Official Club Statement – Board of Directors

Mar 20, 2020 | Club News

Like every business in the world SRFC has been hit and impacted by the unprecedented circumstance of Covid- 19.

We are now fighting to keep our club afloat and need to very much Stand Together.

It will continue to be as hard a fight as we have ever had, but we are determined to make sure the Football Club comes through, it is part of our community.

The responsibility we all have to minimise the outbreak through social distancing results in huge problems as there will be NO Football and extremely limited Social Club income.
We cannot operate any aspect of our revenue stream at all and until further notice the club will wherever possible remain largely unstaffed and closed to the public. There will be aspects of the club where we need to carry out maintenance or actions that will need some members of the staff in attendance but will do this in a clinical and organised manner.

 

Our objectives are clear: –

  1. To safeguard the Football Club from extinction from the unprecedented challenges we all face.
  2. To protect our employees as far as we can in both an economic sense and in respect of our duty of care. We will need them in the future, and we owe them.
  3. To minimise disruption
  4. To abide by the government guidelines of social distancing & Prevent the spread of Covid19.
  5. To communicate our position to fans in a clear manner on a regular basis

 So, what are we going to do?

 Like every business we will seek to contact our creditors large and small to see if we can reduce overheads and expenses as much as possible. We will explore all opportunities through either government departments, our bank and the league to access whatever assistance is possible. As you are all aware football clubs like ours never have spare monies and the business is reliant on cash flow to survive. We don’t have the comfort of sitting on several months cash flow so we need to take the above action quickly and look at other options available to us and this is where you can help and we will very soon launch an initiative called Stand Together, more details will follow

 

We send our best wishes out to each one of you and your families and applaud our efforts as a community pulling together to see us all through. We urge everyone to follow the government guidelines to keep the elderly and vulnerable in our community safe and well.

 

To our heros and heroines in the community keeping the NHS going thank you for your hard work and dedication – we are safe in your hands and will be providing any NHS Nurse who wants one a free season ticket when the 20/21 Season restarts.

To those that are self-isolating please reach out to your community and ask for help if you need it. You can contact us and if we can help or direct you towards help, we will do our absolute best.

There has never been a more important time to ‘Stand Together’ and be ‘More Than Just a Football Club’

 

From Our team to all our loyal fans, sponsors, officials, volunteers, players and staff.

Thank you

 

 

Please note we will continue to take bookings for later in the year and next year. If you need to contact us regarding an existing booking or to make a new booking:

Please email sally-anne@staffordrangersfc.co.uk  Or call 07563390457

 

 

 

Atherton Match News Response

Mar 15, 2020 | Club News

“We thought it correct that we clarify information released regarding our weekend home game with Atherton Collieries FC.
The game was called off, after consultation with the league. With one of our Tuesday opponents, from Gainsborough Trinity, having to self isolate we spoke with the league and it was agreed that the safest thing was to postpone our fixture, in line with current guidelines, protocol and of course, welfare.
With us also having a few people around the club who could be affected in such a situation, including Chairman John Bromley whose wife currently has some serious health issues, the decision brought home the importance of reducing risk and protecting people, at this time.
This also aligns with our duty to players, staff, officials and volunteers.
To clarify, we currently have nobody diagnosed or showing signs of contracting Coronavirus.”

Atherton match preview

Mar 11, 2020 | Club News

When you talk of 6 pointers, then Saturday’s home fixture with Atherton Collieries certainly fits the bill. 22nd placed Rangers at home to 21st place Atherton, with Atherton5 points ahead but with an amazing 7 games in hand. A Rangers win would see us breathing down their necks and with a potential fixture backlog, Atherton could be playing 3 or 4 times a week in April which could stretch their ability to pick up points. Yet another straw we can cling to.

This will be Atherton Collieries first ever visit to Marston Road, and they travel here with an away league record of won 2, (Gainsborough and Stalybridge) 3 draws (Ashton, Matlock and Warrington) and 8 defeats (Bamber Bridge, Basford, Lancaster, Morpeth, Radcliffe, South Shields, Whitby and Witton). Hopefully we can add to their woes and return to Lancashire pointless. On current form we have a slight edge with a draw, win and 3 defeats in our last 5 while Atherton have a win and 4 defeats in the same period. However, on Saturday, while we were beating Whitby, Atherton were enjoying a home win over relegation candidates Grantham. Just shows how tight the game could be.

This will be the first ever meeting of the two clubs, so we need to reflect on their history. Atherton Collieries Football Club was formed in 1916, by miners from the six pits which were operative in the area of the town. The club was created as a means of providing welfare for those at home during the war effort. When the pits were nationalised, the football club was gifted to the people of the town. Their home ground is at Alder House and has been their home from day one. Atherton, known locally as “The Colls” were founding members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982 and remained there until 2017, when earned promotion to the Northern Premier League for the first time in the club’s history. Their turnaround and rise up the pyramid came about when Michael Clegg was appointed first team manager in August 2014 and immediately began assembling a young and local side. The club went on to win the NWCFL Division One title and in his second campaign the Colls won the League Cup, beating the league champions Colne 5-1 at Fleetwood Town’s Highbury Stadium, whilst finishing fourth on the club’s return to the North West Counties Premier Division. The 2016/17 campaign was a momentous one for Atherton Collieries, as in their centenary year they clinched the NWCFL Premier Division title and reached the last 16 of the FA Vase backed by a large and ever-growing local fan base. 2018/19 saw them finish top of Division 1 West, 7 points ahead of second placed Radcliffe, to play at step 3 for the first time.

I fully understand that 3 home games in 8 days puts a strain on the pocket, but it is essential that we see 3 points gained on Saturday, so please come on down and give the team your support. Remember, the great escape is still on, but the fat lady could be tuning her voice.

Games played on March 14th this century

2006 Hednesford H 1-1 Conference North
2009 Droylsden H 0-0 Conference North
2015 Romulus A 0-1 Northern Premier Division 1
2017 Ilkeston A 2-1 Northern Premier League

Gainsborough Preview

Mar 9, 2020 | Club News

Gainsborough Preview

As the season nears to an end games start to come thick and fast, just like Tuesday’s rearranged fixture at home to Gainsborough Trinity. We have no time to reflect on our win over Whitby as another game has to be tackled if we are to retain our step 3 placement. A while back Gainsborough were a side in the mix with us in a relegation battle, but a run of good results has seen then climb away from the bottom of the table. Trinity now lie 12th with 41 points and have an away record of won 5, drawn 4 and lost 6, which includes last Saturdays fine 1-0 win away to play off chasing Lancaster. Wins on the road also include Atherton, Grantham (5-1), Radlciffe and Stalybridge, while they have lost at Ashton, Basford, Matlock, Nantwich, South Shields and Witton. Their away form tends to mirror a typical mid table side. It is therefore up to the Rangers to take the game to Gainsborough in an attempt to keep up our winning run this month.

Gainsborough Trinity Football Club was formed in 1873 as Trinity Recreationists, set up by the vicar of the Holy Trinity Church for young parishioners. Many people forget, but in 1892/93 season Gainsborough were elected to the Football League Second Division and their first game was against Newton Heath, later to become Manchester United. Gainsborough were also founder members of the Northern Premier League.

Historically, this was a regular Northern Premier League fixture in the 70’s. Of the 10 fixtures in that decade we won 7, losing 3 with an aggregate score of 20-7. There were 2 more NPL games in the 80’s winning 1 and drawing 1, but our paths did not meet up again till the noughties where there were 5 Conference North fixtures winning all 5 with an aggregate score of 12-2. Last season we drew 1-1 following Gainsborough Trinity’s first ever relegation in their history. As you can see, we certainly have the upper hand with historical games, but it is the present day that counts, so please get down on Tuesday night to support the team as the great escape could still be on.

Games played on March 10th this century

2001 Welling H 5-2 Southern Premier League
2007 Tamworth H 0-4 Conference
2009 Redditch A 2-2 Conference North
2012 Bradford H 3-1 Northern Premier League
2014 Port Vale H 1-1 Staffs Senior Cup (lost 3-2 on penalties)
2018 Lancaster H 2-2 Northern Premier League