Ely Rangers
Full nameEly Rangers Association Football Club
Nickname(s)The Griffins
Founded1965
GroundStation Road, Wenvoe
Capacity2,500
ChairmanGraham Clarke
ManagerStephen 'Okay' Kelleher
LeagueSouth Wales Alliance Championship Division
2022–23South Wales Alliance Premier, 12th of 15 (relegated)

Ely Rangers Association Football Club are a Welsh association football team founded in 1965. They are based in Ely, Cardiff and they play at Station Road, Wenvoe near Cardiff.

They were relegated in 2023 from the South Wales Alliance Premier Division despite being clear of the bottom three teams due to league restructuring.

History

Ely Rangers' origins date back to 1963–64 at a time when the club did not have enough players to put out a full side, so they joined with Heath Park Rangers. After just one season, a chance meeting with other boys from Ely whilst on holiday at Butlins resulted in the formation of Ely Rangers AFC in 1965. The club joined the Cardiff Combination League and quickly established themselves as a major playing force, in season 1967–68 they were crowned champions of the first division, and within two seasons in the senior division they won the first of five championships, their further triumphs came in 1970–71, 1975–76, 1977–78 and 1978–79. The club's success was not limited to the league, as they won the Combination Cup on five occasions, the City Supporters Cup four times and the Senior Cup twice. Following this successful period, the club were on the look out for a Ground of their own, so they could further their ambition of South Wales Amateur League status. In 1983 Ely Rangers moved into Station Road Wenvoe, and were accepted into the Amateur League. Success followed, winning the Corinthian Cup and the SWFA Amateur cup twice.

Entrance gates to Ely Rangers AFC ground, Station Road

In the Amateur League the best finish was runners up, until the 1996–97 season where Ely Rangers won the First Division Championship under Manager John Boulton. Rangers then had to contest a play-off with old local rivals Caerau Ely, at Ninian Park and won the game 3–0 in front of 1,300 spectators, to claim their place in the Welsh Football League for season 1997–98.

In the Welsh League, Rangers spent the first three seasons in division three finishing 5th, 5th, and then runners up (drawing only 3 games and winning the rest) and in turn promotion. Division Two was a short stay of only one season finishing 3rd and again gaining promotion. Season 2001–02, Ely entered into the First Division and finished in eighth position, however, in the last few seasons Ely have finished 15th, and 14th twice.

At the end of the 2018-19 season the club were relegated from the Welsh Football League and joined the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division.[1] They were then relegated for a second successive season at the end of the 2019–20 season, dropping to the First Division for 2020–21.[2]

Club Crest

The Ely Rangers AFC crest dates back to the club's formation in the 1960s.

The club received a great deal of help in its early days from Barclays Bank (a link that is still alive today) and the 'iron eagle' that forms the basis of the club's crest is directly linked to the old Barclays logo.

The club crest is completed by the addition of the club name above the eagle, along with the club's year of formation beneath it.

The club's nickname of 'The Griffins' also derives from the crest after the club's eagle symbol was mistaken for that of the griffin mythical creature.

Current Senior Team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Wales WAL Rhys Jones
— DF Wales WAL Sean Kelly
— DF Wales WAL Lewis James
— DF Wales WAL Nathan Evans
— DF Wales WAL Thomas Hayes
— DF Wales WAL James Corrigan
— DF Wales WAL Josh Stevens
— MF Wales WAL Johnny Jones
— MF Wales WAL Scott Chappell
— MF Wales WAL Ryan Boyles
— MF Wales WAL Jack Ashford
— MF Wales WAL Jay Sparkes
— MF Wales WAL Dan Lawlor
— MF Wales WAL Ethan Mcinery
— MF Wales WAL Craig Hazlewood
— MF Wales WAL Josh Allen
— FW Wales WAL Jack Harrold
— FW Wales WAL Matt Spicer
— FW Wales WAL Ethan Cavaney
— FW Wales WAL Conner Mcinery
— FW Wales WAL Sam Price
— FW Wales WAL Ryan Harris
— FW Wales WAL Callum Flynn

Club Committee

  • Director of Football : Wales Jason Clarke
  • 1st Team Manager: Wales Stevie McCarthy-Campbell
  • 1st Team Coach: Wales Tony Barnett
  • Secretaries : Wales Lee Smith & Jason Jones
  • Kitman: Wales Paul Bryant
  • Groundsman: Wales Paul Bryant

References

  1. ↑ Jones, Jordan (12 July 2019). "South Wales Alliance League confirm league lists as League runs with forty-six". Y Clwb Pel-Droed. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  2. ↑ Jones, Jordan (13 July 2020). "South Wales clubs discover promotion and relegation fate". Y Clwb Pel-Droed. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
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