Wooliscroft return a coup for Rangers

Stafford Rangers assistant boss Darren Read has hailed the permanent signing of defender Ashley Wooliscroft as a significant coup after his return at Eastwood.

The experienced 31-year-old came to an agreement with Blue Square North rivals Fleetwood to terminate his contract on Friday, allowing him to rejoin Rangers after a two-month loan spell at Marston Road earlier in the season.

His return was timely as Andre Francis - by trade a winger but filling in at the back - went down with a hamstring injury, allowing Wooliscroft to be pitched straight in for a second debut in Saturday's goalless draw at Coronation Park.

After making the first-team early on in his career at Stoke, the player drifted into a nomadic existence non-league football with Telford, Leek, Kidsgrove, Hednesford, Stalybridge and then Fleetwood, but brings significant experience to the table.

And Rangers No 2 Read believes that know-how will be invaluable.

He said: "It's a fantastic signing and a void that really needed to be filled. He's an experienced old head where we needed it and that will hopefully serve us well until the end of the season.

"I am surprised Fleetwood let him go with the run in they have got, because you can't buy experience. But their loss is very much Stafford Rangers' gain."