View source for Kilwinning Rangers F.C.

{{short description|Association football club in North Ayrshire, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox football club
| nickname = The Buffs
| image = Kilwinning_Rangers_F.C.png
| ground = Buffs Park, [[Kilwinning]]
| capacity = 2,800
| season = {{Scottish football updater|KilwinnR2}}
| clubname = Kilwinning Rangers
| fullname = Kilwinning Rangers Football Club
| founded = 1899
| mgrtitle = Manager
| manager = Kevin Kelly 
| league = {{Scottish football updater|KilwinnR}}
| position = {{Scottish football updater|KilwinnR3}}
| shirtsupplier = 
| shirtsponsors = 
| website = https://kilwinningrangers.com/
| chrtitle = Chairman
| chairman = Colin Evans
| pattern_la1 = _blueborder
| pattern_b1 = _bluehoops3
| pattern_ra1 = _blueborder
| pattern_sh1 = 
| pattern_so1 = _hoops_white
| leftarm1 = 
| body1 = 
| rightarm1 = 
| shorts1 = 0000FF
| socks1 = 0000FF
| pattern_la2 = _blackborder
| pattern_b2 = _sash_stripe_checkered
| pattern_ra2 = _blackborder
| pattern_sh2 = 
| pattern_so2 = 
| leftarm2 = FF0000
| body2 = FF0000
| rightarm2 = FF0000
| shorts2 = 000000
| socks2 = FF0000
}}

'''Kilwinning Rangers Football Club''' are a Scottish [[Association football|football]] club based in the town of [[Kilwinning]], [[Ayrshire]].  Formed in 1899, the club competes in the [[West of Scotland Football League]], and are eligible to participate in the [[Scottish Cup]]. Nicknamed ''The Buffs'', they play in blue and white hoops. Home matches are played at Buffs Park, within Kilwinning Sports Club, where the club moved prior to the 2019–20 season having spent 90 years at Abbey Park.

== History ==
===19th century===
Kilwinning Rangers were originally formed as a Juvenile football club in 1899, sharing Blacklands Park with the local senior club - the now defunct Kilwinning Eglinton (the current Eglinton F.C. are unrelated).  

===20th century===
In 1902, the club joined the Junior grade however it was three years before the club won their first honour, emerging as winners of the Ayrshire Junior Challenge Cup in 1904–05.

They became the first Ayrshire club to win the Scottish Junior Cup in [[Scottish Junior Cup|1908–09]] with a 1–0 victory over [[Strathclyde F.C.|Strathclyde]]. A second appearance in the final followed in 1909–10, however Kilwinning were defeated 3–0 by [[Ashfield F.C.|Ashfield]]. Ninety years later, Kilwinning regained the Scottish Junior Cup with a 1–0 victory over [[Kelty Hearts F.C.|Kelty Hearts]], in a season which saw them win six out of the seven trophies available to them.

===21st century===
Kilwinning became the first Ayrshire side to win the West Super League in 2003–04 however financial issues resulted in the team finishing bottom of the league the following season and subsequently relegated.  Most of the following decade was spent in the Ayrshire District League with a promotion to the Super First Division achieved in 2012–13.  The following season almost resulted in Kilwinning avoiding relegation, however the club had fielded an ineligible player for twelve matches and the resulting nineteen point deduction relegated the side to the bottom division.<ref>{{Cite news|last=McGowan|first=Eric|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/kilwinning-rangers-boss-insists-relegation-3586926|title=Kilwinning Rangers boss insists relegation won't alter his plans for the club|date=22 May 2014|work=Daily Record|access-date=20 January 2018|publisher=Reach plc}}</ref>

A change in management occurred in February 2014, with the appointment of Chris Strain and [[Colin Stewart (footballer)|Colin Stewart]]; although Stewart left to take up a coaching role at [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] in 2015 and Strain assumed the role of sole manager.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wilson|first=Fraser|title=Kilwinning appoint Strain and Stewart|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/scottish-junior-football-column-farcical-3188311|access-date=2 March 2014|newspaper=[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]]|date=27 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url =http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/breaking-kilwinning-rangers-sack-chris-8173278#D3aIhvtwxWbrskWG.97| title = BREAKING: Kilwinning Rangers sack Chris Strain by text message - Daily Record| date = 12 June 2016}}</ref>

Kilwinning achieved successive promotions in 2014-15 and 2016–17, courtesy of a play-off victory against [[Glasgow United F.C.|Shettleston]]<ref>{{Cite news|last=McGowan|first=Eric|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/kilwinning-rangers-shoot-down-shettleston-8163610|title=Buffs shoot down Shettleston to win promotion back to the top flight|date=11 June 2016|work=dailyrecord|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> and maintained their top flight status the following season by defeating [[Kilsyth Rangers F.C.|Kilsyth Rangers]] in another play-off.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irvinetimes.com/sport/15336838.Buffs_preserve_Premier_place_with_playoff_victory/|title=Buffs preserve Premier place with playoff victory|website=Irvine Times|date=8 June 2017 |language=en|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref>

In 2020, Kilwinning applied to join the newly formed [[West of Scotland Football League]], which would see them leave the Junior leagues after joining 118 years prior<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kilwinning Rangers FC - Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/steadythebuffs}}</ref> The following year, Kilwinning began their application to join the [[Scottish Football Association]]. This application was successful in June 2022, allowing the Buffs to participate in the [[Scottish Cup]] for the first time in the history in the [[2022–23 West of Scotland Football League|2022–23 season]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irvinetimes.com/news/20183799.kilwinning-rangers-buffs-granted-full-sfa-membership/|title=Kilwinning Rangers: Buffs granted full SFA membership|work=Irvine Times|publisher=Ayrshire Weekly Press|date=2 June 2022|access-date=22 June 2022|first=Darren|last=Gibson}}</ref>

In early April 2022, Chris Strain was sacked. Former player and ex-professional, [[Mark Campbell (footballer)|Mark Campbell]] was appointed caretaker manager until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/kilwinning-rangers-caretaker-boss-mark-26728001|title=Kilwinning Rangers caretaker boss Mark Campbell rules himself out as next Buffs manager|publisher=Reach plc|work=Daily Record|first=Eric|last=McGowan|date=16 April 2022|access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref> [[Broomhill F.C. (Scotland)|Broomhill]] manager [[David Gormley]] was hired for the start of the next season.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://kilwinningrangers.com/new-manager-david-gormley-arrives-at-buffs-park/|title=New Manager: David Gormley Arrives At Buffs Park|date=25 April 2022|access-date=25 April 2022|publisher=Kilwinning Rangers FC|work=kilwinningrangers.com}}</ref>  In January 2023 Gormley was relieved of his position as manager and former Clyde, Ayr United, Morton and Stirling Albion player [[Chris Aitken]] was appointed as manager in early February.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.irvinetimes.com/news/23314554.kilwinning-rangers-chris-aitken-appointed-manager/ | title=Kilwinning Rangers appoint new manager as club look to avoid the drop | date=10 February 2023 }}</ref> Following Aitken's resignation, Ex-[[Caledonian Locomotives F.C.|Caledonian Locomotives]] boss Kevin Kelly was appointed along with his assistant [[Steven Saunders]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://kilwinningrangers.com/new-manager-kevin-kelly-appointed/|title=New manager Kevin Kelly appointed|publisher=Kilwinning Rangers|work=kilwinningrangers.com|date=17 June 2024|access-date=18 June 2024}}</ref>

===Scottish Cup===
Kilwinning Rangers made their first ever foray into the [[Scottish Cup]] in the 2022–23 season; defeating [[Rutherglen Glencairn F.C.|Rutherglen Glencairn]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/scottish-cup-kilwinning-rangers-2-27902989|title=Scottish Cup: Kilwinning Rangers 2 Rutherglen 1 as David Gormley hails 10-man Buffs' resilience|work=Daily Record|first=Eric|last=McGowan|date=4 September 2022|access-date=24 December 2022}}</ref> and [[Tranent Juniors F.C.|Tranent]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ardrossanherald.com/news/22464935.kilwinning-rangers-beat-tranent-juniors-scottish-cup-first-round/|title=Kilwinning Rangers beat Tranent Juniors in Scottish Cup first round|date=21 September 2022|access-date=24 December 2022|first=Murray|last=Grayston|work=Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald}}</ref> before succumbing to [[Scottish League Two]] side [[Forfar Athletic F.C.|Forfar Athletic]] in the second round proper.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/scottish-cup-kilwinning-rangers-1-28303643|title=Scottish Cup: Kilwinning Rangers 1 Forfar Athletic 3 as Gormley left to rue 'fine margins'|work=Daily Record|first=Eric|last=McGowan|date=22 October 2022|access-date=24 December 2022}}</ref>

== Nickname ==
Several theories exists as to the origin of the nickname "Buffs".  Historic maps of Kilwinning show the site of the present day Abbey Park to have been within an area known as "The Butts," an adaption of which may have led to the synonym.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.oldmapsonline.org/map/nls/82867029 |title=Ayrshire, Sheet 016.04 - 25 Inch Map |website=www.oldmapsonline.org |access-date=14 February 2018}}</ref>

Another theory is that one of the players around that time was a member of the East Kent Regiment of the British Army, who were nicknamed The Buffs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.word-detective.com/2008/04/steady-the-buffs/|title=Steady the Buffs « The Word Detective|website=www.word-detective.com|language=en-US|access-date=24 February 2018}}</ref>

The early Kilwinning Rangers were known to have played in a dull yellow or "buff" strip.  However the origin of the nickname remains unknown.

In January 2025, to coincide with the opening of the new club museum, the origin of the nickname will be revealed as officially endorsed by the club.

== Ground ==
Several grounds were used by the club in the early years of its existence.  Initially Kilwinning moved to a ground named Woodwynd Park which was located on Woodwynd itself, between Hamilton Street and Kilrig Avenue.  Several years later the club began playing at Claremont Park, near to the now demolished [[Kilwinning East railway station]].  The Buffs moved to Abbey Park (near [[Kilwinning Abbey]]) in 1929 and remained there until 2019.

At the start of the 2019–20 season they relocated to the Kilwinning Sports Club ground in Pennyburn on the outskirts of the town which was upgraded and renamed Buffs Park.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McGowan |first1=Eric |title=How the Buffs' new ground is shaping up to be one of the best in Junior football |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/how-ayrshire-clubs-new-ground-17265638 |website=Daily Record |language=en |date=27 June 2019}}</ref>

In April 2020, the club agreed to buy the former [[Old Trafford]] [[floodlight]]s from non-league [[York City F.C.|York City]] to upgrade Buffs Park to SPFL standards,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/manchester-uniteds-old-floodlights-snapped-21839514|title=Manchester United's old floodlights snapped up by Ayrshire club|work=Daily Record|publisher=Reach Scotland|date=9 April 2020|access-date=9 April 2020|first=Eric|last=McGowan}}</ref> however, the plan fell through.<ref>{{Cite web|last=McGowan|first=Eric|date=6 August 2020|title=Club forced into floodlights rethink which could affect SFA licence plans|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/manchester-united-floodlights-plan-falls-22478311|access-date=12 August 2020|website=Daily Record}}</ref>

A seated stand was added ahead of the [[2020-21 West of Scotland Football League]] season;<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ardrossanherald.com/news/19237119.kilwinning-buffs-boss-shares-vision-towns-field-dreams/|title=Kilwinning: Buffs boss shares his vision for the town's field of dreams|work=Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald|publisher=Newsquest|date=16 April 2021|access-date=18 July 2021|first=Lorraine|last=Howard}}</ref> with the new floodlights following the next year.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ardrossanherald.com/news/18987498.kilwinning-rangers-new-floodlight-works-get-underway/|work=Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald|publisher=Newsquest|date=5 January 2021|access-date=25 April 2022|first=Andy|last=Hamilton|title=Kilwinning Rangers: New floodlight works get underway}}</ref>

== Current squad ==
As of 4 November 2025<ref>{{Cite web|title=Player Update: Who Stays? Who Goes?|url=https://kilwinningrangers.com/player-update-who-stays-who-goes/|access-date=14 June 2022|work=Kilwinning Rangers F.C.}}</ref>

===First team===
{{Fs start}} 
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Glen Cameron|pos=GK|no=1}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Ewan McLevy|pos=DF|no=2}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Adam Caldwell|pos=DF|no=3}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Lawrence Hendry|pos=DF|no=4}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Jack MacCalman|pos=DF|no=5}}  
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Blair MacIntyre|pos=MF|no=6}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Mark Lamont|pos=MF|other=[[Captain (association football)|vice-captain]]|no=7}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Conor McLaughlin|pos=MF|no=8}}
{{fs player|nat=SCO|name=Bryan Boylan|pos=FW|other=[[Captain (association football)|captain]]|no=9}}  
{{fs player|nat=SCO|name=Jack McMahon|pos=FW|no=10}} 
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Murray Mackintosh|pos=MF|no=11}}
{{fs mid}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Dylan Duncan|pos=FW|no=12}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Ryan Wallace|pos=DF|no=14}}
{{fs player|nat=SCO|name=Fraser Malcolm|pos=FW|no=15}} 
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Kyle Chrystal|pos=DF|no=16}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Campbell McLean|pos=MF|no=18}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Ryan Wilson|pos=FW|no=19}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Olly Smith|pos=MF|no=21}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Khalan Lendrum|pos=GK|no=22}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Ben Lewis|pos=MF|no=23}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Rhys Ritchie|pos=MF|no=26}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Logan Burgess|pos=DF|no=27|other=on loan from [[Kilmarnock F.C.|Kilmarnock]]}}
{{Fs end}}

===Other players===
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Oli Black|pos=DF|no=--|other=on loan at [[Muirkirk Juniors F.C.|Muirkirk Juniors]]}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Charlie Farrell|pos=MF|other=on loan to [[Maybole Juniors F.C.|Maybole Juniors]]|no=--}} 
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Tyler Love|pos=FW|no=--|other=on loan at [[Dalry Thistle F.C.|Dalry Thistle]]}} 
{{fs mid}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=Sam Trousdale|pos=FW|other=on loan to [[Irvine Victoria F.C.|Irvine Victoria]]|no=--}}
{{Fs player|nat=SCO|name=James Unick|pos=FW|no=--|other=on loan at [[Girvan F.C.|Girvan]]}}
{{Fs end}}

==Management team==
As of 18 September 2025
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Position !! Name
|-
| Chairman || Colin Evans
|-
| Manager || Kevin Kelly
|-
| Assistant Manager || [[Steven Saunders]] 
|-
| First Team Coach || John McGowan
|-
| Goalkeeping Coach || Scott Black
|-
| First Team Physio || Louise Downie
|-
| Club Secretary || Lauren Grant
|-
| Development Team Manager || [[Dylan Mackin]] 
|-
| Development Assistant Manager || Tommy Leckie
|-
| Development Team Secretary || Alan McAlpine
|-
| Development Goalkeeping Coach || David Wilson
|-
| Kit Manager || Jayne Gorman
|-
| Media Manager / Match Day Announcer || Ben Grant
|}

==Honours==
===Senior===
'''[[West of Scotland Football League|West of Scotland Football League Cup]]''' 
* Runners-up: 2021&ndash;22
'''West of Scotland Football League First Division'''
* Promotion: 2024&ndash;25

===Junior===
'''[[Scottish Junior Cup]]'''
*'''Winners (2)''': 1908&ndash;09, 1998&ndash;99
* Runners-up (2): 1909&ndash;10, 1921&ndash;22

'''[[SJFA West Region Premiership|West of Scotland Super League Premier Division]]'''
*'''Winners''': 2003&ndash;04
* Runners-up: [[2019–20 West Region Premiership|2019&ndash;20]]

===Other honours===
*[[West of Scotland Junior Cup|West of Scotland Cup]] 
**Winners (2): 1993&ndash;94, 1998&ndash;99

*[[Scottish Junior Football Ayrshire Division One|Ayrshire District League]]
**Winners: 2012&ndash;13
**Runners-up (2): 2009&ndash;10, 2014&ndash;15 

*[[Ayrshire Junior Football League|Ayrshire First Division]]
**Winners (2): 1998&ndash;99, 1999&ndash;00
*[[Ayrshire Junior Football League|Western Junior League]]
**Winners (6): 1920&ndash;21, 1922&ndash;23, 1927&ndash;28, 1930&ndash;31, 1931&ndash;32, 1965&ndash;66
*[[Ayrshire Junior Football League|Ayrshire Second Division]]
**Winners (3): 1980&ndash;81, 1988&ndash;89, 1990&ndash;91
*Ayrshire Cup 
**Winners (11): 1904&ndash;05, 1908&ndash;09, 1934–35, 1976&ndash;77, 1985&ndash;86, 1994&ndash;95, 1997&ndash;98, 1998&ndash;99, 1999&ndash;00, 2001&ndash;02, 2017&ndash;18<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPVzOWxNSGM |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/hPVzOWxNSGM| archive-date=12 December 2021 |url-status=live|title=Largs Thistle 0-1 Kilwinning Rangers - Ayrshire Cup FINAL, 9th June 2018|publisher=[[YouTube]]|access-date=29 June 2018|date=10 June 2018|first=Paul|last=Laing}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
*Ayrshire League Cup 
**Winners (2): 1929&ndash;30, 1998&ndash;99
*Ayrshire District Cup 
**Winners (8): 1905&ndash;06, 1920&ndash;21, 1931&ndash;32, 1958&ndash;59, 1995&ndash;96, 1998&ndash;99, 2000&ndash;01, 2001&ndash;02
*North Ayrshire Cup 
**Winners (4): 1995&ndash;96, 1997&ndash;98, 1999&ndash;00, 2000&ndash;01
*Western Intermediate League Cup
**Winners: 1929&ndash;30
*Irvine & District League 
**Winners (3): 1907&ndash;08, 1908&ndash;09, 1913&ndash;14
*Eglinton Cup 
**Winners (2): 2021, 2022<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/kilwinning-rangers-2-irvine-meadow-27468328|title=Kilwinning Rangers 2 Irvine Meadow 0: Buffs blitz rivals with quickfire goals to retain Eglinton Cup|work=Daily Record|first=Eric|last=McGowan|date=13 July 2022|accessdate=18 September 2025}}</ref>
*Pat Rall Memorial Tournament
**Winners: 2025

===Youth honours===
*Lady Darling Supplementary Cup
**Winners: 2005&ndash;06
*U18 West of Scotland Cup
**Winners: 2024&ndash;25
*Wallace Gemmell Shield
**Winners: 2024&ndash;25

==Notable players==
1. Players that have played/managed in the [[Scottish Championship]] or any foreign equivalent or higher than this level (i.e. fully professional league).<br />
2. Players with full international caps.<br />
3. Players that hold a club record or have captained the club.<br />
{{div col|colwidth=32em}}
* [[Derek Anderson (footballer)|Derek Anderson]]
* [[Bobby Beattie]] (1 cap, 0 goals)
* [[Dominic Boland]] 
* [[Jamie Barclay]] 
* [[Mark Campbell (footballer)|Mark Campbell]]
* [[Martyn Campbell (footballer)|Martyn Campbell]] 
* [[Duncan Currie]]
* [[Garry Fleming]]
* [[Dylan Kerr]]
* [[Dylan Mackin]]
* [[Neil McGregor]] 
* [[David McKellar]]
* [[Marc McKenzie]]
* [[Colin Meldrum (footballer, born 1975)|Colin Meldrum]]
* [[Mark Millar (footballer)|Mark Millar]]
* [[Chris Millar]]
* [[Carlo Monti (footballer)|Carlo Monti]]
* [[Steven Old]] (17 caps, 1 goal)
* [[Craig Pettigrew]]
* [[Ross Smith (Scottish footballer)|Ross Smith]] 
* [[Ross Stewart (footballer, born 1996)|Ross Stewart]] (2 caps, 0 goals)
* [[Stephen Swift (footballer)|Stephen Swift]]
* [[David Syme (footballer)|David Syme]] (club record transfer sale) 
* [[Michael Wardrope]]
* [[David Wilson (Scottish football manager)|David Wilson]]
* [[David Winters (footballer)|David Winters]]
{{Div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.kilwinningrangers.com/ Club Website]
* {{Twitter|steadythebuffs}}
* {{Facebook|kilwinningrangersfc}}

{{coord|55.65273|-4.695110|region:GB|display=title}}

{{West of Scotland League}}
{{SJFA West Region}}

[[Category:Kilwinning Rangers F.C.| ]]
[[Category:Football clubs in Scotland]]
[[Category:Football in North Ayrshire]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1899]]
[[Category:Scottish Junior Football Association clubs]]
[[Category:Kilwinning]]
[[Category:1899 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:West of Scotland Football League teams]]