Matt Elliott's ambitions at Rangers

Stafford Rangers assistant boss Matt Elliott has vowed that management will lead by example in their quest to bring the good times back to Marston Road.

The former Scotland international defender was appointed as Tim Flowers' No 2 last week, but the duo's first game in charge ended in a 2-0 defeat at home to Gloucester last Saturday.

However, Elliott is already looking at the bigger picture, namely how to develop the club back on to the path of the glories that saw them grace the top flight of non-league football and twice win the FA Trophy.

It will have to be done on a playing budget of less than £2,000 per week and from the doldrums of the Blue Square North, where Rangers lie a point outside of the relegation places with eight points from 11 games.

But their assistant boss is keen to continue working with what the club already have, in the hope that with the right application players can improve under the new regime and grow as performers.

The squad have the benefit of working under a management team who were bona-fide Premier League stars in their hey-day and Elliott hopes they can make the most of it.

He said: "Some players at this level are good enough to be playing higher and perhaps their attitudes could improve, not necessarily at Stafford but in non-league football generally.

"There are a lot of players who can become better if they have the desire to, whether they take that on board time will tell.

"The lads can look at Tim and myself, look at how hard we are prepared to work and, if they can match that, they will improve."

Flowers and Elliott are reunited in a professional capacity some seven years after they were team-mates at Leicester, but have always kept in touch.

The manager is striking out on his own after working on the coaching staff as high as Premier League level, while his assistant has served Hednesford as a No 2 and jointly been at the helm of Midland Alliance club Oadby.

Their legends may precede them as players but they are united in a common goal - the ambition to make a success of their jobs at Rangers.

Elliott said: "We are very good friends and former team-mates, so I know he good he is and how focussed he is. He's a great person to work alongside, so when he called me I jumped at the chance.

"Tim's a very realistic, down-to-earth sort of guy, he's certainly not strutting around thinking he's something he isn't. He will be working as hard as anyone at the club.

"It's not the level that we are used to working at but we are not players anymore, we are on the management side now and it's a good opportunity for us.

"I am ambitious and I want to get the most out of myself, working with Tim, the club and the players."