Rangers hoping captain will stay

Stafford Rangers are holding out hope that captain Nick Wellecomme will remain at Marston Road for next season after hailing the skipper as a real club man.

Question marks have lingered over the future of the 13-goal top scorer ever since a spat with his own fans in a home game against Vauxhall Motors on April 3, which resulted in the striker sitting out the trip to Solihull Moors two days later.

Wellecomme was persuaded to return to the fold for the next game at Gloucester before going on to score twice in the last two games of the season, in a 2-1 home win over Gainsborough before a score draw on the road at Workington.

The 25-year-old, who turns 26 at the end of the month, has been an integral part of the team at Marston Road, taking the armband in January after previous skipper Bobby Wilson left the club to play in Australia for second tier club Stirling Lions.

And assistant boss Darren Read believes that will continue, after revealing that the player could have been another to move on to pastures new during the season.

He said: "Nick's conduct speaks for itself, as he scored two goals in the last three games of the season after coming back to us. He's a 100 per cent player, his heart and soul are at Stafford Rangers. He could have left twice this season and didn't.

"Some of the fans don't understand the commitment that these lads put in for very little reward, the effort and time away from their girlfriends and families for the cause.

"We are hoping Nick will stay, we have sat down and spoken with him about it.

"But now it's the close season he just wants to get away for a few weeks and get his head around things."