Skipper Wilson to leave Rangers
Stafford Rangers captain Bobby Wilson has played his last game for the club after taking up the surprise offer of a contract in Australia.
Stafford Rangers captain Bobby Wilson has played his last game for the club after taking up the surprise offer of a contract in Australia.
The skipper has left Marston Road to sign for Perth-based outfit Stirling Lions, who play in the second tier of Australian football, on a season-long deal.
Wilson flies out next week to join his new employers, and will not play in tomorrow's match at Gainsborough Trinity in the Blue Square North.
It's the second high-profile exit to hit the club this season, after striker Ben Mills left to join league rivals Alfreton in November despite only joining the club in the summer.
Like Mills, the 21-year-old was not under contract with Rangers, and was therefore free to leave for the security of a contract elsewhere.
Now Brindley must go to Lincolnshire without his captain, along with loan duo Ashley Wooliscroft and Henrik Ojamaa - who have returned to their clubs - as well as the suspended Andre Francis.
The manager said: "Losing Bobby is a big blow. It has come out of the blue, but that is where we are at. It's difficult when you are not in a position to put people on contracts, we leave ourselves open to it.
"That is reality, we go from one problem to another. In the last two games before we finished, I have probably had the best side I have had here in 12 months, and now we have four players missing from from that squad.
"It's a precarious position, we have used this free time to look at bringing people in, we are advancing with a few players but it's not easy as it is for people to leave."
Brindley must now pick up his troops for the trip to face Brian Little's side, with both teams out of practice having not played since Boxing Day because of the weather.
Rangers had not won in six games while Trinity were unbeaten in four before the enforced break, which looks to be at end with reports suggesting the Northolme pitch will be fit to play on.
But the manager warns everyone is back to square one now.
He said: "There is no form going into the game, because no-one has played for nearly a month. It's a fresh slate for everyone and that is the attitude we have to take there."
