We apologise for the quality of the video with Jody Banim that was put out yesterday. We will be running another video interview session and have put together a simple form to capture any questions you may have that you would like to put forward to Jody. Click here to access the online form and submit your question.
Stafford Rangers are delighted to announce that Jody Banim has been appointed First Team Manager at the Boro with immediate effect. Banim has had a long and successful career in football both as a player and manager and relishes the challenge ahead of him. The club had a huge response in their quest to appoint a new first team manager and the conclusion of the extensive process, now ensures that another part of the jigsaw puzzle at Marston Road is put in place, ahead of the new season.
Jody has extensive experience in the Northern Premier league and above and excellent contacts with players in the North West and the Midlands. Rangers’ fans will hope he can bring in some exciting new players to mirror his own prolific goal scoring record from his former playing days.
He will be joined by a Boro favourite Matt Hill who joined Stafford Rangers in January 2019 and takes over the role as Assistant First Team Manager. The pair first met when Hill was playing for Ashton under Banim and the Board believe that this new partnership has great potential. The two have already established a good working relationship and an appetite to play exciting winning football. Hill is well respected in the dressing room as well as outside it and holds substantial coaching experience. He knows the club well and has the respect of players and fans. He has played at every level of football and his transition from player into management looks a great fit alongside manager Jody Banim.
He states: “Stafford Rangers are a massive football club and our objective is clear. We want and will bring back the glory days and we are proud to be part of the Boro. We have seen, during lockdown, the passion and the enthusiasm that fans have shown in supporting so magnificently the ‘Stand Together’ campaign and we want to be part of it.”
Whilst Jody saw success at Ashton he left at the end of 2019 after some difficult results but learned a lot saying: “No matter what budget you have I learned that the balance of the squad has to be right, but it’s a results business and you have to accept that’.”
Whilst there has not been any major changes since 4th May you have now raised a cumulative total of £51,647.19 a magnificent effort and demonstration of support to the club, thank you. All of the Preference Shares have now sold out but Ordinary Shares are still available either outright our through our monthly payment scheme.
More information can be found here.
We are now looking at the development of another major initiative as well as a re branding of our sponsorship packages and lottery schemes. With a limited amount of people working in the background, most of whom are volunteers, this takes time but watch this space. We will bring you news as soon as it is available.
Dianne Jones has always been a team player, she has had to be from the moment she came into the world.
As the youngest of 9 children (7 girls and 2 boys) the family nearly had a football team themselves as they grew up in the Baswich area of Stafford with Dianne attending Leasowes Juniors before Walton High School together with her twin brother Dave. After school she went to work at Groundslow Hospital as a ward clerk before the move to Stafford General Infirmary where she trained to become a Phlebotomist nurse, staying for 38 years. The last 3 years have seen her working as a Clinical Nursing Assistant/Phlebotomist within the Surgical Pre- assessment Unit. Recently she has been re-deployed to Royal Stoke Hospital in support of Coronavirus efforts.
‘It’s a very anxious, apprehensive and emotional time for all patients and staff right now ‘states Dianne ‘but everyone is supporting each other so fantastically and I have never been prouder of working for the NHS’
All at Stafford Rangers Football Club applaud the efforts of all the NHS and other front line workers and Dianne we are so proud of you and your colleagues.
Dianne’s Dad Jack Mayer was chairman of Stafford Sunday League football and it was he who inspired her interest in the game. They used to watch Stoke City one week then her beloved Stafford Rangers the next along with Southend Club, who Jack managed on a Sunday. Her infatuation with the Boro developed and she became a regular fan at both home and away games, she was hooked. Dianne went to all 3 Wembley games and then started working voluntarily for the club in 1972. Originally selling match day programmes with her sisters Linda, Chris & Pauline, she went onto work for Alf Wood and Mick Cullerton in the Commercial Department and also helped in the mobile canteen. She had a short break from the club when she had her son Lewis (now 21) but soon went back and worked in the boardroom hospitality unit when Stuart Maun was in charge.
Dianne is still a vital part of the team today making fans, sponsors and officials feel totally at ease and welcome in the new Chairman’s suite as well as being part of our fantastic bar staff on function nights. A true fan with a passion for the club and someone who has always stood together in good times and bad. Dianne is currently missing her football and her all-time favourite players who were Ben Seddon, Frazer wood and of course Shoota. We hope that whenever the season starts again we can add a new name or two to that list. We are so proud that one of ours is making such a difference off the pitch and know you will join us in saying thank you and we look forward to seeing you at the club Dianne as soon as we can. Please Stay Safe !
With over 50 applications made to the football club the interest in Stafford Rangers remains as high as it has always been and we are delighted with the response we received. We said right from the start that we would carry out this recruitment carefully and professionally following all due process. Every application was considered and looked into in the initial review process and this was whittled down to 12. Due to the current pandemic we proceeded to send out a questionnaire to all 12 seeking information in areas not covered by applicants in their original CV and after reviewing these thoroughly have established a short list.
It is now hoped to complete interviews within the next week or so after which if an offer is ultimately accepted an announcement will be made. We believe that in the current lockdown situation the process has been as swift as we could make it and we hope to give you good news as quickly as we can.
We were very sorry to hear further bad news at the weekend. We lost another former player when John Ridley passed away at the age of 68. John joined us for the start of the 1985/86 season and made 135 appearances plus 32 as sub. A real leader on the pitch, John joined us after a very respectable league career and eventually progressed to Assistant Manager to Ron Reid, before leaving the club in 1989. Our best wishes go to all of John’s family and friends at this sad time.
We recently heard of the passing of three other Rangers players with the news of Terry Eade, from our Cheshire League days, plus Mick Morris from our excellent period in the 70’s and also Alf Wood. Our condolences and best wishes go to all of their families.
