Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC
The Mount Druitt Town Rangers, or the Mt Druitt Rangers, are a football (soccer) club from Mt Druitt in Western Sydney, Australia. The club was incorporated in 1970. The team currently plays in the New South Wales National Premier Leagues 1, the highest league in the state and second highest in the country after the A-League. They were promoted after a premiership winning 2018 season in NSW NPL2.
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| Full name | Mount Druitt Town Rangers FC | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1970 (inc.) | |
| Ground | Popondetta Park | |
| Capacity | 2500 | |
| Owner | Mark Robertson | |
| Chairman | Mark Robertson | |
| Manager | Aidan Desmond | |
| 2020 | 10th | |
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History
The Mt Druitt Town Rangers Soccer Club was incorporated in 1970 and has developed a strong association with the district and the states governing body, Football NSW.
Since 1970, the Rangers has provided football opportunities for the youth of Western Sydney. Founded by two Scots of opposing religions and the fiercest of football rivalries, they overcame their differences to unite the green of Celtic, the Rangers name, and the gold of Australia.
The Rangers play in the FFA FNSW National Premier League (NPL) 1st Grade, 20s, 18s, National Premier League Youth u16s, 15s, 14s, 13s, Skills Acquisition League u12s, 11s, 10s, 9s, Girls Conference League 17g, 15g, 14g. MDTRFC also have an Inclusive /Special Needs/ AWD program.
Previously had played Futsal in the FNSW National Premier League competition [Men, Boys, Women, Girls] where they introduced their athletes With disabilities AWD into the program.
Town Rangers also offers community football opportunities in the local Blacktown District Soccer Football Association.[1]
The Rangers also regularly feature in the highly respected invitational Portuguese International Tournament hosted by Vila Franca do Rosario (2014,16,17,19). Over the years vFR has included some of the superpowers of European football's youth academies such as regulars Sporting Club Portugal, SL Benfica, Porto FC, as well as other international guests Sheffield Wednesday, Real Betis, Malaga, Dynamo Moscow. In 2017, the Skills Acquisition Program also toured Portugal and played in the Algarve New World Youth Cup, where the Rangers team was awarded the Fair Play Award. That same year, the Rangers made the National Premier League 2 1st grade grand final against the league winners and highly respected Marconi.
In 2016, Blacktown City Council announced a major upgrade to the Popondetta Park precinct of $5 million including the development of a synthetic field and additional amenities for players and spectators.
FFA Cup
Qualified for The FFA Cup Finals Series Round of 32 for the first time in 2019 after defeating two time former NSL champions and NPL leaders Wollongong Wolves 0-1 in their 7th preliminary round encounter in Wollongong on Wednesday June 5, 2019. Drawing a home game Popondetta Park hosted NPL Manly United FC on Wednesday 24 July. An epic clash that was HT and FT 1.1, AET 2.2 penalty shootout went to MUFC 2.4.
Mt Druitt's previous best result in the qualification came in 2017 where they reached the sixth preliminary round after defeating Prospect United 2–0 and University of NSW 3–1 before being eliminated by local neighbours Blacktown City 2–1 in AET own goal.
Club colours and kit
The club's home kit is based on the Australian national jersey/shirt is predominately gold and shorts bottle green, the socks are gold. The away kit is shirt bottle green, shorts black, and socks black.