Western Rangers Football Club is a welcoming family orientated club that offers teams for men, women and children of all ages and stages. Alongside the Central Football's winter competitions, the club also runs a summer league for seniors and juniors from across Hawke's Bay.
The club was founded in 1975 after it was decided to split the junior teams into areas.
The name comes from the early members meeting at Frimley Park and trying to decide a name looking at the backdrop of the ranges, it was said why not Western Rangers?
It remained a junior club until 1979 when instrumental club figures Mike Brown, Rennie Pluymers, Arnie Buckman and Dennis Morgan set about setting up the two first senior teams.
At this stage a few players were playing Sunday football for Leopard United and after a game they were asked to train during the week, they turned up to training and had to sign forms.
Little did they know, they had now registered for Rangers and the senior club was born.
The original two teams were a mixed bag of talent but over the following decade the teams continued to develop, and the top team went on to win the local premier league in 1987 and 1988. Also, in 1988 a Women’s team was added to the club.
In this early time the Inner Circle was set up at Spud Langley’s in Flaxmere. Basically, the early clubrooms over the next few years. Money was saved and it was decided a clubrooms were required, and in 1988 this was built at St Leonards and still stands as the Western Rangers clubrooms to this day.
At the start of the 90’s the Club won promotion to the Central league with Tom Daly accepting the role of head coach.
Various coaches came over the next few seasons Mike Brougham, Malcolm Wilson, Steve Birnie, Denis Morgan & Bruce Tucker to name a few.
Mid 90’s saw Tony Bartlett appointed as coach and the club entered its golden age winning leagues, going unbeaten, top goal scorers and eventually making central league one.
But all good things must come to an end, and the club entered its most traumatic period with mountain debts, court cases a lot of on field and off field dramas and we hit rock bottom.
But in true Ranger’s fashion we set about the rebuild of the club and from the ashes we came within 24 hrs of being closed down by Central Football with the vultures circulating to try and take over St Leonards Park as their home ground.
But thanks to cash injections from committee members and a big helping hand from Geoff McKerrows Mum we survived. Taking great pleasure in walking into Central Football at the start of the next season and paid our full fees before the due date. By the end of that season, we were running at a profit, which goes down to the hard work and dedication of all the club with all monies repaid.
From the committee’s tireless work to every team doing a yearly function to help the club, a tradition that is continued today and gives a sense of belonging to the club.
From what was the darkest days for the club, two senior team and two junior teams, the next few years were of consolidation and getting the family vibe into the club and for me there isn’t anything better than seeing families down watching games kids running around the sidelines and parents either watching the game from the balcony or playing.
For most of the last twenty years the committee has been a stable one for the majority of the time and have done a lot of things to take the club in a better position ( ceiling covered in, flood lights and toilet upgrades to say a few ) and work tirelessly to provide the best environment.
But we can’t forget the previous chairmen who are part of our DNA to name a few Martyn Hammond, Joanna Schenkel, Bruce Tucker ,Malcolm Jenkings, Warrick Halford, Rob Bos, Clint Holt , Neville Wright /Kevin Sullivan ,myself , Darren Austin and Dave Hobden as well every person who has put their hand up to help either on a committee level or helping out when asked over the last 50 years.
Also on the playing field, this year we are at six senior men’s teams and three senior ladies’ teams, as well for the last few seasons under 15s teams coming through every year.
On the Junior side we have grown from the two teams to over fifty-five teams, and on a personal note how good is it to see all the green and black shirts around the Frimley Park on a Saturday morning.
So here is to the next 50 yrs enjoy your night!
Sorry I can’t be there but will be there in spirit.
Please sit back and watch a video Jack Stratton has been working on over the last few weeks with a few more memories of the club.
Go Rangers
Ian
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