Having had a successful second half of the season with Alex and Andy, a number of supporters have asked what the next steps are to move the football club forward. Although the board’s debt reduction strategy is successfully addressing the problem, the club’s historical debt burden is still affecting our ability to provide the managers with the best possible playing budget. So, prompted by the original question, and because the most important thing for all of us is to have a winning team, the club has decided to create a Players Fund with all money raised being ring fenced and guaranteed to the playing budget. We hope that as many fans and commercial sponsors as possible will support the fund by making one off or season long monthly donations at whatever level they feel comfortable with, the minimum being £5 per month for the 9 months of the playing season or donations can be made directly to the football club.

What a lovely sound on Easter Monday to hear the Rangers faithful singing that good old favourite,
“we are staying up”. A tremendous achievement by Andy and Alex, plus the players to turn around our season, and hopefully they can turn a relegation threatened season into a promotion push on season 2019/20.

Divisional safety takes the pressure off for our last league game of the season when we entertain Matlock. There is no room for complacency as players will be playing for their place on Monday nights Staffs Senior cup final.

Matlock Football Club were established in 1878 and in early years competed in the Derbyshire Senior League and the Midland Amateur Alliance. After World War I the club was renamed Matlock Town and they joined the Central Alliance. In the early 60’sthe club moved up to the reformed Midland League, which they won the at the first attempt. They were Midland League champions again in 1968–69, subsequently joining the Northern Premier League. In 1974/75 Matlock won the FA Trophy defeating Scarborough 4–0. In 1979 they entered the Anglo-Italian Cup, finishing second in the English section. After a long spell in the Northern Prem Matlock finished bottom in 1995/96 and were relegated to Division One. In 2003–04 Matlock were Division One runners-up, earning promotion to the Premier Division, where they remain.

Quite often games at the end of the season can be dull affairs as, if safe with little to play for, you tend to get players in holiday mode, dreaming of the beach. This appeared the case on Monday when Matlock lost 6-0 at home to local rivals Buxton. I am sure they will not wish to display a similar performance again, so we need to be on our game, especially as we nee to avenge our December 22nd game at Causeway lane, when we had the lead twice.

So, this Saturday you as the 12th man can take a rest, but your support is still needed as we hope to finish the season on a high, especially as we could in theory finish above Hednesford. A good crowd plus a few celebratory pints in the Social Club will help set up the club over the close season. So please consider purchasing a season ticket as this is a big help to the club’s finances during the summer.

Games played on April 27th this century

2002 Moor Green    A     1-1 Southern Prem
2005 Leek Town       N    2-0 Staffs Senior Cup Final
2013 Nantwich          H   2-0 Northern Prem