Rangers expecting 30 for pre-season

Stafford Rangers boss Greg Clowes today revealed he's invited the best part of 30 players to the club for their early start to pre-season training.

Clowes will welcome back the core of last season's squad on Monday night, which will be complemented by new signings and a smattering of trialists.

Rangers were due to start their pre-season schedule at Congelton on June 28 but will now play their first game five days later at Rocester.

That gives Clowes a fortnight on the training field before seeing the squad in a match situation, but eight players will miss the start of the sessions.

The Rangers boss expects a host of fresh faces to arrive at Marston Road but he cannot register them on non-contract forms until July 1.

He said: "We start training on Monday night at the ground and there will be a lot of players that we will be casting our eyes over.

"I am expecting 25 players to be attending that session and that's with eight players still away on holiday.

"I expect to bring in six or seven new signings in - if everybody is true to their word - who can move this club on.

"I am looking forward to it, we have got to hit the ground running this season and that's every manager's wish.

"There's, potentially, 30 players who will doing pre-season at this football club. Some will fall away, though, as they are on trial.

"But there's others who will give me a bit of food for thought."

After Rocester, Rangers travel to Stone Dominoes on the Saturday before their first home game, against Tamworth a week later.

There's a Tuesday trip to Heath Hayes before Kidderminster Harriers are the visitors to Marston Road the following Saturday, July 21.

A game at league rivals Mickleover Sports comes on Saturday July 28 before Norton United are the hosts the Tuesday after.

Two more Saturday away days complete the pre-season fixture list, in Wales at Llandudno on August 4 and at Kidsgrove on August 11.