Rayners Lane F.C.

Rayners Lane F.C. are a football club based in Rayners Lane in the London Borough of Harrow, England. They are members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division North.

Rayners Lane
Full nameRayners Lane Football Club
Nickname(s)The Lane
Founded1933
GroundThe Tithe Farm Social Club,
Rayners Lane
ChairmanPete Singh
ManagerGary Meakin
LeagueCombined Counties League Premier Division North
2022–23Combined Counties League Division One, 4th of 21 (promoted via play-offs)

History

Rayners Lane Football Club was established in 1933. By the 1960s the club had joined the Spartan League. The club left the league in 1970, but returned for two seasons between 1973 and 1975, during which time they reached the Second Round of the FA Vase. They joined the Hellenic Football League Division One in 1978, winning the league in 1981–82 and gaining promotion to the Premier Division. During the late 1980s and early 1990s the club entered the FA Cup, reaching the Second Qualifying Round in 1992–93. The club remained in the Premier Division until being relegated in 1994 due to not having floodlights. After two seasons in Division One, Rayners Lane left the Hellenic League and joined the Middlesex League. In 1998, the club joined the Chiltonian League Premier Division, which after two seasons merged with the Hellenic League. Rayners Lane were placed in Division One East.[1]

In the 2012-13 season manager Dene Gardner guided Rayners Lane to the Hellenic Football League Division One East title, which would've seen the club promoted to the Hellenic Premier Division, however they were denied promotion due to ground grading issues. Gardner departed the club and was replaced by Mick Bradshaw.[2] Rayners Lane remained in Division One East until the end of 2016-17 when they were transferred to the Spartan South Midlands Football League.

In June 2017, David Fox was appointed as the club's new manager.[3] He guided the Lane to 13th and 12th place finishes respectively in his first two seasons.[4] The 2019-20 season saw Rayners Lane challenge for promotion, with the club sat in 4th place before the season was ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

The club transferred to the Combined Counties Football League for 2021-22. In October 2021 David Fox left his position as manager[6] and was replaced by a management team of Ben Hanley and Warren Gaddy.[7] Rayners Lane qualified for the playoffs, finishing the season in 4th place before losing to eventual winners Wallingford Town in the semi-final. Hanley and Gaddy subsequently departed the club and were replaced by Scott Patmore.[8]

The 2022-23 season saw success for Rayners Lane in both the cup and the league. The club won their first ever Middlesex Premier Cup in April 2023, with Jake Tabor scoring both goals in a 2-0 final win against British Airways.[9] The club would go on to finish in the playoffs, ending the season with another 4th placed finish. A 3-2 win in the semi-final against London Samurai Rovers saw the Lane progress to the playoff final. On 8 May 2023, Rayners Lane beat Langley 2-0 in the final to secure promotion to Step 5 for the first time since 1994, with both goals again coming from Jake Tabor.[10]

Ground

Rayners Lane play their home games at Tithe Farm Sports And Social Club, 151 Rayners Lane, Harrow, Middlesex.

In April 2018, construction work began to install a new state of the art 3G pitch at the ground for the 2018/2019 season.

The New Tithe Farm Sports & Social Club House and Function Suite was operational from 3 June 2019 and was officially opened on the 5th Oct 2019 by Daniel P Gallagher at the Opening Gala Dinner

Current coaching staff
Position Name
First Team Manager Gary Meakin
First Team Assistant Manager Wesley Daly

Honours

Records

References
  1. Rayners Lane at the Football Club History Database
  2. "Pressure is off at the Lane". Mylondon.news. 6 September 2013.
  3. @RaynersLaneFC (4 June 2017). "The club is pleased to announce that we have appointed a new 1st Team Manager David Fox and his Team. (1/2)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. "Football Club History Database - Rayners Lane". Fchd.info.
  5. "All football below National League to end". BBC Sport.
  6. @RaynersLaneFC (15 October 2021). "Club Statement.The committee has taken the decision to release David Fox as 1st team manager.We would like to t…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. @RaynersLaneFC (20 October 2021). "A new era begins…👀Our attention now turns to Saturday as we entertain @Sheerwaterfc in the First Round Proper of…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. "Rayners Lane FC are delighted to announce the appointment of Scott Patmore as first team Manager". Twitter.com. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  9. "Rayners Lane Win the Middlesex Premier Cup".
  10. "Rayners Lane Win the Middlesex Premier Cup".
  11. "Rayners Lane 1 – 1 Bracknell Town | Bracknell Town Football Club". Bracknelltownfc.com. 28 April 2013. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.


51°34′11.41″N 0°21′54.60″W

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