Rangers get level from six-figure loss

Stafford Rangers today revealed they on course to financially "break even" after cutting six-figure losses over the last four years.

When Rangers were relegated from the Blue Square Premier in 2008, they posted annual losses of £111,839 for the footballing year.

Another substantial deficit followed in 2009 of £77,687 where, in mid-season, the club first started scaling back of the playing budget.

Losses of £17,336 for 2010 were more manageable but Rangers barely survived in the Blue Square Premier and they dropped down last year.

A black hole of £15,808 was posted for 2011 as the club went into the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League for the first time since 1996.

A 16th place finish was disappointing under boss Greg Clowes but, off the field, Rangers may have finally stopped haemorrhaging money.

They will now for sure when they count their annual figures at the turn of July but chairman Mike Hughes has cause to be confident.

He said: "We are in a better position than we were this time last year and we have kept costs down in a tough time for teams.

"It's a question of living within your income, that goes for all clubs, and we have made loss after loss in recent years.

"We feel that we are on track to, at least, break even this year."

With the club's finances in a healthier state than they have been for years, all of the focus can now turn to the team.

Hughes said: "The football side is settling down and we are not making the wrong sort of headlines every week, like we were 12 months ago.

"We would have liked to have finished higher and shown more consistency but it's a starting point for us, on and off the pitch.

"We are now looking for an improvement next season."