{{short description|Association football club in South Africa}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Use South African English|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Manning Rangers | image = Manning Rangers F.C. logo.jpg | fullname = Manning Rangers Football Club | nickname = ''The Mighty Maulers'' | founded = {{start date and age|1928}} | dissolved = {{start date and age|2006}} | ground = [[Chatsworth Stadium]] (''The Den''), [[Durban]] | capacity = 22,000 | chairman = | manager = | league = | season = | position = | <!-- Kit Information --> pattern_la1 = | pattern_b1 = | pattern_ra1 = | leftarm1 = FFFF00 | body1 = FFFF00 | rightarm1 = FFFF00 | shorts1 = 0000CD | socks1 = FFFFFF | pattern_la2 = | pattern_b2 = | pattern_ra2 = | leftarm2 = FFFFFF | body2 = FFFFFF | rightarm2 = FFFFFF | shorts2 = FFFFFF | socks2 = FFFFFF }} '''Manning Rangers''' was a South African [[Association football|football]] club based in [[Durban]]. The side is best remembered as the inaugural champions of the [[South African Premiership|Premiership]], the first in the [[Premier Soccer League]] era.
==History== The club was founded in 1928 by [[GR Naidoo]] who, as well as administering the club, played as its goalkeeper and was later a referee. In the mid-1960s, the club entered the professional ranks under the auspices of the [[South African Soccer League]]. In 1985, the club moved its base from Curries Fountain to Chatsworth. The club entered the 1st Division of the [[National Soccer League (South Africa)|National Soccer League]] (NSL) in 1991.
In 2006, the club declared [[bankruptcy]]. The [[Fidentia Group]] purchased the club in 2007, renaming it [[Fidentia Rangers]] before moving the club from [[Durban]] to [[Cape Town]] as [[Ikapa Sporting F.C.|Ikapa Sporting]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=KickOff |title=Ex-Fidentia Rangers' players win case |url=https://www.snl24.com/kickoff/sanews/ex-fidentia-rangers-players-win-case-20071114 |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=KickOff |language=en-US}}</ref>
The club was reformed and as of 2023 plays in the amateur leagues.<ref>{{Cite web |last=nikitachiniah |date=2021-09-06 |title=Manning Rangers prepare for the new season |url=https://risingsunchatsworth.co.za/183426/manning-rangers-prepare-for-the-new-season/ |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=Rising Sun Newspapers |language=en-US}}</ref>
==1996–97 season== In the inaugural [[1996–97 South African Premiership|1996–97]] season of the [[South African Premiership|Premiership]], the unfancied ''Maulers'', then under the leadership of chairman Kaycee Reddy and coached by [[Gordon Igesund]],<ref>{{Cite web |author=Staff Reporter |date=2010-11-30 |title=Igesund up for new challenge at Swallows |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2010-11-30-igesund-up-for-new-challenge-at-swallows/ |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}</ref> caused a major upset by winning the league, finishing with a 23–5–6 record and on 74 points, ahead of bigger clubs such as [[Kaizer Chiefs]], [[Mamelodi Sundowns]] and [[Orlando Pirates]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=South Africa 1996/97 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf97.html |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=www.rsssf.org}}</ref>
The club remained in the Premiership for several seasons. In 1998–99 the team represented South Africa in the [[1998 CAF Champions League group stage|CAF Champions League]] losing out to eventual winners [[ASEC Abidjan]] of [[Côte d'Ivoire]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Davies was cult figure for Rangers|url=https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/the-citizen-kzn/20130513/282003259941525 |access-date=2023-09-15 |via=PressReader}}</ref>
==Notable players== *{{Flagicon|RSA}} [[Mark Davies (South African footballer)|Mark Davies]] Most appearances for the club. *{{Flagicon|RSA}} [[Simon Makhubela]] Most goals for the club. *{{Flagicon|RSA}} [[Keryn Jordan]] Most goals in a season for the club with 22. *{{Flagicon|ZIM}} [[Innocent Chikoya]] Most games in a single season with 43 *{{Flagicon|ZIM}} [[Gilbert Mushangazhike]] Zimbabwean international striker. *{{Flagicon|ZIM}} [[Bruce Grobbelaar]] Zimbabwean international goalkeeper, coach 2004–05. *{{flag icon|South Africa}} [[Scampy Bissessor]] South African International Center-Forward, Top Goal Scorer of 1975 *{{Flagicon|RSA}} [[George Koumantarakis]] South African internationalist and 1995 Title winner. *{{Flagicon|RSA}} [[Neil Tovey]] African Cup of Nations winning Bafana Bafana captain. *{{Flagicon|MOZ}} [[Paulito (footballer)|Paulito]] Mozambican international. *{{Flagicon|LBR}} [[Anthony Tokpah]] Liberian international goalkeeper. *{{Flagicon|RSA}} [[Selvanathan Reddy]] Manning Rangers F.C Striker. *{{flagicon|CGO}} [[Edson Minga]] – Congolese international<ref>{{Cite web|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|title=NFT Player – National Team & Club Appearances: Minga, Edson Dico|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/old/player/1548/Edson_Dico_Minga.html|access-date=13 November 2022|website=national-football-teams.com|publisher=National Football Teams|archive-date=25 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225054421/https://www.national-football-teams.com/old/player/1548/Edson_Dico_Minga.html}}</ref>
==Major honours== *Premiership champions [[1996–97 South African Premiership|1996/97]]<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=From Manning Rangers to Sundowns — all the PSL winners in 25 years |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2021-06-12-from-manning-rangers-to-sundowns-all-the-psl-winners-in-25-years/ |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=TimesLIVE |language=en-ZA}}</ref> *Osman Spice Works Cup 1985 *FPL Knockout Winners 1979, 89 *Coca-Cola Shield 1977
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Premier Soccer League}} {{original Premier Soccer League clubs}}
[[Category:Manning Rangers F.C.|*]] [[Category:Association football clubs established in 1928]] [[Category:Former Premier Soccer League clubs]] [[Category:Soccer clubs in Durban]] [[Category:Defunct soccer clubs in South Africa]] [[Category:1928 establishments in South Africa]] [[Category:2006 disestablishments in South Africa]]