Through thick and thin, in life and his football career, the 92-year-old Jenkins has kept on keeping on, just like his beloved Rangers, who are this year celebrating 125 years of playing football in the Illawarra.

Things haven’t always been rosy for Corrimal, but history shows one of the region’s oldest clubs has produced its fair share of Australian internationals.

Bobby Bignal captained Australia’s Olympic team, while Ted Drain, Keith Learmonth, Phil Peters, Ronny Burns, Bob Young , Atti Abony, Adrian Alston and Jenkins all pulled on a Socceroos jersey.

Jenkins, who lives in Corrimal, played two matches for Australia against Yugoslavia in 1949.

He trialled with Corrimal Rangers as an 18-year-old and went on to play 132 straight games for the club until an argument with a committee member saw him transfer to Woonona in 1948.

But Jenkins will always be a Rangers’ man. As will club secretary Peter Dent, who remembers fondly the early 1970’s when Corrimal ‘’dominated’’.

‘’We were the first team to win the double [league and grand final] in Illawarra football [1973],’’ Dent said. ‘’We had some good years in the 70s and 80’s when Adrian Alston coached us for seven great years.

‘’Doug Seymour, Micky Dent, Glen Trigg and Bobby Crow were instrumental in helping the Rangers win promotion and win the 1986 First Division competition.’’

But dark days followed in the 1990’s with the club amalgamating with Russell Vale to become Northern United.

Ironically for six years the merged club enjoyed tremendous success, including being crowned Illawarra Premier League champions in 1999. But soon after the Rangers went solo and are now reaping the rewards on and off the pitch. Corrimal’s latest success came earlier this year when they won the pre-season Fraternity Cup.

The Rangers are celebrating their 125^th anniversary with a gala event at Villa Doro restaurant in Wollongong on July 30. Tickets cost $50. For details call Peter (4284 6982) or Domenic (0401 896 830).