As the newest board member at Stafford Rangers, my first priority is to get to know as many of the fans, sponsors and stakeholders of the club, to learn more about how I can use my experience to support the future success of the organisation, on and off the field. 

Since I moved to Stafford in 1987, at the age of six, I have been fortunate enough to be able to see the impact Stafford Rangers FC has had on the local community it serves and in particular young people, like my son, who have been able to benefit from playing for the junior section of the club.

The passion from players, fans and staff is what made me get more involved in the club and I feel privileged to have been accepted onto the board. Having the experience of being a club sponsor representative, through my role as Dealer Principal for the Holdcroft Motor Group, I can also see how important it is for the club to make the most of the commercial opportunities ahead. After all, any additional revenue that comes into the club, can ultimately help us to invest in the ‘on the pitch’ and support staff talent we need to be successful.

But it is not just sponsorship that brings in additional revenue, it is also how we and the community around us use our facilities, that will make a real difference. For example, coming to the club on match day is a great community experience, especially for young people. I will therefore make it one of my key goals to explore how we can engage more within the community and how this can benefit individuals, groups, fans, players and sponsors alike.

I am excited about the future and look forward to helping and supporting the existing team at the club and contributing to the overall success of Stafford Rangers FC.

Finally, I just want to say a big thank you to the board and staff for making me and my family so welcome at the club. I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can in the future and once again, I can’t stress enough what a great privilege it is for me to be accepted onto the board.

Steve Winterburn