Plains Rangers (formerly Edgecumbe AFC) draws on players from the Plains, Awakeri and Otakiri  junior clubs. Unfortunately a lot of the younger players have to leave the area to go to university, polytech or other tertiary education. Some of these take their soccer skills and join clubs in the cities - likely to be Hamilton, Tauranga, Auckland, Rotorua. Many others do not take up soccer in their new environment and they are lost to football.

Beginnings
Although the club may well have been in existence earlier, it's modern era began in the late 70s. The club quickly had good numbers of junior players, a women's team and two men's teams.
From 1985 till 1991 the senior club did not field teams, and when they reformed, it was as a separate entity to the juniors.

Timeline
1977 Club formed. Original colours green and white.
1979 Social committee formed. Club cabaret held. Holders of Conduct Shield. John Scholtens coach..
1980 Men's teams BOP Div 2 & 3, women's team (2nd in league). Cabaret held.
1981 Div 2. Tasman Cup finalist (lost to Rotorua Suburbs 3 - 0).
1982 Div 2.
1985 No senior team.
1991 Club reformed. Div 2. Affiliated to Edgecumbe Rugby club. Coach Carl Allen. Won Division 2 title. Won 12 drew 2 lost 2 GF 42 GA 18. Tasman Cup semi finalists. Carl Allen nominated for EBOP sport administrator of the year.
1992 Div 2, finished 4th. Coach Rex Norton, Colin Cooper.Tim MacInnes invents "Oi Oi Edgecumbe!"
1993 Div 2. Coach Dave Lawrence. Won Division 2 title. Won 14 drew 1 lost 1 GF 71 GA 18. 
1994 Div 1. Coaches Colin Cooper, Andrew Grafas.
1995 Div 1. Coach Clark Mellor. Finished 9th (out of 11). George Elliot broke leg in a tackle.
1996 Div 2. Coach Barrie Hawkes. Opted for Div 2 because of loss of players.The players drifted back though. Finished 4th in first round, but 1st in top-six round. First games in blue and white colours.
1997 Div 2. Coach Christian Wetting. Finished 2nd behind a very strong Kahukura side. Won 13 drew 2 lost 3 GF 56 GA 16. League table, goal scorers. Highlights
1998 Div 1. Coach Christian Wetting. Newly promoted, Edgecumbe were league leaders for the first six rounds. Finished 4th. Tasman Cup finalist, semi-finals of Best Insulation tournament, winner of Kawerau pre-season tourney.Highlights.
1999 Div 1. Coach Christian Wetting. Finished 6th. Prudential Cup semi-finalist. League Table.Highlights
2000 Div 1. Coach Christian Wetting. Finished 9th. League Table. Highlights
2001 Div 1. Club adopts new name: Plains Rangers AFC, with new colours sky blue and black. Attempted move to the Awakeri Sports ground and Events Centre as their new home delayed with facilities incomplete. Coaches Christian Wetting and Ian Finch. Finished 9th. League Table Results
2002 Div 2. Simon Ruiter takes over the running. Rangers decide to stay with the Edgecumbe rugby & Sports Club. Handed only defeat to national sec school runner up Tauranga Boys College. Finished 3rd. League Table. Results.
2003 Div 2. David Dennis player-coach, Simon Ruiter president. Finished 2nd.
League table, Results.
2004 Div 1. David Dennis player-coach. An influx of players from Whakatane & Kawerau. Finished 6th. League table, Results
2005 Div 1. David Dennis player-coach. Finished 3rd, highest ever placing. League table, Results
2006 Div 3. Brendan Cusack coach. Withdrew from div one after losing players, made to drop to div 3. Tasman Bowl winners, beating Kawerau 2 - 0 in final. Finished 4th. League table, results
2007 Div 2. Christian Wetting player-coach. Only team to beat champs AFC Fury, played some games at Awakeri as work being done on Domain, Nearly took Sponsors' Trophy off Whakatane: 1 - 1. Finished 4th. League Table, results.
2008 Div 1. Christian Wetting player-coach. Based at Awakeri. Entered Chatham Cup for first time. Lost two players to broken legs. Finished 6th. League table, results.
2009 Div 1. Aaron Muggeridge player-coach.