Rangers Int’l FC Send Emotional Appreciation To Anambra Fans
The management of Rangers Int’l Football Club of Enugu has expressed gratitude to their teeming supporters in Anambra and Awka in particular for the period the club played their home matches in the state.
Rangers FC used the Awka Township Stadium, Awka and briefly Ifeanyi Ubah Stadium in Nnewi for two and a half league seasons.
The Flying Antelopes officially returned to their traditional home ground, the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu which underwent renovation with a resounding 2-0 victory over Shooting Stars of Ibadan on Dec. 28.
Emeka Ugwuarua, the Administrative Secretary said in an interview that the club was eternally grateful to Anambra government, sports writers and the football enthusiast for their support.
He described Rangers Intl as belonging to the entire Igbo but with a base in Enugu adding that they were at home and enjoyed a positive following while in Awka.
He said there would not be much difference as the club returned to the traditional home ground other than reduction in cost of transportation to execute home matches as the support would remain the same.
“Rangers traditionally belong to all Igbo people, so playing in Nnewi, Awka or Enugu is always the same experience.
“We cannot thank the Rangers Intl community in Anambra, their support was massive and they made our two and half season in Awka and briefly Nnewi a great experience.
“It is for their support that we survived for two seasons, not every club was that lucky, one went on relegation while playing home matches on away ground.
“You know Rangers Intl belongs to the entire Southeast in terms of ideology, the special thing is that we are based in Enugu, we were really in Anambra,” he said.
Ugwuarua said the club had adopted Awka as their second home and would use it for extra league engagement like preseason games and off camping.
He said the formation of Rangers Intl Supporters Club in Onitsha, the commercial town of Anambra was a huge boost to the morale of the team.
“It is good to be home, we still hope to enjoy the support we have always got from across Nigeria and urge all our supporters to feel free to come to the Cathedral and enjoy good football,” he said.