Rangers driven off the training field

Stafford Rangers manager Tim Flowers has admitted his team may not be able to train before their Boxing Day derby at home to AFC Telford.

Rangers haven't been put through their paces since playing in the Staffordshire Senior Cup seven days ago at Market Drayton Town, with the weekend league game at Guiseley postponed.

Flowers and the players have been ordered to stay off the pitch at Marston Road, as the club fight to get the playing surface up to standard so the match against their local rivals can go ahead.

Severe weather conditions have drove them indoors but finding a place to train has been a problem with the usual port of call, Staffordshire University, closed for the holidays.

If an alternative cannot be found it will be a week-and-a-half, at least, before most of the team have kicked a ball before they take to the field on Boxing Day.

Flowers admits the conditions are worse than anything he has seen before Christmas in his 25 years in football, with four of Rangers' fixtures having already fallen foul of the weather.

However, the manager does not believe having a winter break would make the situation any better.

He said: "At the moment, there's not a lot we can do, other than see how it all pans out.

"It's difficult, but I am sure there are a lot of teams up and down the country in the same position as us.

"It has come in earlier this year, certainly in my time I can't remember it being much worse than this before Christmas. It's almost unprecedented.

"I am old school, I like the season to be played as we always have done and I think the different weather conditions test you as a player.

"Whether we can train or not is irrelevant, we will be right up for the game on Boxing Day."