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Stafford Rangers were formed in 1876 and
in their early years only played friendlies and cup games
until they joined the Shropshire League. After spells
in various divisions, Rangers found themselves in the
Birmingham Combination League which they won twice either
side of the First World War.
A
financial crisis then hit the club and, despite winning
the Birmingham League title in 1927, they were disbanded
by 1940. After the Second World War, a group of supporters
helped the club re-form and after six years in the Birmingham
Combination League they joined the Cheshire County League
in 1952. Despite further financial unrest, the club had
clinched the Cheshire League Cup by 1968 and within a
season had gained promotion to the Northern Premier League.
The
1970s saw the best times at Marston Road, with three trophies
and an FA Cup Fourth Round appearance to boot. Under the
management of Roy Chapman (father of ex Nottingham Forest,
Leeds United and West Ham United forward, Lee) the club
won the treble in 1972 by winning the NPL Championship,
the Staffordshire Senior Cup and the FA Trophy at Wembley,
beating Barnet 3-0 in the Final. Three seasons later the
club disposed of Halifax Town, Stockport County and Rotherham
United to reach the FA Cup Fourth Round. 31,000 saw a
narrow 2-1 defeat by Peterborough United at Stoke City's
Victoria Ground. After that Roy Chapman left the club
to join Stockport County.
The
1976 season saw the club again reach the Final of the
FA Trophy at Wembley where, this time, they lost out to
Scarborough 3-2 after extra time. A third Trophy Final
was to follow, with the club (now under Chapman's second
spell in charge) re-discovering the winning form of 1972
by beating Kettering 2-0. Soon after, the club became
founder members of the Alliance Premier League.
However,
the club struggled and in 1983 they were relegated back
to the NPL, where, in their first season back they found
themselves rock bottom. However, with manager Ron Reid
at the helm, the club were steered away from trouble,
eventually finishing tenth. The following season the club
regained their spot in the non-league's elite by clinching
the championship.
Disaster
though was to hit the club in the late 80s. After six
managerial changes, a huge tax bill, and a change of board,
the club dropped two divisions. The club's prized assets
had to be sold on to pay the bills. The list included
Stan Collymore, Paul Devlin, Ryan Price, Wayne Simpson
and Mark Bradshaw. And, at one stage that season, Stafford
Rangers were the only club in the whole of English football
without a win.
A
new board began to rebuild in 1997. However, at the end
of a successful rebuilding year, the club had then manager
Kevin Bond poached by Alan Ball's Portsmouth. Ian Painter,
former Stoke and Coventry City player, was appointed and,
within two seasons, had achieved promotion to the Dr Martens
Premier after clinching the title in 2000. However, after
finishing ninth in the 2001/02 season, Painter left the
club after failing to agree on the proposed operating
budget for the team the following season. He was replaced
by Phil Robinson who had been released as player/manager
of Hereford United. Robinson made an immediate impact
in his first season as Rangers finished second in the
league behind runaway leaders Tamworth. They maintained
this consistency the following year as they finished third
and entered into the new Conference North. |
