1903 - 1912 - Hartlepool Rangers - Second Time around.

Images of the very successful Hartlepool Rangers sides that were prominent during the Edwardian period, the club’s name reviving the name of an earlier Hartlepool Rangers that ceased playing in 1892. Like their namesake, who played near the Tram Sheds, this Rangers club also played at Central Estate.Joining the Pyman League from the outset in 1903, they won the League title in 1905, 1908 and 1909, the Second Teams Cup was annexed in 1910 and the Durham County Junior Cup lifted on two occasions namely 1906 and 1908. The County Junior Cup and Pyman Cup double of 1908 was remarkable as Rovers also won the Senior,Second and Third Teams Cup that season, all five trophies were on display in a clotheirs shop in Hartlepool. Further, Rangers lost their opening Pyman match against West that season but then carried all before them that season in an unbeaten run.

The success did not continue, and they faded away in a few years, clues to the decline and disappearance may be that in the 1910 Pyman Cup playoff (refereed by H E Pyman himself) they declined to play due to a dressing room dispute. Whether the game was played is not recorded but Greatham are recorded as winners on the Cup plinth. Rangers continued in the League only for another season before disappearing in 1912, but despite their bust up (not uncommon in those days!) they were promoted to Senior Status in the County, Mr W R Bowring, a prominent Rugby administrator in his day became their County Rep in 1910. Many of the names in the Rangers ranks at this time, are also to be found in the teams of the very successful Red Rose sides that emerged at this time, probably the Red Rose arose from the decline of the Rangers. By February 1912 Rangers failed to turn up at Blaydon for a Senior Cup tie and were fined and in April that year a team called White Hart Rangers played Red Rose, which indicates more upheaval and a change of name, the White Hart being the HQ of both the Rangers and Red Rose at this period

Gallery images

• 1903 - 1908 - Crusaders v Rangers Juniors
• 1910 - Hartlepool Rangers v Pyman League & Galleys Field Old Boys
• 1912 - Hartlepool Rangers