Our History

Warrington Rylands FC was formed as a local works (wire manufacturer) team as part of the Rylands Recreation Club whose clubhouse and grounds were opened in 1906 on eastern side of Warrington at a site off Gorsey Lane by the Rylands Brothers, owners of the famous Wireworks to provide sports and leisure facilities for their employees.

The ground in the Orford area of Warrington was rechristened The Hive Arena in November 2023 following a sponsorship deal with The HiveWA1. Over the years Rylands have played in several league competitions including the Lancashire Combination, Warrington & District League, Liverpool County Combination, Mid Cheshire League, Cheshire League, North West Counties League and now the Northern Premier League.

During this time the club’s trophy cabinet has seen success with the Warrington Guardian Cup (5 times), Liverpool Challenge Cup, Lancashire Amateur Shield, Liverpool County Combination, Mid Cheshire League and Cup, NWCFL Division 1 South, NWCFL Champions of Champion’s Cup, FA Vase winners 2021 and NPL (West) in 2022 all taking up residence. Rylands FC merged with local rivals Crosfields FC in 2008 playing under the title of Crosfields / Rylands FC until the two clubs split in 2012 and the name Rylands FC resumed.

After restoring stability to the first and reserve teams, the club’s committee agreed to change direction and grow a junior and youth section. In 2016 successful local junior club Fife Rangers joined the fold bringing seventeen teams and over two hundred players under the Rylands Football Club banner which today has runs 32 teams in all age groups from open age to under 7s plus training groups for under 6s.

After 112 years as an amateur club in June 2018 Rylands entered the world of semi-professional football gaining election to the North West Counties Division 1 South for season 2018/19. In their first season in the NWCFL they won the Division 1 South title gaining promotion to the Premier Division, and also won the Division One Champion of Champion’s trophy. Prior to the start of the 2020/21 season the club changed its name to Warrington Rylands FC.

The name change was designed to help spread awareness of the club outside of its local environs while ensuring the Rylands name would remain synonymous with the club, whilst also recognising the club had played and been a part of Warrington since 1906 and still playing on their original ground which in recent years has undergone a substantial upgrade to its facilities.

Rylands were denied back to back promotions to the Northern Premier League due to the Covid Pandemic that caused the 2019/20 season to be abandoned with the club sitting second in the North West Counties Premier League.

Similarly in season 2020/21 the season was curtailed with the club again second in the league. Season 2020/21 however, turned out to be one of the most important seasons in the clubs history winning the FA Vase at Wembley 3-2 against Binfield FC with centre-forward Elliott Nevitt scoring a hat trick as they became the first Warrington football team in the history of the game to win a national tournament. Their previous best campaign in the FA vase in 1983/84 had seen them reach the last 32 but Wembley dreams were shattered when after beating Rainworth Miners Welfare 4-1 in the 3rd round an appeal against the length of the pitch found it to be just over a yard short and a replay was ordered which Rainworth won 1-0.

Furthermore the week after the successful Wembley Final the club were promoted to the Northern Premier League (West) as part of the FA National League restructure as one of three highest point per game achievers in the NWCFL over the two previous Covid affected seasons. Season 2021/22 was again a successful one for the club with Warrington Rylands winning the NPL West division at the first time of asking gaining promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division taking the title by a point on a dramatic final day of the season. Now in the Northern Premier League Premier Division Warrington Rylands FC are competing at the highest level the club has played in its history.

In September 2022 Dave McNabb manager since 2018 left club and was replaced on a caretaker basis by Jody Banim until former Atherton Collieries and Ashton United manager Michael Clegg took over in February 2023, guiding the club to a respectable 10th place and laying a platform on which to build in 2023/24.

Clegg resigned in March 2024; however, the team continued their great run of form to finish 4th in the league (the highest finish in the club’s history) and qualify for the playoffs where a narrow defeat to Marine FC (the eventual playoff winners) in the semi-final prevented further glory

Mark Duffy began the 2024/25 season in charge, but left in September after 12 games with the club in the relegation zone. Neil Reynolds, formerly of FC United of Manchester, took over and steered the Blues to a comfortable mid-table finish in 11th place.

In 2025/26, Reynolds' first full season, the Blues finished fourth to reach the Northern Premier League Premier Division play-offs. George Waring's winner in a 3-2 semi-final victory at FC United of Manchester on Tuesday 28 April 2026 set up a final at Hednesford Town on Bank Holiday Monday, 4 May 2026, in front of about 4,000 fans. Clive Smith headed Rylands in front three minutes after half-time, but Hednesford equalised in the 90th minute and the game went to extra time, where Ben Hardcastle's free kick was headed onto the bar in the final seconds. Hednesford won the shoot-out 5-4 to take the promotion place.