One Saturday morning in 1986, a couple of dads were kicking a ball about in Fletcher Moss Park with their sons. Soon they were joined by more boys and a game started. Who would have thought that this would be the start of Fletcher Moss Rangers?

Nigel Hanson and Howard Isaacs organised two teams and more parents wanted to join in and organise more sides.

A season later, local referee Ron Jamieson was enlisted to run 9’s & 10’s. Soon the name Fletcher Moss became synonymous with style and good football. Attracting players from the surrounding districts. Because we had an open door policy we recruited boys from any area, and it was evident we were a club that was showing its diversity. The teams used to get racially abused for the number of black and Asian players. This just strengthened the resolve and soon came to be the club to join and the one to beat.

In 1990 Ron was asked to be the secretary of the club and soon took us to another level and established links with Manchester City Football Club. The clubs’ reputation grew and more North West clubs were attracted to our talented youngsters.

It was about this time that Fletcher Moss’s famous son ‘Wes Brown’ began to emerge as a prospect. Although City deemed Wes was not good enough, United had other thoughts and decided to sign him. Now an established first team player with England caps in his display cabinet.

Ron and a neighbour, Neil Brown began the Fletcher Moss Soccer School on Fog lane park, which attracted about 25/30 players each Saturday morning. Due to Neil’s commitment to running another team in a local league, Ron asked another team coach David Horrocks for assistance to run the Saturday community football. The Soccer School outgrew Fog Lane Park and was, with in trepidation, moved to its present home. Mersey Bank playing fields is probably the best move that was made for the club.

With a need to build on our success, the next step was to attempt to gain F.A. Charter Standard status (now classed as FA Accredited). At the end of season 2001/2002, we applied for the FA Development Club Charter Standard. Putting many new policies in place, investing in placing people on FA courses to enhance the esteem of its members. After what was felt, a long painful wait, we had the great pleasure to be informed that we had been successful in our application. Fletcher Moss Rangers Football Club was now among the elite, just a handful of clubs with the Charter Standard Award.

We had tried for a few years to attract more girls to Fletcher Moss Rangers but they were only attending for a few weeks, with the great exception of one young lady who braved all the remarks and played for one of the boys sides from under 9’s until she could not take part in boy’s football. The club now hosts girls only ‘Wildcats’ sessions on the same site as the soccer school run by lady coaches.

We then knew that the time was right to push for the top FA award, Charter Standard Community club. Adding to the clubs ever growing policies and procedures enhanced our application and position. Success was but a formality. Other clubs use our application as a template for their applications, what a compliment.

The club moved away from being run by a committee of parent coaches to become a registered charity ran by a board of trustees. The elected members change and add to their number from time to time as and when change is required.

Now having the distinct pride to run up to 30 teams. We can boast one of, if not the biggest but the most diverse junior football club in Manchester. The club has now grown to an enormous size with teams aged from 6 year old to young adult. Boys and girls, men and women.
Along side the club is the soccer school which has an average turn out each Saturday of more than 60 players. These are boys and girls aged between 3 and 11 years old, plus the girls only Wildcats. The latest player to roll off the Fletcher Moss conveyor belt is Manchester United and England player Marcus Rashford. In the background waiting to get their chance too are players like Danny Welbeck (Brighton & Hove Albion) Tyler Blackett (Nottingham Forest), Devonte Redmond (Wrexham), Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (Oldham Athletic), Reece Brown  has been sent on loan too. Kyle Bartley is still doing very well with West Bromwich Albion after his transfer from Swansea City. Zeke Fryers is now at Swindon Town after moving from United to Spurs via Standard Liege. He has spent time at Crystal Palace and a couple of loan moves to lower league clubs to provide him his forum for performance. Ravel Morrison left Manchester United for the big city lights of London with a move to West Ham United. He has plied his trade with Italian club Lazio, Sheffield United among others. He is now at ADO Den Haag in Holland.

Who would have thought that Nigel and Howard had left such a legacy to junior football? Players as young as 8 years old are being coached to a standard good enough to be recognised as talented enough to be scouted by Manchester United, Manchester City, Stockport County, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Accrington Stanley, Liverpool, Everton and Stoke City to name but a few.
Thank you Nigel for taking Richard to the park that Saturday morning.