Bully happy to be underdog

Stafford Rangers manager Steve Bull is happy for his side to be the underdogs in the Blue Square North this season - but underestimate them at your peril.

Bookmakers Coral rate Rangers at 14/1 to return to the Blue Square Premier as champions in 2008/09, despite the fact the club were runners up in their last campaign in the division, the promotion season of 2005/06.

Even promoted Fleetwood are better odds at 10/1, with AFC Telford leading the list at 7/1. The other two teams relegated from the Blue Square Premier, Farsley and Droylsden. are at 9/1 and 14/1 respectively.

Little fanfare is not a problem to Bull. In fact, he thinks that it could help his side.

He said: "I like the underdog tag. That leaves to concentrate on getting ourselves ready for the campaign without distraction. We will surprise a few sides when the season starts.

"All I want is the players to be fit for the start of the season. The preparation we have done so far will help us to do that."

Bull has already had the players in for pre-season training for two weeks, with the club using the faciliites at the University of Staffordshire.

A new training schedule has been implemented, with the players now undertaking Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday sessions as opposed to two a week.

The objective of this for Bull is clear - he wants none of the fitness problems that cost them in the Premier last season.

He said: "We knew we were not fit enough last year. The first thing I wanted to do this year is to raise the fitness levels of the players. They will see the benefit when the season starts.

"To be fair to the players, they have taken to it well. I am starting to get a group of lads together that just want to play football, so it is no problem.

"Because we have had that bit more time together, the morale in the squad is very good. I have every confidence that when the season starts, we will be raring to go."