Deakin Takes Charge

Deakin Takes Charge

Jan 5, 2026 | Club News

Deakin Takes Charge

The Board has acted swiftly following the departure of Neil Kitching in appointing Graham Deakin “Deakz” as Manager for the remainder of the current season.

This very importantly maintains continuity and Graham believes he can galvanise the squad ahead of our forthcoming fixtures to get results.

He has proven himself with the club and we believe he has the experience and connection with the club and players to be effective. The players have expressed their confidence in this decision and will all be working hard to change our fortunes.

Bringing someone unknown into the football club is not something we feel is achievable with the timescale open to us and we will not be asking for applicants.

Graham intends to appoint his own backroom staff as soon as possible but would have been assisted at the now cancelled game tonight at Coleshill Town on Monday by Dan Cockerline and Scott Cooksey, our current goalkeeper coach, who will remain with the club.

This is an interim statement, and further announcements will follow in due course.

Stafford Rangers FC

Deakin Takes Charge

Board Statement

Jan 4, 2026 | Club News

Board Statement – Neil Kitching

It is with the deepest of regrets and sadness that we announce that Neil Kitching has by mutual consent been released from his contract as team manager at Stafford Rangers with effect immediately.

This is not something that we wanted to happen, but the responsibility of the board is to make a decision based upon what we considered are the best interests of the football club.

Results on the pitch have not gone our way and the major and overriding priority is to make changes that will hopefully enable us to have the time to ensure the club remains at step 4.

The board met on Saturday 3rd January and felt there was no other option than to make this move and Neil was spoken to immediately after the meeting.

Neil and his management team joined us in January 2025 when we were at our lowest point and created something incredibly special once more and delivering not only results back to the club, but excitement based upon a winning mentality. Unfortunately, this season we have not been able to build upon that, and results have been poor and below expectations putting us into a relegation fight.

Neil will leave us together with his staff Nick Amos and Ian Cooper. They have been fine stalwarts for Stafford Rangers, and we thank them immensely for their total commitment to the club during both their first tenure at the club and this one. Football can often be cruel and ugly, but it is a results based business and everyone recognises this, but it makes the decision no easier, it still hurts and we find no comfort in announcing this news.

Neil and his staff have operated with passion, fight and desire together with massive amounts of integrity, and we thank them not only for what they have done but the way that they have done it. They had a special bond with fans and Neil, and his team will be distraught that things have not turned out in the way we all dreamt and hoped that they would.

We wish Neil, Amo and Coops the absolute best for the future, they will always be welcome at the club. We know they have a special place in their heart for the club and many of us have a special place in our hearts for them which made the decision painful.

Thank you to each of you.

Stafford Rangers FC

Deakin Takes Charge

Stafford Rangers FC Festive Round-Up

Dec 31, 2025 | Club News

Stafford Rangers FC Festive Round-Up

Wrapping Up a Year of Progress & Looking Forward to a Brighter New Year!

As the twinkling lights shine bright over Stan Robinson Stadium and the year draws to a close, the Stafford Rangers family has plenty to celebrate off the pitch—and we are hoping for more cheer on the pitch in 2026!
Our results on the pitch have been disappointing, but we battle on together.

We met up with Kitch before Christmas and his enthusiasm and determination is resolute and the club continues to fully support him and the team.

They need to hear that support it can make an enormous difference as we start our 2026 campaign tomorrow at Nantwich.

So, supporters, grab a mince pie, pour a festive tipple, and join us as we unwrap twelve months of hard work, new beginnings, and true Boro spirit—plus a sneak peek at what is waiting under the tree for next year!

A Snapshot of the Last 12 Months

Unwrapping New Board Members

Father Christmas was not the only one making a list and checking it twice!

This year, Stafford Rangers FC welcomed Ben and Mark Alcock, Harry Shaw, David Smith, David Montgomery, and Gerard Banister to the Board of Directors—expanding from five to eleven members. Each brings fresh energy and exciting ideas, making the boardroom merrier than ever! We believe that together we can be effective but nothing worthwhile is easy and it will take time, but work has started and confidence and intent are very much in evidence.

Our Staff

We have many unsung heroes at the club, but we would like to say a special thank you to stalwarts Paul Griffiths and Roy Sales who give a huge amount behind the scenes. Our conference bookings continue to increase and provide incremental revenue to the club.

Kyle Glayshier who was an apprentice under the academy education programme is now doing fantastic work maintaining the pitch after receiving training from Dennis Ecclestone. He is also working on the administration of the JPL Development Squad and pathway teams. He has now been trained up on our Kaizen ticketing system, and we hope that we can further engage him with administration and development of the business going forward.

Youth needs to be the foundation of our future and we must encourage and embrace it throughout the club.

Matchdays would not be as special without the efforts of Director Harry Shaw and his bar staff, and the huge amount of work goes into supporting the club on matchdays and an increasingly popular conference/meeting venue during the week.

Fresh Faces and Fond Farewells

We were thrilled to welcome Megan Ratcliffe (EDI Officer), Sam Gater (Programme Editor), Peter Myers (Website Manager) and Alan Clarke, a lifelong Boro fan and retired accountant who has joined the office team to help with finances.

Shout out to Shane McDonald for his help as PA on matchdays.

More appointments are planned for the New Year!

A heartfelt thank you to Daz Allport, who is taking a well-earned rest after years of dedicated service. Daz, you will always be part of the Boro family and will be welcomed back anytime!

Grant Success: Early Christmas Presents

Stafford Rangers have been firmly on the “nice” list, securing three grant awards worth £150,000.

These funds are already making a difference—improving the Social Club and have allowed the club to replace the old floodlights with efficient LED lighting.

The old floodlights have been sold to another club which has also raised some money for the club.

Cheers to the Fans’ Bar!

Saturdays were not the same without the Fans’ Bar. Thanks to the dedication of Josh and Megan, it is back and buzzing with old friends, fresh faces, lively banter, cheesy tunes, and free sweets! If you haven’t popped in yet, make it your New Year’s resolution.

The fans bar will be open again for our first home game on the 10th of January when we welcome Darlaston – Please keep your eyes peeled later this week for news about this game!

Sponsor Support: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

This year brought new commercial partners Jolt, DJB Designs, and Badge Lab, plus new sponsors Cuttlestones, Castle Lawns and Landscapes, and LED Spares.

To all our existing and new sponsors—thank you for your support. Your generosity keeps the club thriving.

Our thanks for the loyalty and support from our key sponsors goes to Stan Robinson Transport, ACT, Abbey Polymers, Harlequin Teamwear, Stafford Hyundai, and Stafford Railway Building Society.

All play a vital part in Stafford Rangers.

On the Road Again & Festive Fundraising

A big shout-out to Alex Wickett for reviving the away fan coach!

These trips have been a blast and raised vital funds for ground improvements like the 150th Mural, 150th Photomontage, and Fans’ Wall Photomontage—which is now proudly on display. Huge thanks to everyone who hopped aboard!

Ground & Social Club Improvements

Volunteer days (special thanks to RMP Care!) helped get Stan Robinson Stadium looking its best.

Your hard work made a real difference—and more improvements are on the way in 2026.

Work will start on 2nd January 2026!

Looking Ahead: What’s In Our Stocking for 2026?

  • A Fresh Commercial Deal: The Club is finalising a new commercial partnership to be announced in the New Year—bringing in revenue and saving costs.
  • We are in the final stages of discussions with a new potential investor. It is not over the line yet, but we hope to share some news with you on this in the next few weeks.
  • New Website: The Club is working on a new website with a new visual design and new features. Planned launch is summer 2026, before the start of pre-season friendlies.
  • Toilet Makeovers: Over £14,000 has now been raised towards Main Stand toilet renovations! We need £16,000 to hit our target—please keep supporting through Boost the Boro Lottery and upcoming fundraisers. Work begins at the end of the season, with a contractor to be appointed early in the New Year.
  • Lotus End Toilet Upgrade: Work on improving the Lotus Stand toilets will start on January 2nd, 2026, and will be carried out in stages to minimise disruption. We have set ourselves a challenging deadline to complete Stage 1 in time for our game against Bury FC – that is a 2-week window!
  • 150th Year Anniversary Celebrations: A full reminder of ongoing events will be published in the next couple of weeks that continues to celebrate the club.
  • Community Cheer: This year the club has engaged more with the local community, however there is lot more than we can still do. More community activities and discounted or free match day offers are coming. We are committed to making Stafford Rangers accessible to all and growing our supporter base.

Planning Performance and Progression

Our club’s success must be driven by clear planning on and off the field. The five year plan has already implemented change behind the scenes with the strengthening of the Board and greater off field stability. 2026 will see continued progression, but we need to ensure success on the pitch as we go into the new year, and this remains our primary objective. Financial stability and greater community cohesion will play their part as we review performance in all areas of the club.
Building standards, adapting strategies, and addressing necessary changes will be at the fore.
Conveying greater detail and communication will be a project that will be discussed with you all.

Thank You

To every supporter, our special team of volunteers, sponsors, and friends —thank you for your incredible support throughout 2025. Here’s to an exciting New Year—on and off the pitch and one we can proudly share together

Happy New Year, and Up the Boro!

Keith Mottershead – a tribute

Keith Mottershead – a tribute

Dec 23, 2025 | Club News

Keith Mottershead

Sporting clubs all over Stafford were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Keith Mottershead on Saturday 20 December.

Motty, as he was known to so many, was best known as being a member of the Stafford Rangers side that rose from oblivion to being arguably the best non league side in the country in 1972, but after his playing days were over, he would regularly be seen watching games from the stands at Marston Road, Stafford Town and Brocton FC. And, for him, there was no rivalry. He wanted them all to do well.

Born in December 1944, Keith Mottershead began playing for Holmcroft Youth Club but first rose to prominence with Kingston who he joined in 1963. It was while he was with Kingston that he also made his first appearances in a Stafford Rangers’ shirt, playing the first four games of the 1964/65 season. His debut came in a 2-0 defeat at home to Wrexham Reserves. The team was:
John Cullen, Mick Gibbs, J Bullock, John Hayward, Derek Mountford, Des Lyons, Keith Mottershead, Fred Cooper, Stan Smith, Frank Pedley, Cliff Hodgkinson

It was another two years before Motty was to feature again in the Stafford line up. He made 12 appearances at the start of the 1966/67 season and scored his first goal for the club, on 10 September, in a Cheshire League Cup tie at Witton Albion.

In October 1966, Doncaster Rovers came calling and Motty joined the Third Division club. He made his debut on 15 October 1966 in a 5-0 defeat at Colchester United. The scorer of Colchester’s first and last goals that day was Peter Bullock who would, for a short time, become a team mate at Stafford Rangers a couple of years later. Motty went on to make 13 appearances for Rovers, playing alongside in that season but the side finished in 23rd place and were relegated to Division Four.

Motty featured in 21 games the following season, scoring 5 goals but Doncaster put him on the transfer list and Scunthorpe offered £3,000 and good terms to move to The Old Show Ground but he had never really settled away from his home town and turned down the chance to stay in the Football League. In August 1968, he made the move back to Stafford, a much improved player for his two years away.

 

For the next three seasons, he was a regular in the Stafford starting XI as the transformation orchestrated by Colin Hutchinson and Roy Chapman took shape. A right winger, he was both a provider and scorer of goals.

But, during the 1971/72 season, he found his appearances less regular, particularly in the second half of the campaign as Rangers challenged for three trophies. He missed out on a place in the FA Trophy winning team in 1972 but still regarded the club getting to Wembley as a career highlight. Despite his disappointment at not playing in what would have been the biggest game of his career, he was philosophical saying “ Not everyone can play in the side and it’s just one of those things I have had to put up with.”

He regarded teammates Ray Williams and Graham Chadwick as the best that he played alongside.

At the end of the 1971/72 season, he moved to Burton Albion but, while with the Brewers, he suffered a broken leg. Upon regaining his fitness, he joined former Rangers’ manager Colin Hutchinson who was by now, in charge of Nantwich Town. He stayed with the Dabbers until Christmas 1974 when he made the move to Leek Town and helped them to the Cheshire League championship.

He returned to Nantwich for another season before moving into local league football in 1976, playing for both Evode (where he was employed) and Kingston. He also appeared for Dormans.

He was later connected with the Mid Staffs Health District side who were to become one of the most successful Sunday sides in the area.

More recently, Motty put in a lot of time at Stafford Town and he was honoured by having their main stand named after him.

Anyone who ever engaged in conversation with Keith Mottershead will have been captured by his enthusiasm and love for local sport (he was also a darts player and cricket fan). He will be sadly missed by all.

Statistics for Stafford Rangers
1964/65: 4 apps
1966/67: 12 apps – 1 goal
1968/69: 48 games – 22 goals
1969/70: 54 games – 5 goals
1970/71: 52 games – 9 goals
1971/72: 35 games – 5 goals
Total: 205 games – 42 goals

Squad Update

Squad Update

Dec 19, 2025 | Club News

New Signings and Squad News

Harry Flowers


Signing for the club is Stafford born central defender Harry Flowers. Harry, 29, joins from Warrington Town but has an illustrious non-league career to date, with teams such as Brackley Town, Curzon Ashton, Solihull Moors, Southport and Telford United. This is not the first time we have tried to sign Harry, but finally we have landed our man, and we would like to thank Paul Carden and Warrington Town Football Club for their assistance in securing the move ahead of our visit to Avro FC tomorrow.

Harley Irwin


Joining Harry is 19-year-old central midfielder Harley Irwin, on a month’s loan from Bolton Wanders FC. Highly thought of Harley was youth team captain at Bolton last season and this season has made his first team debut in the Football League Trophy. We hope to assist with Harley’s development gaining match day exposure at Step 4 and naturally would like to thank Bolton Wanderers FC for their assistance with the loan move.

Brad Mansell

We can also announce the signing of 24-year-old striker Brad Mansell from Romulus FC. Brad started his career and spent several seasons with Rushall Olympic and following injury joined up with Romulus, where he has been leading scorer this season. Well known to Kitch, Brad signs for the BORO and together with Harry and Harley comes straight into the squad for our game at Avro FC.

Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi dual registration

Finally, Kingsley Adu-Gyamfi is set to sign for Wolverhampton Casuals FC on dual registration, to gain valuable game time and bolster fitness levels ahead of the busy winter period.

Up the Boro

Deakin Takes Charge

Physio vacancy – be part of our Team!

Dec 19, 2025 | Club News

Stafford Rangers Football Club has an opportunity for a dedicated Sports Therapist or Physiotherapist to join our backroom staff

Support the wellbeing, performance, and rehabilitation of our players.

The Role

The successful candidate will be responsible for injury prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of first-team players, working closely with the management and coaching staff. This role requires regular attendance at training sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, matchdays on Saturdays, and occasional midweek evening fixtures (typically Tuesdays).

Key Responsibilities

To provide pitch-side medical cover for Tuesday and Thursday evening training sessions and medical cover for Saturday fixtures and occasional midweek (Tuesday evening) matches.
Assess, diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate player injuries. Deliver pre-match strapping, taping, and soft tissue therapy. Design and monitor rehabilitation programmes and advise on injury prevention and recovery strategies Maintain accurate medical and treatment records and consult with management regarding player availability and fitness.

Qualifications and skills needed

Degree or equivalent qualification in Sports Therapy or Physiotherapy Membership with an appropriate professional body (e.g. SST, HCPC, CSP) Valid EMFAIF or ITMMIF (or equivalent) Strong communication and organisational skills Enthusiastic, dependable, and professional approach

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated therapist looking to gain or increase their experience within the world of semi professional football and be part of a Step 4 club looking to maintain a strong professional environment both on and off the pitch.

Expenses/Remuneration dependent upon experience.

To apply please submit your CV by email to our Director of Football Andy Fearn at andy.fearn@staffordrangersfc.co.uk

We are looking to fill this position as soon as possible and the closing date for applications is 31st December 2025.

 

Stafford Rangers Football Club Ltd