Rangers set a date for retained list

Stafford Rangers manager Greg Clowes will be showing the door to the players he doesn't want to retain for next season's charge on May 12.

Clowes today set the deadline for his 'retained' list, which will come 24 hours after the players' end-of-season day out at Nottingham Racecourse.

The club's presentation evening precedes that on May 6 and the Rangers boss is keen his squad remain united until the last possible point.

Then the players will break up until they return for pre-season training on June 19, as Rangers look to improve on Clowes' first year in charge.

A late slump saw them finish a disappointing 16th in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League, with the manager admitting change will be afoot.

He said: "There are certain players who I want to keep here next year and they have told me they definitely want to stay.

"I have already started making a few enquiries, now the season has finished, while making sure the ones I want to keep stay here.

"No decisions will be made until May 13, I know who I want to keep and I have to be fair with everybody now.

"There's going to be players who come under a grey area and, if we can get some better players in, those players may flourish.

"I am not going to say numbers who will be let go but anybody in my position is probably going to have the same percentage.

"All I can say is that I know who won't be at Stafford Rangers next season."

Rangers did have their moments in 2011-12, such as January where three wins in five games saw Clowes named Manager of the Month.

But a winless first six games and last seven matches proved there are flaws at Marston Road which need to be eradicated.

Clowes said: "The season will be remembered for a poor start, an even worse end and not a bad middle, there's no excuse for that.

"I think we have done very well for three and a half months of the year, but for the other five and a half months we have been shocking.

"There's been no happy medium, there's never been a point where we have ground out an ugly win or draw, we have either been good or bad.

"I don't think I have finished below halfway in any league I have been in but, of course, I have managed in a league I have never done before.

"I have learned at lot and, when I look back on my managerial career, I have probably learned more this season than any other."