Our men's 1st team is just over halfway through the 2025/2026 season which will end with 38 matches played (always caveat that now with “pandemic permitting”).

We have played 22 and with a record of close to symmetry. We have won 8, drawn 6 and lost 8.

That leaves us firmly mid table in 12th place with 30 points and a goal difference of -6.

This is ahead of last season and shows year on year improvement in results (and performance, although that is less data driven, of course).

Our record leaves us close to centrally positioned between the promotion play off positions, 9 points behind, and relegation zone, 6 points behind.

However.

We have 3 games in hand on Eastwood in 4th and are 10 points behind. We are 9 points behind Belper with 5 games in hand. Our upcoming clash with them will be critical in determining our direction of travel this season.

Of the two relegation places in the division, we have 2 games in hand on 18th placed Newark & Sherwood and are 6 points ahead. Current bottom placed side Harrowby are 8 points behind us having played 3 games more.

Another couple of positive results for Rangers in those games in hand and we can truly start to focus on looking upwards in the table.

The league table is still a little bit deceptive, however. Clay Cross for example are a point behind us in 13th with two games in hand. On the other hand, Melton are a place ahead of us in 11th place, one point better off but from 5 more matches.

With matches being postponed still, it might be another 6 weeks or so before we get a real true view of UCL Prem North for the run in.

This season has seen us use 36 players in league and cup competitions. This feels significantly down on last season and the year before where we used 6 goalkeepers, for example.

Ryan Cook leads the appearance makers with 29 in all competitions and having taken part in 21 of the 22 league matches.

He is also the leading scorer with 9 goals, a big gap of 4 ahead of next placed Harvey Thorne. Hendo and Josh “Injury time” Randall are next on 4 goals each.
15 players have hit the net for Rangers this season with a word for our single goal getters Will Barnes, Theo Braham, Ewan Fieldhouse, Jacob Goodley and Airidas Voveris.

Those we have loved but who have moved on include James Stainsby, 3 goals from 8 appearances in all competitions, Byron Adiado 4 from 9, and Kellan Hickinson 1 in 5.

There are a couple of bad boys in the card count with Will Barnes having received 8 yellow cards and Spencer Tinkler with 5.

The only red card came for Jonny Lockie, as did the only sin binning.

There are no prizes for guessing who is our super sub. Josh Randall coming from the bench 11 times so far and netting on three of those occasions.

Cookie and Thornie have been the players most subbed off, getting first use of the shower 15 times each so far this campaign.

It’s been a stop start season with matches being off, and that is reflected with October being our finest month of the season to date with 3 wins from 6 matches. July, August and November all saw 2.

It’s going to be a fascinating watch as we run in towards the end of the 2025/2026 season, good luck Brett, Lenny and the lads !