Club History
RIVERVALLEY RANGERS SERVING THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 25 YEARS
Rivervalley Rangers (RVR) was founded 1981 when Paddy Cole, Gerry Kane and Joe Newman recognised that there was a need for a soccer club in Rivervalley estate which was earmarked for continuous expansion which continues to the present day.
The club started out with one senior and one schoolboys team In the early years much of the focus was on providing football for the adults in the growing community. But it wasn't long before the ever-growing schoolboy section became the primary focus of the club. Very quickly the need for proper facilities for training/coaching became an issue.
In the intervening years, we have reached out to the boys, girls, men & women in the community providing structured and competitive football to all who wished to participate.
With over 350 current members, we now field 22 teams playing in 3 leagues - comprising of 2 senior teams, 12 underage 11-a-side teams and 8 seven/nine-a-side teams. Additionally we run a pre-league coaching academy and an "over the hills" section.
Over the years we have had many successful teams and many excellent players but the highlight of the clubs history was the night in June 1998 when Brian Kerr's under 16 Irish team were crowned European Champions with two of the team (John Thompson & Brendan McGill) having come through the ranks at RVR.
Many of our former players have played with distinction at representative level, been successful across the water and/or made it at eircom league level. There is an abundance of talent in the current crop with a number of players making league representative squads and hopefully some maturing to international level. The future, indeed, looks very bright for the club.
Every year we have teams travelling overseas to compete against foreign opposition in various tournaments. We see this as an important & educational development for our emerging players. Hopefully this year our teams can repeat some of the great feats of teams past on foreign fields.
River Valley Rangers have long recognised the need for proper training facilities. In 2001 in conjunction with the local Residents Association the Rivervalley & Rathingle Combined Clubs Association (RRCCA) was formed as the vehicle to deliver the All Weateher Facility (AWF). National Lottery funding was obtained in 2002 and in conjunction with Fingal Co Co agreement was reached to convert the disused tennis courts in RV park to an AWF, a management/operational licence was agreed and the works undertaken culminating in the completion of the facility in spring 2005 and being fully operational by mid October 2005. The Facility was officially opened by An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern in March 2006.
Going forward, we have plans to provide proper, and badly needed, club changing facilities along with meeting rooms and storage facilities for club use.
We are actively addressing our inadequate annual pitch allocation and the ongoing problems with our existing pitches.
In the last 25 years we have grown from being a small "housing estate" club to being a club recognised throughout the nationwide soccer community.
Ironically, in our 25th year we were nominated for the Club of the Month award. Winning the award was a huge recognition of all the hard work undertaken by the current and past committees. This award automatically entered us in the highly prestigious FAI Club of the Year awards. Although unsuccessful this time around the experience and exposure to the national and executive level of our game was invaluable
In the next 25 years we intend to continue to grow and develop, providing first class facilities to our ever growing community. We will do everything we can to ensure our local talent is given every opportunity to play at the most appropriate level but never forfeiting our commitment to doing our utmost to provide "football for all" within our community.
The club would never have reached the level it has achieved without the enormous dedication of a number of key individuals over the years, Gerry Kane, Paddy Cole & Joe Newman our founders and all the many managers, committee members, the various social committees, the lotto teams and all the parents, sponsors (who we really depend upon) and supporters. It is the combined effort that got us to where we are today.
No club could survive without well run leagues and we are proud to be associated with the AUL, NDSL, DDSL & DWSL over the last 25 years.
We would also like to acknowledge the efforts of our referees, Fingal Co.Co, the various elected County Councillors and other public representatives who took our cause to higher levels.