April Newsletter 2018

Apr 13, 2018 | Club News

“Send three and fourpence we are going to a dance” That is the famous story from the first world war when the message from the front to high command changed hands so many times that it got altered very slightly each time from the first message of “Send reinforcements we are going to advance”. At times Stafford Rangers Football Club has been guilty of how it communicates with its fans and sponsors etc. That is something that the football club now wish to tackle head on. The football club wants to communicate with factual information and remove hearsay and rumours taking over. With this “bulletin” the club hope to make a start on keeping you, the customer, fully informed with the goings on at Marston Road, both on and off the pitch. 250 club Some fans recently have been making enquiries about the 250 club. To those that do not know, this 250 club was set up to pay off the debt for the temporary stand the club had to erect to play in the Conference. The club organised the 250 club where people gave sums of money in return for a number between 1 and 250. Each month a number was drawn, and the lucky winner had their money paid back to them. To date, about 80% has been paid back, but many of the winners do not want publicity. The club wishes to add that it is their intention to complete this draw and may in future just quote a winning number and not divulge the winner’s details. Sadly, if you are awaiting for your number to come out it may take up to 4 years for your time to come, so please be patient. However, to help the football Club you may wish to consider other options. You may wish to cancel your number, in effect donating your money to the club. You may consider exchanging your money into shares or match day sponsorship. Please contact the club if you wish to consider this by clicking the button and filling out o250 Club form. Lottery It has been a long time since the Club ran the “Wishbone lottery” and the “Gold Bond”, but these were piggy backing another football cubs schemes. So, the Football Club has started its very own. For a minimum monthly outlay of £5 you receive 5 numbers giving you a chance to win one of three cash prizes with a first prize of £500. Some random months sees other prizes added. The intention of the football club is to use all money raised to go towards ground improvements/infrastructure. Not only is this a great way to win money but it helps the football club improve the infrastructure. This lottery is not just for fans as anyone can participate and if societies and organisations join up they can receive favourable commission. If you as an individual or someone as part of a community group wish to take part, then pleaseclick the button below and print out the mandate and return to the club. Have no printer? Simply call into the club office for a copy. Many fans may not be aware of the Stafford Railway Building Society and their Black and White account. This savings account is open to any individual, and you accrue interest on your savings as you do with any saving account. Sadly, in today’s economic climate interest rates are low, but as an added bonus the Stafford Railway Building Society give the football club a yearly payment of 1% of the total money invested in the accounts. If you take up such an account, you help a local building society and the football club. Contact the Stafford Railway Building Society for more details. Non-League restructuring Season 2018/19 will see a big reorganisation of non-league football at step 3 and 4 (Stafford Rangers currently play at step 3). To reduce excessive travelling for non-league teams the Football Association are to introduce a new step 3 and step 4 league to effectively cover a central belt of the country covering an area from the Welsh border to East Anglia. Due to our geographical position we do not know where we will be playing our league games next season. We could be the most South West side in the Northern Premier League travelling as far as Workington and South Shields or we could be the most North West side in the new set up travelling as far as north London and East Anglia. All we can do is to await the final outcomes of promotion and relegation to see where the Football Association draw that line. We will not know till about May to find out our plight. Ask the Board If you have a burning question that you want an answer to then in the next edition you can put that question to the board. Please send us your questions to me by clicking the button and a selection of questions will be put to the board and their answers will be in the next edition. ©2018 Stafford Rangers Football Club Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ashton United 1 – 0 Stafford Rangers

Apr 11, 2018 | Club News

Evo-Stik Northern Premier League

Tuesday 10 April 2018

A goal after just 6 minutes sent Stafford Rangers to defeat at promotion hopefuls Ashton United on Tuesday night.

Rangers made three changes from the side that drew with Halesowen Town. Missing was Jordaan Brown (unwell). Dan Vann moved inside to partner Kieran Morris in the centre of defence with Sam Griffiths returning to right back. The other change saw Tyrell Waite in for Kyle Perry. The Boro had a couple of good openings early on but Jack Sherratt hit an air shot while Ashton keeper David Carnell did just enough to force Waite to run the ball out of play after the forward had pounced on an error in the Ashton defence.

But Ashton struck with their first attack of the game. Robert Thompson-Brown lost possession inside the Ashton half and the pacey Daniel Mooney made a diagonal crossfield run before getting in a centre for the unmarked Deane Smalley to head home. Rangers looked for a quick response. Osebi Abadaki hit the side netting and Carnell kept out Waite with his right foot but, after some sloppy defending, Nicky Platt almost doubled Ashton’s lead with a 25 yarder that came back off Adam Whitehouse’s right hand post.

Whitehouse made an excellent save to deny Deane Smalley then Jack Sherratt blocked from Dominic Smalley as Ashton failed to take a great chance. Whitehouse denied the home side again when Nic Evangelinos got clear and Lewis Baines fired across the face of goal as Ashton finished the half strongly although Josh Craddock warmed Carnell’s hands with a powerful shot from the edge of the area.

Rangers started the second half the brighter of the two sides with two chances falling to Abadaki but neither was taken; the first shot swinging so wide it went for a throw in while Carnell was off his line quickly to block the second. But the threat diminished and Rangers were on the defensive for large parts of the second half though it wasn’t until the final 20 mins that they looked like adding to the score.

The best chances fell to Liam Tomsett.

First, a header from Mark Lees put the Ashton sub in but he stabbed his shot straight into Whitehouse. Two minutes later, Tomsett fired wide after a ball over the top from Aaron Chalmers. The best chance came four minutes from time when Mooney squared across Whitehouse. Tomsett slid in at the back post but somehow managed to hit the bar from two yards out when it seemed easier to score.

Rangers’ last chance of salvaging a point fell to Perry in added time but the sub – on for Abadaki – was denied as Carnell came out to block.

Ashton: 1 David Carnell, 2 Dominic Smalley, 3 Lewis Baines, 4 Josh Granite, 5 Aaron Chalmers, 6 Sam Sheridan, 7 Nicky Platt (14 Liam Tomsett 63m), 8 Mark Lees, 9 Deane Smalley, 10 Daniel Mooney, 11 Nic Evangelinos. Unused subs: 12 Simon Woodford, 15 John Roberts, 17 Josh Ollerenshaw – only four subs named

Rangers: 1 Adam Whitehouse, 2 Sam Griffiths, 3 Kieren Westwood, 4 Kieran Morris, 5 Dan Vann, 6 Josh Craddock, 7 Massiah McDonald, 8 Jack Sherratt, 9 Tyrell Waite, 10 Robert Thompson-Brown, 11 Osebi Abadaki (12 Kyle Perry 71m). Unused subs: 14 Levi Reid, 15 Kai Davis, 16 Ben Chilcott – only four subs named

Cautions: Baines (Ashton)

Ref: Ian Johnston

Att: 138

Stafford Rangers 0 – 0 Halesowen Town

Apr 7, 2018 | Club News

Evo-Stik Northern Premier League

Saturday 7 April 2018

Stafford Rangers and Halesowen Town played out a goal less draw in a game which contained plenty of effort but lacked quality.

Rangers were without Josh Craddock who failed to arrive at the ground. His place in the starting line up was taken by Levi Reid in the only change from the eleven that lost in the last minute to Grantham last Saturday.

The Boro had much the better in terms of possession but Halesowen were not without a number of chances that could have seen them take the points. Robert Thompson-Brown went close as early as the second minute with a long range shot that Daniel Platt tipped over, then, from Jack Sherratt’s corner, the ball skimmed off the forehead of Kyle Perry and wide of the far post.

Halesowen responded and it needed a timely tackle from Jordaan Brown to halt a threatening run from Lee Hughes and, with the pressure still on, Adam Whitehouse saved low to his left to keep out Ivor Lawton.

Perry should have opened the scoring with another close range opportunity after a deep corner from Thompson-Brown was headed back by Kieran Morris but put his header against the bar. Soon after, a centre from Dan Vann, struck from just inside the Halesowen half, was missed by both Platt and Perry but the ball bounced wide of the unguarded Halesowen goal.

The visitors created a couple more good chances for themselves before the break but Whitehouse just did enough to divert Lawton’s shot wide, and from the corner, Danny Bragioli headed against the bar before Kevin Da Veiga Monteiro fired wide from the edge of the area.

The second half was a slow starter although Rangers looked the most likely to open the scoring as Platt saved from Perry and Thompson-Brown fired over. Halesowen had to clear another off the line after Brown had headed Sherratt’s corner in to the danger area and Platt clawed away another header from Perry.

But Halesowen still posed a threat and Whitehouse made a couple of decent saves, firstly when Hughes’ flick put Daniel Byrnes in. Whitehouse stuck out a foot to block the shot then Vann made an excellent tackle to clear the immediate danger but, with Halesowen still on the attack, it was Whitehouse again to the rescue when he went full stretch to his left to keep out Ahmed Ali’s header.

But it was Boro’s Levi Reid who spurned the best chance when he blasted his 78th minute penalty against the bar after Da Veiga Monteiro had fouled Perry.

Rangers: 1 Adam Whitehouse, 2 Dan Vann, 3 Kieren Westwood, 4 Kieran Morris, 5 Jordaan Brown, 6 Levi Reid, 7 Massiah McDonald (14 Tyrell Waite 66m), 8 Jack Sherratt, 9 Kyle Perry, 10 Robert Thompson-Brown (16 Kai Davis 66m), 11 Osebi Abadaki. Unused Subs 12 Sam Griffiths, 15 Ben Chilcott, 17 Riley Stephenson.

Halesowen: 1 Daniel Platt, 2 Enock Luc Ekongo, 3 Jack Kelly, 4 Marcus Poscha, 5 Kyle Morrison, 6 Asa Charlton, 7 Ivor Lawton (15 Daniel Byrnes 44m), 8 Daniele Bragioli (14 John Oyenuga 63m), 9 Lee Hughes, 10 Ahmed Ali, 11 Kevin Da Veiga Monteiro (16 Jordan Goddard 81m). Unused Subs 12 Bradley Lewis, 17 Thomas Parsons

Cautions: Perry (Rangers)

Referee: Neil Platt

Attendance 475

Report: Chris Elsley

Stafford Rangers V Halesowen, Saturday 7th April

Apr 5, 2018 | Club News

With all the news of the impending departure of Neil and Nick, we hope the fans come out this Saturday to support them and the team to give them a big send off between now and the end of the season. Our visitors this Saturday are Halesowen who will journey through the Black Country to play this fixture.

While we lie 12th with 53 points from 40 games, do not get put off by Halesowen who lie 23rd with 38 points from 40 games. The Yeltz have won their last two away games, and have a lot to play for on Saturday. With only one side going down this season they can secure their future with a win against us and if Sutton Coldfield lose at Barwell, then Halesowen are safe. Due to their geographical situation, they know they will be playing in the new “Central” League next season. We will have to await the FA line drawing skills to see if this is still a league fixture next season.

Looking at current form may lead you to think the league table is wrong, so we need to be on guard. Form from last 6 games, Halesowen lie 6th to our 11th and if you include the Lee Hughes factor, it adds more spice to the fixture. Lee Hughes the prolific scorer of league goals for West Bromwich Albion is now playing for the Yeltz, and has scored three goals in a handful of games, so our defenders will need to be on top form.

The weather forecast Is looking good so get on down to Marston Road to what looks like being a cracker of a game!