-Dell.

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.

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References
  1. "Sponsors and Links". Risboroughrangers.com. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  2. RISBOROUGH RANGERS at the Football Club History Database
  3. "The Cold End: Baldock Town In Anagram Trophy Glory!". Thecoldend.blogspot.co.uk. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  4. "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.
  5. "MARS Refuel™ Drink Fund". Marsrefuel.com. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  6. "NonLeagueMatters". NonLeagueMatters. Retrieved 11 August 2012.

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