Kintbury Rangers FC hasn’t often been on the radar of Football in Berkshire. They play at Step 7 in the Hellenic League Division Two and are situated a long way from our usual stamping grounds of the Thames Valley Premier League and the Isthmian, Hellenic and Combined Counties Leagues. We’d like to redress the balance a bit after our visit to Kintbury Recreation Ground on Saturday to give you some reasons to visit Kintbury Rangers Football Club.
The badge
Kintbury Rangers badge, and their kit, resembles that of the Netherlands national side. While not quite as recognisable as Highmoor Ibis’ Brazilian inspired badge it still evokes a certain brand of Dutch total football.
The shed stand
At Football in Berkshire we are big fans of non-standard football furniture and this one certainly meets the bill. It’s the only shelter at Kintbury, though one can retreat to the clubhouse if standing in the rain gets too much.
Small kids football pitch and skate park next door
Always good to have something for the children to do while the football is on. Some of them struggle to sit through the entirety of a Hellenic Division Two clash.
Dugouts on either side of the pitch
One of the more odd features of the ground is that the home and away dugouts are on the opposite side of the pitch to one another. While this does discourage some good arguments between both benches it can leave the referee confused when he needs to check subsitutes onto the field of play.
Floodlit football at Step 7
A nice set of floodlights despite the club’s Step 7 status. Kintbury were once a force at Hellenic Premier level finishing eighth and hosting Newport County at Kintbury. The club ia also a former stomping ground of Charlie Austin and Brett Angell.
Lovely village
Kintbury is a lovely part of the world with a small train station and right by the canal so there’s plenty of options for those who fancy a beer and some gongoozling.
