Rangers wait to find new chairman

Stafford Rangers insist there is no crisis in the boardroom at Marston Road and have set no specific time frame in their new search to find a new chairman.

Jon Downing retiring from his role at the end of last season has left the top job open at the Blue Square North club, although the 59-year-old is staying on as a director.

His continued involvement will fill the void left by Ian Seddon, who also resigned from the board when the campaign was over, but Rangers must now find a new chairman from either within their own ranks or from outside Marston Road.

Seddon was viewed as a visionary who could take the club forward but left just a year after his appointment, while Downing stepped down after some seven years in the post.

Board member Mick Hughes is currently acting as caretaker and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the club, but expected to be little more than a stop-gap until a permanent successor can be found.

Downing had hoped a new man would be in place to immediately take over, but would rather the board wait and mull over the options in the relatively quiet close season than make a knee-jerk reaction.

He said: "It would be nice for a new chairman to come in and take this club forward. We are looking for someone who has got experience in football and knowledge of the commercial sector, as it takes an all round person to do the job. It's a serious role and a privilege.

"I have retired and we don't have anybody in place, but I am sure the board of directors will sort that out. At the moment, Mick Hughes is the caretaker chairman and responsible for the day-to-day running of the club.

"There's no crisis at the moment."