Mike Douglas forced to quit Rangers

Stafford Rangers midfielder Mike Douglas has been forced to quit the club and playing football through a change in work commitments.

Douglas, who followed manager Greg Clowes from Newcastle Town in the summer, made his final appearance for the club in Saturday's FA Cup win at AFC Wulfrunians.

The midfield powerhouse is employed by an organisation that works with disabled people and has been asked, as part of his job, to run a football team, ruling him out of playing on match days.

But Clowes has ruled out bringing back Joe Rogers and Alex Forde, who can both play in the middle of the park, from spells at Ellesmere Rangers and Stourport Swifts respectively.

The Rangers boss is hoping to have Kevin Street back from a groin injury for Saturday's visit of Chester but admits Douglas will leave a big hole to fill.

Clowes said: "Mike is probably the most consistent player I have ever worked with and, respect wise, he ranks very highly as well.

"Within his job, he's been asked to run a disabled football team, that play on Saturdays and Tuesdays in a proper league.

"I know that's something he's quite keen do and I understand his reasons completely, but I am still devastated that he's decided to leave.

"He's been arguably our most consistent player this season."

Rogers has been playing under former Wolves striker Lee Mills, who is assistant manager at the Midland Alliance outfit.

Forde has moved onto Swifts, who play in the second tier of the Evo-Stik Southern League, after spending time at Bromsgrove Sporting.

Both have permission to play for those clubs indefinitely and Clowes has no intentions, currently, of recalling the duo.

He said: "We are not classing them as loan spells, they are still on forms with us but they have gone out to get games.

"The reports I have had from Lee Mills on Joe have been very positive, they have asked to keep him a bit longer and I haven't got a problem with that."

Clowes will not be facing his former club, Newcastle Town, in the FA Cup second qualifying round a week on Saturday.

Rangers will instead host Midland Alliance outfit Stratford at Marston Road, who beat Castle 6-2 at home in a first qualifying round replay last night.