Kemptown Rangers sing that song!

[Aleynasdad]

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Taken from the Argus 3rd August 2015:

‘Kemptown Rangers sing that song.

Doo-dah, doo-dah!

Kemptown Rangers all life long.

Doo-doo-doo-dah-day!

Doo-doo-doo-dah-day!

Doo-doo-doo-dah-day!

Kemptown rangers, we’re that strong!

Doo-doo-doo-dah-day!

If Brighton is labelled the Rainbow Capital of England, Kemptown may have some justification in being labelled the Rainbow Centre of Brighton. As well as having a sizeable LGBT community is has always been recognised as a bohemian enclave. What it never has had, though, is a football team.

Perhaps inspired by the media attention of St Pauli, six months ago, Ashley Raw and a group of like minded Brighton supporters decided that what they needed was not a football club that cares about the community, like Brighton and Hove Albion, but rather a community club that also plays football, concerning itself specifically with Kemptown and the needs of its inhabitants. Hence the idea for Kemptown Rangers was born.

The built-up area which formerly housed St Mary’s Hall playing fields was bought up, the houses knocked down and the beginning of a 1000-attendance ground was started. The sudden demise of yet another Sussex club left a gap in the level 10 Southern Combination League 1 which the club successfully applied for. This resulted in howls of anger from their very close neighbours, Whitehawk, whose ground is only a 15 minute walk from St Mary’s Bowl. Whitehawk accused Kemptown of queue-jumping and stealing their area of influence. Ashley Raw’s response was obviously designed to stoke the flames of rivalry – ‘Unlike Whitehawk, we are proud of our community and have no plans to change our name.’ The day when this derby takes place will be a ripe affair indeed!

The clubs commitment to the community is clear. This is evidenced in them stealing an unwanted tradition from their illustrious neighbours to diffuse a chant, unwanted across football grounds but which is of particular significance to this community:

West Stand: Where’s your boyfriend?

East Stand: Over Here! Where’s your girlfriend?

All Kemptown stands (pointing at the opposition fans) Over there!

Whether this stands the test of time remains to be seen. However the carnival atmosphere when a full house watched the friendly with Oviedo (losing by a whopping 9-0) suggests that Kemptown is fully behind it’s team. The club’s commitment also to developing local youth is seen on the pitch. Not one player in the squad is older than 17.

Kemptown Rangers have immediately been installed as clear favourites in the division, not least because of its financial clout (it has affiliations to all the ‘best-known’ community clubs – Oviedo, Vallecano, Portland, Livorno and, of course, St Pauli) and it’s clear vision of the future. This first season may turn out to be a bit of a walkover but Kemptown Rangers still has a long way to go to put its belief in club serving the community first on the front stage.

[dllu]

Loving this premise! Looking forward to seeing how you progress.

[Aleynasdad]

SEASON 1:

Taken from the Argus: 21st December 2015

MID-SEASON REPORT SUSSEX TEAMS PART 6: KEMPTOWN RANGERS

It's been a bit of a topsy-turvy start to Kemptown Rangers' life. Having been installed as the unquestioned favourites in Southern Combination League 1, based on the financial support of its affiliates. However, Chairman Ashley Raw immediately put a transfer embargo on the club and committed the clubs faith in its 30-player squad, all still at school. With an average age of 16.5, a title challenge seemed a pretty tall order but the brotherly management team of GK and JK were told they only had one season to get out of the division.

After a rather underwhelming set of friendlies, including a 9-0 thrashing by Oviedo at the ground's opening, the season seemed to start off well until Little Commons bundled Kemptown out of both the Peter Bentley Challenge Cup and the Southern Combination Division 1 Challenge Cup. Up until the end of October Kemptown stayed unbeaten yet a formation that played without strikers seemed to struggle to break down other teams and seemed fragile to the counter-attack or the ball over the top. In November Kemptown were found out and the month generated a record of 3 wins and 2 defeats, and slipped to third. At this point GK dropped the formation and switched to a more attacking 4-2-3-1. The record in all compettitions since then has been 5 wins and only 1 defeat, with a whopping 20 goals scored and only 6 conceded. Now two points clear at the top with only Sidlesham and Haywards Heath town within striking distance, Kemptown Rangers seem to be now showing their potential. Adam Brooks five goals last Saturday brought his goal tally this season to 14 and Aayan Ali leads the average ratings. Still in the FA Vase and the RUR Charity Cup, things may now seem rosy, yet Ashley Raw expects to grab the only promotion place out of this division and will accept nothing less.

SUMMARY - Matching expectations.... but could still do better.

[Aleynasdad]

END OF SEASON 1 -

Taken from the Argus 16th May 2016:

END OF SEASON REPORT: SUSSEX TEAM PART 8: KEMPTOWN RANGERS

After a bumpy start to their first ever season Kemptown Rangers pretty much matched their expectations and, in the final three months, did it with something of a swagger. The key was certainly a change from a non-stroker formation to a four man attacking line-up. Suddnly the goals wouldn't stop coming. Even losing top scorer Brooks for the last moth didn't seem to stop them.

So, job dope. Yet the transfer embargo will continue for at least another season as Ashley Raw attempts to make the club self-sustaining and expectations are still sky high..... Ranger already installed as 2-5 favourites for the Southern Combination Premier. GK has it all to do.... agin.

SUMMARY: Objectives met with a team really beginning to gel. However, can the same team do it a division above?