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History of Risborough Rangers Football Club
Risborough Rangers Football Club started in 1970 as a team of 12 year olds who wanted to play competitive football. The main motivators were Life Presidents Tony Elsey and Derrick Wallace, who is still active within the club, currently holding the position of Fixtures Secretary. From this grew the Wycombe Star League that now provides football for hundreds of youngsters in the Wycombe area, and Risborough Rangers currently have teams at all ages ranging from the Under 10 to Under 16 playing in this league.
In the 1975/76 season, the previous years Under 16's went into the Wycombe League as a men's team, and in their second season in adult football won the 3rd Division. Unfortunately, the team then folded , after which the club provided only boy's football until the Under 16's of 1979/80, having won the United-Carr Cup, went into the Reading Youth League for two seasons, and then the Wycombe League. They won promotion in successive seasons, and were followed two years later by the following years Under 16's as a reserve team, who emulated the feats of their predecessor, ending up in the Ercol Senior League and the FA Walters Premier League consecutively.
In 1989 Risborough accepted an invitation to join the South Midlands League Division 1. In the first two seasons it was hard and the club finished second from the bottom on both occasions, so therefore had to apply for re-election. The 1991/92 season saw a great improvement when Risborough finished in 8th position whilst also celebrating its 21st anniversary. In the 1994/95 season, they were promoted to the newly formed Senior Division, after finishing 4th and they consolidated with a mid table position in the next season. The next two seasons under the management of Bob Rayner and goalkeeper John Franklin saw the establishment of a sound Youth policy with an Under 18's team in the Wycombe Sunday Youth League in addition to the first and Reserves in the newly formed Spartan South Midlands League. Both seasons saw a mid table position but last season they did reach the semi-final of the Senior Division Cup and the quarter final of the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup.
When Bob Rayner left to manage Brackley Town in the Dr Martens Southern Division at the start of the 1998/99 season, Jon Franklyn became manager, and he has continued to pledge his support to youth. Chris Rymer was appointed assistant manager of the first team after a year with the reserve team and Steve Pearce became club coach. This has resulted in a sound management team who hope to build on last seasons team, which avoided relegation by two places and with club moral high, strive for a more successful future.
Honours Senior Club Honours South Midlands League Sportsmanship Award 1990/91 Ercol Senior Divisional Sportsmanship Award 1988/89 J. A. Walters Divisional Sportsmanship Award 1983/84
1st Team Honours Berks & Bucks Junior Cup Winners 1985/86 Wycombe League Division 3 Runners-Up 1982/83
Reserve Team Honours Spartan South Midlands Reserve Division 3 Runners-Up 1997/98 Spartan South Midlands Reserve Division 3 Runners-Up 1995/96 Wycombe League Reserves Cup Runners-Up 1988/89 Wycombe League Reserves Cup Winners 1987/88 Reading Junior Cup Winners 1987/88 Wycombe League Division 2 Runners-Up 1986/87 Wycombe League Division 2 Winners 1985/86 Wycombe Challenge Cup Winners 1984/85 Reg Wilkes Cup Winners 1984/85, 1985/86 Marsworth Cup Runners-Up 1984/85, Winners 1986/87 Wycombe League Division 3 Winners 1984/85 Maidenhead Cup Runners-Up 1984/85
3rd Team Honours Aylesbury Field Shield Finalists 1996/97 ADL Division 2 Winners 1994/95
4th Team Honours Reserve Division Cup Finalists 1998/99 ADL Division 2 Winners 1998/99 ADL Division 3 Winners 1997/98
Under 21's Team Honours Aylesbury League Under 21's Cup Finalists 1996/97, 1989/90, 1985/86 Aylesbury League Under 21's Cup Winners 1987/88, 1983/84
Youth Team (Under 18's) Honours Wycombe Youth League Division 2 Winners 1994/95
Ladies Team Honours Chairman's Cup Winners 1998/99 Northern League Winners 1998/99 Jubilee League Cup Winners 1997/98
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