Cottingham Rangers AFC

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Cottingham Rangers AFC

The founding of Cottingham Rangers AFC and current standing

Cottingham Rangers AFC was founded in September 1972 following a conversation between two dads, namely Mr Ron Brown and Mr Brian Metcalf. This came about because Westfield School in Cottingham did not run a football team. The two agreed that all the boys in Cottingham Rangers would come from Cottingham and Skidby area, and would attend Cottingham High School. It was decided between them to form two teams, the younger team being managed by Mr Brown, with Mr Metcalf managing the older team.

In approximately 1975 Mr Alf Carver became involved with the Club and used to take the players to matches in his Rolls Royce. In 1980, it was Mr Carver who organised the first International match for a team within the Club, with a trip to Holland. In 1995, Mr Goeff Golliker had the privilege of celebrating the fifteen year anniversary of International matches in Holland.

From this humble beginning Cottingham Rangers has grown in stature not only on the playing field front, but off the field as well with significant community links formed with SWIFT CARAVANS who are the Clubs main sponsor, and creating partnerships with local schools through the FA's School Club Link programme and the University of Hull sports and leisure department. More recently the club have increased partnerships with local businesses by forming sponsorship agreements with Clever4 Limited, website designers.

The Club now runs teams from U9's through to the U18's, as well as catering for younger children within the community at the clubs mini soccer school for children from 5 upwards. All coaches carrying out training sessions for all the children within the club are trained to The FA level 1 qualification as a minimum.

Currently (season 2005/2006) the Club has 17 teams who are members of the Hull Sunday Boys League and the East Riding Girls League, to whom are affiliated to the East Riding County Football Association. At this moment in time the Club has in the region of 400 children associated with Cottingham Rangers AFC. The participation of teams within these leagues will increase from next season.

Players now come to Cottingham Rangers AFC from all over the East Riding of Yorkshire as well as from the City of Hull.

The Club is run by a management committee of 27 people who are made up of current team managers, ex-team managers and players. An executive committee is made up of senior members of the management committee and meet to discuss constitution changers and club development, prior to full committee acceptance and approval.

In more recent times the Club has made significant strides forward in achieving the FA Charter Standard award, as well as being awarded the chairman's award as outstanding junior sports club by the East Riding Council Sports Development Service at the Sports and Play awards 2004.

The Club are very proud to have a young coach who became national winner in The FA's Volunteer Workforce of the year awards in 2005.

Towards the end of 2005 the Club achieved the East Riding Council Sports Development Service ERCAS accreditation at level 2, this same year saw the club again being recognised as an outstanding junior sports club by the East Riding Council Sports Development Service, at the Sports and Play awards.

In the last year the Club have achieved a major milestone within the Clubs development, with the creation of a girls section which resulted in girls participating at U10's and U12's age groups within the East Riding Girls League.

Plans are in place to further achieve accreditations through The FA and the East Riding Council Sports Development Service.

The management committee of Cottingham Rangers AFC would like to thank the Clubs researcher of history, Mr Geoff Golliker, who in turn wishes to thank the above named gentlemen along with Mr Bill North, Mr Geoff Richmond, and the hundreds of unnamed, unsung hero's who have been involved over the years. Should anyone wish to contribute further to this information (or have differing information), the club would be pleased to hear from you.