Stafford poised to put Bull in charge

Stafford Rangers are confident that they will be able to unveil Steve Bull as their new manager this week. Jon Downing, the chairman, said: “There is a deal on the table and we hope it goes ahead. Negotiations are in the eleventh hour, but we can’t yet say for sure that Steve will be our manager. We hope to hold a press conference this week.”

Downing said that the inspiration for approaching Bull came simultaneously to himself and two other directors when they watched the 42-year-old former Wolverhampton Wanderers and England striker give a television interview in which he revealed his ambition to become a manager and his readiness to start at the lower reaches of the game.

Stafford have played under Neil Grayson and Kevin Street as joint caretaker player-managers since Phil Robinson was dismissed in December and achieved only their third Blue Square Premier victory of the season, 2-1 away to Forest Green Rovers, on Saturday.

“We started the season with a new squad and it took longer than we hoped for things to gel,” Downing said. “Neil and Kevin have been magnificent. I couldn’t have asked more of them. In the last three matches, we have beaten Weymouth, were 0-0 at Histon when the fog came down and won at Forest Green, so things are settling down and form is on the up.

“Steve is a legend, who played at the highest level. He’s at the right age and we are sure that he will be a success as a manager. He has great contacts throughout the game and we believe that he will be able to bring in the quality that we need to be able to stay up. We are also excited at what he can offer us on the commercial side.”

WALTER GAMMIE