Ely Rangers A.F.C.
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| Full name | Ely Rangers Association Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Griffins |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Ground | Station Road, Wenvoe |
| Capacity | 4,500 |
| Chairman | Graham Clarke |
| Manager | John Boulton |
| League | Welsh Football League Division Two |
| 2013–14 | Welsh Football League Division Two, 7th |
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.
Ely Rangers origins date back to 1963-64 when current chairman Graham Clarke was playing for Ely YMCA, at the time 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 70-71, 75-76, 77-78 and 78-79.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.
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 quite convincingly 3 goals to nil 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.
The Ely Rangers AFC crest dates back to the club's formation in the 1960s, and is more than a 'passing nod' to a certain club sponsor.
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. Barclays Bank may have since changed its image, but the old symbol lives on through the club's simplistic but effective crest.
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