CLUB HISTORY
18 Aug 2009

Dudley Hill Rangers were formed as Dudley Hill Juniors in 1991, but within weeks changed to Holmewood Athletic U18s playing out of the TFD Centre.
The nucleus of the team being mainly 15 year olds from a Bradford league, Cup and Yorkshire Cup winning Tong Upper School team.
Team was managed by Pete Softley (aged 15) and won the Bradford Youth U18 League on the last game of their debut season 4-1 v Pakistan Community Centre.
In 1992-93 season the club were r/up to West Bowling,but snatched the title back in 1993-1994 season, also winning the League Cup. This season marked the debut of Craig Brown, the only surviving member still playing in the adult ranks now (16 years).

In 1994-95 the club made the step up from junior to senior level, and in their first season won the Grattan League Division 2 (P 20 W 16 D 2 L2 Scored 102 Against 47).
Average age of team was 18 years and a bright future on the cards.It was in this year that now club president Mick Hird joined the club as a right full back/centre half.
In 1995-96 season they were league champions again,this time in the Grattan League Division 1 (P 21 W14 D 3 L4 Scored 84 Against 40).In this season a handful of players started to play with the then Holmewood Athletic Sunday Team in DIV 4A of the Bradford Sunday Alliance.A no nonsense side managed by Ray Wilcock with Steve Walker as Secretary who has since left the club after many years for pastures new in Stockport. This season also marked the arrival of Mark `Mouse `Norton as a player,who now co-manages the Sunday 1st Team.
1996-97 marked a golden era in Saturday Team history, now known as Dudley Hill Socialists AFC having broken away from Holmewood Athletic with the Sunday Team. Grattan League R/UP to the impressive Woodend Rangers, but in front of a 600 plus crowd at Valley Parade the team beat Admiral Nelson 3-2 to win the Grattan League Cup.
Dudley Hill Rangers appeared as the `new` brand of Saturday and sunday teams in 1997-98, the Saturday Team venturing into the West Riding County Amateur League and finishing R/UP in both the league and league cup.In this season Batley Town emerged as probably the clubs most fierce rivals(ask any club `veteran!) and games between the two always carried massive appeal to other clubs.
Saturday team stalled for many seasons in the WRCAL Div 2 whilst the Sunday Team started to progress due to the merger with Fire Brigade FC, which in 1999-2000 season brought Martin Hird(now Vice-Chair), Chris Davey(now club secretary), Paul Morris and Phil Willis to the club. Sunday Team now occupied Div 1 of the Bradford Sunday Alliance League and a reserve team in Div 1b.
1999-2000 marked the emergence of our junior team and Adam Sharkey, James Firth and Keiron Reid later moved up into the Senior Teams.
Saturday Team twice (2001/2005) lost out 1-0 in the Bradford & District FA CUP finals, whilst remaining in the competitive Div 1 of WRCAL.2006-07 the club started to go into decline and this reflected on the pitch, but mid-way through the season Mick Hird, Pete Softley and Dave Taylor stepped in and the Saturday Team re-emerged and fought off what would have been the first `relegation` of any Dudley Hill Rangers side.