Having completed a round trip North last weekend of 220 miles, Moulton travel the short 1.3 miles South this Saturday for the “Local Local” derby v Sileby Rangers at the O’Riordan Bond Stadium, Talavera Way.

“Rangers” play in Red/Black striped shirts with Black Shorts and Socks. The club was founded as Sileby Rangers in 1968 as the works team of the Sileby Engineering Company (named after the Leicestershire village of Sileby where it had been established). They initially played in Sunday leagues, and won the Northants Sunday Cup in 1975, having been runners-up two years earlier. They also reached the final (but failed to win) in 1979, 1983 and 1993. In the mid-1980s the club joined the Northampton Town League. They won the title in 1989 and 1990 and finished second in 1991 and 1993. During this era, the club was known as Northampton Vanaid following a sponsorship deal. In 1993, the club was promoted to the United Counties League, the first to do so from the Northampton Town league. In their first season in the division they won the title and the Northants Junior Cup. However, they were not promoted to the Premier Division due to a lack of floodlights. They won the Junior cup again in 1997, and in 2000 were renamed Northampton Sileby Rangers. More Junior Cups were won in 2002 and 2003, beating Rothwell Corinthians in the final on both occasions. They won the division for a second and third time in 2002–03 and 2004–05, but were again not promoted. The 2012–13 season saw Glenn Botterill lead the team to the United Counties League Division One championship ahead of AFC Rushden & Diamonds, by winning 30 out of their 36 league games. Finances for the club dried up at the beginning of the 2013–14 season, however, which resulted in a mass exodus of the title winning team and ultimately in Glenn Botterill resigning his position at the club. At the end of the 2020–21 season the club were transferred to Division One of the Spartan South Midlands League. In 2022-23 they finished in 5th position but were not promoted after the play-offs (Semi-Final - Northampton ON Chenecks 1 Sileby Rangers 1, Northampton ON Chenecks won on 5-4 on penalties). The following season, 2023-24, saw them take runner-up slot in the Spartan South Midlands League Division One. Initially not promoted to Step 5 after the play-offs, but later promoted to fill a vacancy (Semi-Final - Northampton Sileby Rangers 4 Wellingborough Whitworths 1, Final - Northampton Sileby Rangers 1 Winslow United 3). For season 2024-25 they rejoined the United Counties League Premier Division South and ended up in 13th position with 43 points from their 36 games (Won 12; Drew 7; Lost 17).

Games between the two sides over the seasons in the Spartan South Midlands League Division 1 has seen Sileby come out ahead with 3 wins; Moulton 2 wins.
Season 2022-23 saw Sileby win home and away:
Moulton 2 - 4 Sileby
Sileby 6 - 2 Moulton
Season 2023-24 saw Moulton win twice:
Moulton 3-1 Sileby
Moulton 4 - 2 Sileby (Div One Cup Final)
Sileby 3 - 2 Moulton.

Sileby's start to this season has been a bit mixed with them drawing away v Leicester Nirvana 2-2 on the opening day of the season. The following Tuesday they welcomed Daventry Town to the O'Riordan Bond Stadium but suffered a 0-2 defeat. Saturday they progressed in the FA Cup with an away win v Aylestone Park 4-1.

Saturday’s Referee is scheduled as Andrew Ewing, another new one to officiate a Moulton match.