Welcome to Rylands
Tue 10th July 2018 | Warrington Rylands 1906 | By Ian Templeman
Unlike some of the clubs who are making the step up to our league this season, the committee at Rylands FC only began planning for promotion a couple of seasons ago.
For a number of years, the Warrington-based club had just two senior teams, both playing in Cheshire League, but new investment coupled with the establishment and growth of a junior section at the club quickly led to the move, as Secretary Tony Bennett explained.
"Our new backers, Triple S Sports Ltd, enabled us to widen the scope and introduce a junior section which then allowed us to develop teams right across the age ranges", said Tony.
"This provided opportunities for all players within a complete club structure and hopefully provide a 'conveyor belt' of talent right up to senior level.
"We now currently have 19 teams within our club, made up from our junior and senior sections and spread right across the ages from U7's teams right through all the age groups until U14's.
"Then we have U17's, who have this season joined the NWYA league and who had a league and cup double last year, an U21's side, a reserves team playing in the Cheshire League Division Two, an adult ladies team who also had a league and cup double last year, and a Vets team playing in the Cheshire Vets League, who also won their division last year at the first attempt".
With the club infastructure in place, Tony says the club were keen to ensure the first team had the chance to step up to a higher level when the opportunity arose.
"Obviously when the FA decided to widen the league structure at Step 6, we knew the opportunity was ripe for us to make the leap into the next stage", he said.
"We held informal talks with other clubs that were already in the Hallmark Security League, and also teams who had previously been at this level. All were very positive about the opportunity and encouraged us to make the step up.
"After a lot of hard work and dedication by many people at the club we finally secured our place in the new league".
Now they are here, Tony insists that they are keen to be competitive and to find their feet as quickly as possible
"We're looking forward to having the chance to test ourselves against the best teams in the North Weat at this level to see where we are, and what we may need to improve on.
"Obviously another draw is visiting new places and people and pitching ourselves against perhaps more established teams. However, we're not just here just to make up the numbers, and we have lots of ambition to be able to move forward and see where this journey could take us.
"We want to have a positive start and hit the ground running.
"We have a new management team this year, consisting of Dave McNabb who had a great season last year as assistant manager of Billinge FC, and Stuart Wellstead who helped Runcorn Linnets win the Premier Division last year and who will be a player/manager for us next year.
"These two bring a whole wealth of experience from this league and football as a whole, and we've already been able to attract some big names to the club with the help of Dave and Stu's reputations.
After all that, though, we have to do the business on the pitch and play as a team to be capable of any success.
"It won't be easy and we are entering new territory, however, with the help of everyone concerned on and off the pitch we are determined to compete as fiercely as we can.
"Everyone at Rylands is really excited about the next season and beyond, and hope that we compete on the pitch with the ambition we have off it".
Welcome to Rylands
Tue 10th July 2018 | Warrington Rylands 1906
By Ian Templeman
Unlike some of the clubs who are making the step up to our league this season, the committee at Rylands FC only began planning for promotion a couple of seasons ago.
For a number of years, the Warrington-based club had just two senior teams, both playing in Cheshire League, but new investment coupled with the establishment and growth of a junior section at the club quickly led to the move, as Secretary Tony Bennett explained.
"Our new backers, Triple S Sports Ltd, enabled us to widen the scope and introduce a junior section which then allowed us to develop teams right across the age ranges", said Tony.
"This provided opportunities for all players within a complete club structure and hopefully provide a 'conveyor belt' of talent right up to senior level.
"We now currently have 19 teams within our club, made up from our junior and senior sections and spread right across the ages from U7's teams right through all the age groups until U14's.
"Then we have U17's, who have this season joined the NWYA league and who had a league and cup double last year, an U21's side, a reserves team playing in the Cheshire League Division Two, an adult ladies team who also had a league and cup double last year, and a Vets team playing in the Cheshire Vets League, who also won their division last year at the first attempt".
With the club infastructure in place, Tony says the club were keen to ensure the first team had the chance to step up to a higher level when the opportunity arose.
"Obviously when the FA decided to widen the league structure at Step 6, we knew the opportunity was ripe for us to make the leap into the next stage", he said.
"We held informal talks with other clubs that were already in the Hallmark Security League, and also teams who had previously been at this level. All were very positive about the opportunity and encouraged us to make the step up.
"After a lot of hard work and dedication by many people at the club we finally secured our place in the new league".
Now they are here, Tony insists that they are keen to be competitive and to find their feet as quickly as possible
"We're looking forward to having the chance to test ourselves against the best teams in the North Weat at this level to see where we are, and what we may need to improve on.
"Obviously another draw is visiting new places and people and pitching ourselves against perhaps more established teams. However, we're not just here just to make up the numbers, and we have lots of ambition to be able to move forward and see where this journey could take us.
"We want to have a positive start and hit the ground running.
"We have a new management team this year, consisting of Dave McNabb who had a great season last year as assistant manager of Billinge FC, and Stuart Wellstead who helped Runcorn Linnets win the Premier Division last year and who will be a player/manager for us next year.
"These two bring a whole wealth of experience from this league and football as a whole, and we've already been able to attract some big names to the club with the help of Dave and Stu's reputations.
After all that, though, we have to do the business on the pitch and play as a team to be capable of any success.
"It won't be easy and we are entering new territory, however, with the help of everyone concerned on and off the pitch we are determined to compete as fiercely as we can.
"Everyone at Rylands is really excited about the next season and beyond, and hope that we compete on the pitch with the ambition we have off it".
