Rangers look outside for chairman

Stafford Rangers are not ruling out bringing a completely new face onto the board of directors to take up the soon-to-be vacant chairman's role.

But current board members Reg Bates and Rod Woodward are also in the frame to replace Mike Hughes, who is stepping down as soon as his replacement is found.

Hughes is leaving completely after 26 years at Marston Road while his predecessor Jon Downing, who had served the club for 18 years, has already gone.

Roly Tonge and Cliff Went make up the rest of the board but have already had spells in charge as chairman, in Went's case two.

The club's preference is for someone new to the job to take over as chairman, which makes Bates and Woodward contenders from within their own ranks.

Hughes is hoping to have handed over the reins by the time he turns 65 next month and confirmed the board want a fresh approach to the role.

He said: "It could be the new chairman is someone not currently attached to the club or, having said that, be one of the existing board members.

"We are a bit thin on the ground so we are trying to get other people in but, normally, when things have happened in the past it has been someone who already has been on the board.

"I think Cliff feels as if he has already had his time as chairman, so I very much doubt whether he would want to take it.

"Reg and Rod have both been on the board for a long time and neither has been chairman so, yes, it could be one of those."