Rangers keep the faith

Stafford Rangers can still win their battle for survival in the Blue Square Premier - but it is going to come at a cost.

That's the view of secretary and board member Mike Hughes, who admits that Rangers simply cannot compete financially with the league's big boys like Oxford, Torquay and Exeter.

"We already know we shall finish with a loss (of money) this season whatever happens on the field," he said this week.

'The management team has been given all the funds that we have, in fact we have made available more funds than the club can really afford, I can't put it any clearer than that and I don't know what else we can do.

"When you are competing against teams like Oxford and Torquay, where they are disappointed if they don't get a gate of 4,000 for a match, we can't compete financially.

"Four thousand at Marston Road would be a capacity crowd. Our last gate was 649 and OK, we are doing better on the commercial side than we have done before, but our budget is now set to lose money.

"We are very worried - people are saying 'how can you expect crowds of 1,300-1,500 when you are losing every week?'

"It is obvious we have got to start winning. This is the pool we are in and we have to sink or swim.

"I want to see us carry on playing against decent teams like Oxford and I believe we can still do it.

"Our targets are slightly amended now, we are looking for safety. There are plenty of games left, may be we need just a little bit of luck.

"You only have to get on a bit of a run and you can get yourself out of it," said Hughes.

Rangers have made their worst start to a season since 1995-96, when they lost their first 10 games and did not win a league match until December.

So far, Robinson's Rangers have picked up just one point from 10 matches before today's trip to Weymouth.

To halt the slide, manager Phil Robinson has decided to ring the changes and has dipped into the loan pool.

Watford manager Adie Boothroyd has obliged by supplying defender Cedric Avinel and young goalkeeper Scott Loach.

Avinel made his debut against Grays last weekend and both were on duty at Salisbury on Tuesday night, but could make no difference in terms of results.

By all accounts, however, Rangers produced one of their best performances of the season and deserved a point.

The team will come under the scrutiny of the Marston Road fans on Tuesday night when Histon, a club with even more modest history and background than Rangers come to town.