Rangers close to retained list

Skipper Wayne Daniel is one of those names still outstanding, but he will meet with management this week now the defender has returned from his summer holiday.

But a busy fortnight has seen most of the valued members of the squad agree to stay at Marston Road for next season, although - as expected - most of the players will pen non-contract terms.

That protects the club against the financial burden of a legally binding deal, but also enables the player to leave at the relative drop of a hat.

All potential predators will have to do to put themselves in a position to speak to one of their stars is put in a seven day approach to the club who hold their registration.

Rangers won't be alone, many Blue Square North clubs will be following suit next season in the wake of football's recession.

But Read is optimistic that the news will be good when manager Chris Brindley announces who is playing on in the black and white stripes of Stafford.

He reckons most of the hard work has already been done.

The No 2 said: "There are just a couple of names left for us to put pen to paper then we will have the list for next season, so the players we have been able to keep will obviously become clear then.

"Some players will obviously be moving on, obviously a couple have already gone, but don't discount that we have also been working hard on adding new faces as well.

"But the core of the squad is pretty much signed for next season."