Since 2000: moving on up

1B CHAMPIONS

After  just about staving off relegation to Division 2 in 2001-02 and bringing through players from the youth ranks, in 2003 Rangers won the '1B' title and thus achieved the club's highest ever league standing.
 
A terrific away victory in Carrick set up two crunch end-of-season games against title rivals Park Rangers. We were well up to the task, winning both games (including the final fixture of the season in Faithlegg, above) to secure promotion. Mark Rockett - right - finished the season as top scorer with 15 goals, and Player of the Year.

BIGGEST PRIZE

After cementing the club's Division 1A status in the next two seasons - and just missing out on promotion in 2004-05 - in May 2006, under the management of Anthony Flanagan and David Purcell, we won the club's biggest prize to date - the First Division Cup.

We pipped local rivals Tramore AFC in the semi-final in Ozier Park and beat Division 1A champions Kilmacthomas after a nail-biting final at the same venue.

THE PRESENT

Former Rangers player John Falconer took over the first team management at the start of the 2006-07 season and stepped down after a two-year term. He was replaced by Stephen Fahey, assisted by Paul Rellis, as the 1A side overcame a horrendeous start to the season to finish up in fourth place.

With Joe Williams and Chris Jones taking over the reins at the start of the 2010-11 campaign, the next step, hopefully, will be a serious challenge for promotion to the Premier League, and also for our 2B side (managed by Mark Dunphy and Derek Farrell), who were "promoted" from the third division following a restructuring of the leagues, to make a push towards tier three.
Our Youths side are also looking forward to only their second season together, starting in August.