In November 2000 the club held its 50th Anniversary celebrations at Swansea University and present were nine of Billy’s ‘original’ Rangers, Clive Gammon, Terry O’Brien, Hylton Jolliffe, Danny Sheehan, Johnny Davies, Vic Collier, John Norman, Brian Owen and Bob Aspell (son of Wally the club’s legendary first trainer). We were also fortunate that day to have overseas visitors in Dimitris (Jimmy the Greek) Zaraphonitis with friends from Greece, and Bob Smith travelling from South Africa to meet up with over 350 past and present players with wives and friends attending.


Since 1997 the Rangers Junior section holds a junior invitation tournament, dedicated to Alan Martin with over 24 teams entering each year from across South and West Wales. Between 1997 and 2006 the tournament covered all age groups from under 8 to under 12 years of age then from 2007 to date it has concentrated on the under 8 and under 9s. Twelve teams in each age group play in round robin groups with winners and runners up progressing into semi-finals and finals. George Kyrillou has been the catalyst and organiser for every competition, all dedicated to the memory of Alan who always enjoyed coaching the younger kids in the Club.


Alan Martin Festival


In 2000 Mumbles Rangers, Mumbles Rugby Club and other local sports clubs came together with Mumbles Development Trust and formed ‘Underhill 2000’ with the aim of improving facilities within the Park. A step in the right direction of realising Billy Johns’ dream of a new Clubhouse for all. Despite early enthusiasm that lasted the best part of eight years there was eventually little funding available to ensure any realistic success for the organisation and it eventually ran out of steam. However, a lasting legacy of the early optimism can be found in the woodland adjacent to Underhill Car Park where a memorial statue ‘Spirit of Billy Johns’ can be seen as you walk along the woodland paths.


In 2005 Mike Podbielski realised the need for Mumbles Rangers to encompass Girl’s football within the Club and he embarked on an advertising drive for players and coaches. An open day (in 2009) sponsored by McDonald’s (current Club partner) provided numerous large inflatable training/fun facilities at the Park attracting over 1000 people which resulted in a successful recruitment of girls of all ages along with a number of potential girl’s coaches. With the enthusiasm of Jem Holland, Jessica Blanck and a host of dedicated coaches the Girls Section has grown to include teams playing regularly at under 10, under 12, under 14, under 16 and a Senior Ladies team playing occasionally.


In 2006 the club was renamed Mumbles Rangers Boys and Girls Club in recognition of the fact that the girls were now an integral and important part of the Club. In 2008 the decision was made to drop ‘Boys and Girls’ from the Club name to become Mumbles Rangers Football Club.


2007 saw the Club receiving an invitation from Genoa Football Club, yes that’s correct, the same Club in


10 Mumbles Rangers U14 Genoa 2007


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24