Phil to stay a loan Ranger

Stafford Rangers manager Phil Robinson will continue to spin the wheel of fortune in the loan and free agent transfer market in his bid to find a winning formula.

While the Marston Road club was focussed this week on a potentially money-spinning FA Cup clash with Cambridge, Rangers top priority this season remains that of keeping their status in the Blue Square Premier.

And with the January transfer window still more than two months away and no time to lose in making up ground on the teams in the safety zone, it's loans and freebies to the rescue.

The strategy carries its own inherent risks, of course, as Rangers found out recently when Watford recalled keeper Scott Loach and defender Cedric Avinel.

Both of them played a significant role in helping Rangers stem the tide of defeats that had threatened to overwhelm them, but when an injury crisis hit Vicarage Road, they were on their way back down south.

And Cheltenham's Will Puddy, a former England schoolboy international, who made his BSP debut at Crawley last week, was loaned out on the proviso that he not play in any FA Cup matches.

Loach, meanwhile, has been linked by one Sunday newspaper with a move to Premiership club Reading, who apparently had been impressed with his performances at Stafford.

That could not take place at least before January and Rangers boss Robinson has not given up hope of getting him and his club-mate Avinel back at Marston Road.

"We're still in contact with Watford and we're hopeful that when their injury situation calms down we can get them back," said Robinson.

"We are constantly looking around for the players who will improve us and do a good job, like Scott and Cedric.

"But it has been a very difficult week for us in terms of getting players in. With the Cup coming up, a lot of clubs were reluctant to let their players out.

"Luckily, we managed to add two more to our squad for Cambridge."

He was referring to former Millwall midfielder Sammy Mawene, a 23 year old free agent, and defender Luke Potter, a teenage defender who made his debut for Barnsley at the Hawthorns last season.

"We feel we still need a couple more players in and we're working hard on that," said Robinson.

"We've won one and drawn four of our last seven league games, against some of the strongest, full-time teams in the league.

"In all four of the drawn games we had chances to win. I know that when we can put out the team we want we can compete against anybody in this division.

"We're very optimistic about the upcoming games."

Rangers' survival mission resumes against Exeter, at Marston Road next Saturday, although if today's Cup tie is drawn, the replay will be at the Abbey Stadium on Tuesday night.