Hong Kong Rangers Football Club (Chinese: 香港流浪足球會), often abbreviated to Rangers, currently known as Biu Chun Rangers due to sponsorship reasons, is a Hong Kong professional football club which currently competes in the Hong Kong Premier League. They have won the Hong Kong First Division once, the Senior Shield four times, the Hong Kong FA Cup twice and the Sapling Cup once.
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| Full name | Hong Kong Rangers Football Club | |||
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| Founded | 1958 (as Rangers Football Team) | |||
| Ground | Tsing Yi Sports Ground | |||
| Capacity | 1,500 | |||
| President | Peter Mok | |||
| Head coach | Wong Chin Hung | |||
| League | Hong Kong Premier League | |||
| 2023–24 | Premier League, 6th of 11 | |||
| Website | https://www.facebook.com/hkrangers/ | |||
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History
editFormation to 2000
editThe club was founded in 1958 by a Scottish expatriate from Glasgow named Ian Petrie. He named his club after Rangers. It was the first Asian football club with a modern football club managing system. In the early days, the club could not compete with the bigger clubs financially so Petrie relied on young players and the team was known as a breeding ground for young players. Kwok Ka Ming was the best known players discovered by Petrie in the 1960s. In 1970, the club brought three Scottish professional players to Hong Kong. They were the first European professional players to play in the Hong Kong league, opening a new chapter in Hong Kong's football history. Great players such as Ian Taylor, Joe Brennan, Jimmy Liddell, and Derek Currie were a few to name. More were to follow in the 1980s such as Steve Paterson, Jimmy Bone and Tommy Nolan. Winner of the Ballon d’Or at 22, European champion and dubbed “El Beatle” - George Best came just a year before he finally retired from the game and played once for Hong Kong Rangers in 1982.
2000–2018
editSince 12 October 2001, the club had been named after its sponsor, Buler, resulting in the name Buler Rangers up until summer 2006. On 15 September 2007, the club announced that it has secured a large sponsorship from Bulova, a watch brand which used to fund a famous Hong Kong football team decades ago, and used Bulova Rangers as the team name.
In 2011, the team changed their name as Kam Fung. They were the champions of the 2011–12 Hong Kong Second Division and were promoted to the Hong Kong First Division. The club has since renamed itself as Biu Chun Rangers due to being sponsorship by Biu Chun Watch Hands (except for the 2016–17 season when the club was renamed as Lee Man Rangers due to sponsorship reasons).
In the early part of the 2000s, Rangers' investment in youth player produced various Hong Kong internationals including Chan Wai Ho, Man Pei Tak, Lam Ka Wai and Lo Kwan Yee. However, this investment dried up in the later part of the 2010s resulting in lower budgets and declining performances of the club.[1]
2018–present
editFollowing a last place finish in the 2017–18 Hong Kong Premier League, Rangers were relegated back the First Division after a six-year stay in the top flight.[2] Former Hong Kong international Wong Chin Hung was hired as the club's head coach.
Despite a third-place finish in the 2018–19 season, Rangers were promoted back into the Hong Kong Premier League on 15 July 2019 following Dreams FC's decision to self-relegate.[3]
In 2019–20, Rangers were one of four teams that withdrew from the Premier League season due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Hong Kong.
In the 2022–23 season, Rangers finished 3rd within the Hong Kong Premier League in which they secured one of the two qualification play-off spots where they will make their AFC Champions League debut.[4]
In the 2023–24 season, Rangers became the champions of the Hong Kong Sapling Cup for the first time, which was also their first title in 29 years.
Name history
edit- 1958–1995: Rangers (香港流浪)
- 1995–1997: UHLSPORT Rangers (UHLSPORT流浪)
- 1997–1999: Rangers (香港流浪)
- 1999: Rangers (奇利寶流浪)
- 1999–2001: Rangers (香港流浪)
- 2001–2006: Buler Rangers (澎馬流浪)
- 2006–2007: Rangers (香港流浪)
- 2007–2008: Bulova Rangers (寶路華流浪)
- 2008–2009: Rangers (香港流浪)
- 2009–2010: Ongood (安華)
- 2010–2011: Biu Chun (標準錶針)
- 2011–2012: Kam Fung (金鋒科技)
- 2012–2016: Biu Chun Rangers (標準流浪)
- 2016–2017: Lee Man Rangers (理文流浪)
- 2017–: Biu Chun Rangers (標準流浪)
Team staff
edit| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Director of football |  Philip Lee
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| Head coach | Wong Chin Hung
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| Assistant coach | Lam Ka Wai
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| Assistant coach | Li Heung Leung
|
| Assistant coach | Lo Kwan Yee
|
| Assistant coach |  Fernando Lopes
|
| Goalkeeping coach | Cheung Wai Hong
|
| Physiotherapist |  Kevin Leung
|
| Technical director | Fung Wing Shing
|
Source: [citation needed]
Current squad
editFirst team
edit- As of 17 October 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Remarks:
LP These players are considered as local players in Hong Kong domestic football competitions.
FP These players are registered as foreign players.
Out on loan
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Continental record
edit| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–96 | Asian Cup Winners Cup | First round | bye | |||
| Second round |  Yokohama Flügels
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1–3 | 2–4 | 3–7 | ||
| 2023–24 | AFC Champions League | Preliminary stage |  Haiphong
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1–4 (aet) | ||
Honours
editLeague
edit- Hong Kong First Division
- Champions (1): 1970–71
- Hong Kong Second Division
- Champions (2): 1964–65, 2011–12
- Hong Kong Third 'A' Division
- Champions (1): 1991–92
Cup competitions
edit- Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield
- Champions (4): 1965–66, 1970–71, 1974–75, 1994–95
- Runners-up (2): 1975–76, 1981–82
- Hong Kong FA Cup
- Hong Kong Sapling Cup
- Champions (1): 2023–24
- Hong Kong League Cup
- Runners-up (1): 2001–02
- Hong Kong Viceroy Cup
- Champions (2): 1973–74, 1974–75
Season-to-season record
edit| Season | Tier | Division | Teams | Position | Home Stadium | Attendance/G | FA Cup | Senior Shield | League Cup | Sapling Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 1 | First Division | 8 | 6 | Quarter-finals | Group Stage | Not held | |||
| 2001–02 | 1 | First Division | 7 | 4 | Semi-finals | Runners-up | ||||
| 2002–03 | 1 | First Division | 8 | 3 | Runners-up | Semi-finals | ||||
| 2003–04 | 1 | First Division | 10 | 4 | First Round | Semi-finals | ||||
| 2004–05 | 1 | First Division | 9 | 4 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | |||
| 2005–06 | 1 | First Division | 8 | 3 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Group Stage | |||
| 2006–07 | 1 | First Division | 10 | 4 | Semi-finals | First Round | Group Stage | |||
| 2007–08 | 1 | First Division | 10 | 10 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Group Stage | |||
| 2008–09 | 2 | Second Division | 10 | 6 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||
| 2009–10 | 2 | Second Division | 9 | 4 | Not held | |||||
| 2010–11 | 2 | Second Division | 12 | 7 | Did not enter | |||||
| 2011–12 | 2 | Second Division | 12 | 1 | ||||||
| 2012–13 | 1 | First Division | 10 | 6 | Sham Shui Po Sports Ground | 868 | Quarter-finals | First Round | Not held | |
| 2013–14 | 1 | First Division | 12 | 5 | Sham Shui Po Sports Ground | 472 | Semi-finals | Quarter-finals | ||
| 2014–15 | 1 | Premier League | 9 | 7 | Kowloon Bay Park | 485 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Knock-out Stage | |
| 2015–16 | 1 | Premier League | 9 | 8 | Kowloon Bay Park | 477 | Semi-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals |
| 2016–17 | 1 | Premier League | 11 | 7 | Tsing Yi Sports Ground | 519 | Quarter-finals | First Round | Defunct | Quarter-finals |
| 2017–18 | 1 | Premier League | 10 | 10 | Sham Shui Po Sports Ground | 485 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Group Stage | |
| 2018–19 | 2 | First Division | 14 | 3 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||
| 2019–20 | 1 | Premier League | 10 | Withdrew | Tuen Mun Tang Shiu Kin Sports Ground | 375 | First Round | Quarter-finals | Group Stage | |
| 2020–21 | 1 | Premier League | 8 | 6 | Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground | 613 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Group Stage | ||
| 2021–22 | 1 | Premier League | 8 | Cancelled | Sham Shui Po Sports Ground | 1,076 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||
| 2022–23 | 1 | Premier League | 10 | 3 | Hammer Hill Road Sports Ground | 466 | Runners-up | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | |
| 2023–24 | 1 | Premier League | 11 | 6 | Tsing Yi Sports Ground Mong Kok Stadium |
498 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Champions | |
Note:
1st or Champions 2nd or Runners-up 3rd place Promotion Relegation
Retired numbers
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Head coaches
edit- Li Ping Hung (2001–2002)
Kim Pan-gon (2002–2004)- Anílton (2004)
Qiu Jing-wei (2004–2006)- Tim Bredbury (2006)
Lim Fung Kee (2006–2007)- Tim Bredbury (2007–2008)
Goran Paulić (2012)- Chan Hung Ping (2012–2013)
- José Ricardo Rambo (2013–2014)
- Cheung Po Chun (2014–2015)
- Yan Lik Kin (2015)
- José Ricardo Rambo (2015–2016)
- Yan Lik Kin (2016)
- Fung Hoi Man (2016–2017)
- Lam Hing Lun (2017)
Dejan Antonić (2017)- Gerard Ambassa Guy (2017–2018)
- Fung Wing Sing, Su Yang (2018)
- Wong Chin Hung (2018–2019)
- Chiu Chung Man, Wong Chin Hung, Lai Ka Fai (2019–2023)
- Chiu Chung Man, Wong Chin Hung, Lai Ka Fai, Poon Man Chun (2023)
Vom Ca-nhum (2023–2024)- Tim Bredbury (2024)
- Wong Chin Hung (2024–)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Chan, Sun Jiu; So, Chi Yeung (22 April 2018). "亞洲首支職業隊 本地波「兵工廠」造星無數". HK01. Archived from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2018. (in Chinese)
- ^ "流浪主場不敵富力 提早兩輪篤定包尾 降班或獲挽留仍是未知數". Ming Pao. Archived from the original on 15 September 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2018. (in Chinese)
- ^ Yuen, Chi Ho (15 July 2019). "足總通過夢想退賽申請 港甲季軍標準流浪獲邀升班". HK01. Archived from the original on 15 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019. (in Chinese)
- ^ "BC Rangers aiming to repair bruised pride in AFC Champions League debut". South China Morning Post. 15 August 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
External links
edit- Hong Kong Rangers F.C. official website (archived 21 February 2013)
- Hong Kong Rangers FC on Facebook
- Hong Kong Rangers FC on Instagram
