STAFFORD RANGERS ARE THE NEXT CLUB TO JOIN THE NPLFA

Jul 19, 2018 | Club News

Stafford Rangers FC are delighted to announce that they have joined the NPLFA – the Northern Premier League Football Academy. The premier division outfit have been wanting to engage in an education / football programme and have been looking at different options but have firmly decided to go with the leagues academy programme.

“Chairman John Bromley said “We were looking to join a football education programme and decided the NPLFA its structure and governance is the one we felt comfortable with. From a club’s point of view, it costs nothing both financially and in human resources to see if we can establish such a programme at our football club. If we can the continued on-going management of the whole programme was also a deciding factor for us. It is also the league’s academy and we feel we are supporting their initiative and forward-thinking project. We have seen the NPLFA programme’s growth and learned a lot from their presentation to us and the commitment provided therefore we are delighted to have been chosen as one of the new clubs for the 2019/20 season. The chairman added, “I would echo the thoughts of a number of club officials in press releases and I would imagine most clubs at our level with the volunteers and finances we have, would find it difficult to create such a programme, therefore to have the NPLFA oversee, monitor, manage and report to us is the best way forward.”

Newly appointed manager Steve Burr stated, “It is something I encouraged to be set up at the club as I have seen from a football aspect several players at other clubs develop and progress to the first team and I want those young lads in Stafford to know if they join the programme, develop over the two years and show the ability required they will be given a chance at this football club. I know this programme provides young lads with an opportunity to gain educational qualifications, along with a well organised football programme and if it was available when I left school it would be the place I would have gone to. There are a few organisations delivering this type of programme, however when you look at the quality, the concept and the growth of the NPLFA in such a short space of time, it shows it is being developed correctly.”

The Stafford Rangers FC Academy is a full-time course which is an alternative to college where students will study for a BTEC in Sport Level 3 (Diploma and Extended Diploma available which is the equivalent to two/three A Levels) or an NVQ Level 2 in Sport for those students who don’t manage to get their GCSE grades which will be delivered by a tutor in the mornings before a UEFA qualified football coach will train the students in the afternoons as well as manage the side on Wednesday afternoons against fellow NPLFA sides such as Leek Town, Belper Town, Micklover Sports and Witton Albion. All games will take place at the main grounds of all the Evo-Stik League clubs involved and filmed for analysis with the weekly highlights show that is published every Friday (www.youtube.com/NPLFA)

The NPL Football Academy has been a huge success on and off the pitch with over 600 students enrolling and many of those progressing onto university, scholarships in the US, the NPLFA’s own sports degree course or employment and as of May 2018 over forty-seven have progressed to their respective first teams with four students progressing to the professional game (www.nplfa.co.uk/graduates)

An NPLFA spokesperson said, “We are thrilled Stafford Rangers have joined and we close to completing our intake of clubs for the 2019-2020 season. I am sure many people are aware of the potential at Stafford as a football club and we feel with the size of the catchment area and reputation of the club we can provide and develop a successful programme. It always helps when the manager is also committed to seeing a programme develop and in Steve Burr they have a manager not afraid to develop youth which should encourage local youngsters to join the programme.”

By being a part of Stafford Rangers FC there are genuine pathways to play for the first team and with the football programme being held between Monday and Friday, students will still be able to play for their local junior sides at the weekend.

Recruitment will begin in September 2018 for a September 2019 start but interested Year 10/11 students can pre-register at nplfa.co.uk/register or you can email info@nplfa.co.uk

There is a maximum of twenty places available for the Stafford Rangers Academy with trials to be arranged in October 2018, December 2018, February 2019, April 2019 and May 2019.

For more information on the NPLFA, please visit the following sites: –

www.nplfa.co.uk
www.facebook.com/NPLFootballAcademy
www.twitter.com/NPLFA
www.instagram.com/NPLFA
www.youtube.com/NPLFA

Stafford Town 2 – 5 Stafford Rangers

Jul 19, 2018 | Club News

Pre-season friendly
Tuesday 17 July

Rangers followed up their 7-0 win at Heath Hayes with another goal scoring bonanza as Stafford Town were beaten 5-2 at Evans Park.

As with the opening friendly on Saturday, Steve Burr took the opportunity to look at a number of trialists but it was a strong XI that kicked off and they soon made the difference in quality tell.
The opening goal came from Osebi Abadaki in the 5th minute. The tricky winger produced some good work on the left then cut in before firing past Josh Moreton in the Town goal.

On 12 mins Rangers were 2-0 up. A good low centre from A Trialist picked out Jack Sherratt and he steered the ball past Moreton.

Three minutes later it was 3-0. A clever back heal from Kyle Perry found Josh Green. He squared for Theo Bailey-Jones who teased the home keeper before lifting the ball into the back of the net.

Bailey-Jones added a fourth on 19 minutes. This time Abadaki was the provider although it looked like he was going for goal himself with another low drive but Bailey Jones was there to help it on its way.

At this stage a double figure score was on the cards but to their credit Town didn’t give up battling.
Perry, James Askey, Green and Abadaki all had shots or headers at goal but found Moreton in fine form – the Town keeper excelling with a good double save a few minutes before the interval.

By then the home side had given the scoreline an element of credibility with Kulisewa – aka Okomo – taking advantage of two defensive errors to help himself to a couple of goals. His first came on the half hour when Adam Whitehouse fumbled a corner and the youngster nipped in to head home.

Town’s second came on 38 mins. This time Askey got caught out by the extra bounce of the artificial pitch – the ball was played across the area and Kulisewa slotted in his second. Rangers made nine changes at the interval with only keeper Whitehouse and newcomer Josh Green remaining on the field.

There were a few more familiar faces on show with the likes of Louis Briscoe and Levi Reid seeing some action while Alex Curtis came on for Green 10 minutes into the second half. It was Green who had scored Rangers’ fifth of the night just 23 seconds after the resumption when he steered home from around 15 yards after good work on the left from two of the young trialists.

Green’s goal was to end to scoring for the night but it wasn’t for the want of trying on Rangers’ part as Briscoe, Reid and Curtis all tried their luck only to find Moreton in their way.

The Town keeper was beaten shortly before the end but Curtis’ shot came back off the bar.