Hawarden Rangers Football Club was formed in 1974, by Elwyn Owen. The club’s patron is the grandson of the Victorian Prime Minister, Sir William Gladstone. This is the reason why the gates of Hawarden Castle are shown on the club crest. The club’s President is Mr Fred Evans who has been involved with the club since 1984 when he was one of the founder members of the junior section. He has since been the club chairman for a number of years until the year 2000 when he stepped down as chairman to become the club’s president keeping him involved within the club as recognition for all the many years of service.
At adult level, the club were founder members of the Clwyd League. This league was set up to improve the level of competition in the area. Even with the early success of the club it faltered and folded in 1990, only to be kick started back into life again the following season by Dave Dickel who is now the club secretary. The junior section was formed in 1984 by the amalgamation of the two local cub teams Hawarden Wayfarers and Pathfinders, who became Hawarden United which later changed its name to become Hawarden Rangers Junior Football Club, which now boasts a membership of some 260 playing members aged between 6 & 16.
In the late 70s the club had two players who were to later captain their country at the club – Ian Rush and Barry Horne were part of another successful Rangers side. Other famous players that started with Hawarden were Gary Speed of Bolton Wanderers, Andrew Joseph Dorman of the New England Revolution in the US MLS and Michael Owen of Newcastle United and England who incidentally holds the club record for goals scored in one season at 11 a-side. He achieved this record in the Under 12s when he scored 96 goals in 24 games.
Hawarden Rangers play their home games on the famous Gladstone Playing Fields. These will be reviewed in a future article.
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