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!