On Saturday, the new season kicks off with the Non-League Old Firm derby as Celtic face Rangers. Stafford Rangers. Stafford suffered relegation last season, finishing twentieth from twenty-one.

With Marske’s results expunged, Stafford ended with thirty points, eight points off safety, dropping a division along with Atherton Collieries and Bradford Park Avenue. Though Atherton came into our division, Bradford went into the neighbouring East division. Kaimon Anderson was their top scorer with thirteen league goals, far ahead of his nearest rival, Nathan Blisset, on four. Away from home, Stafford won three, drew one and lost sixteen, losing more away games than any other team. They conceded eighty-one goals, the fourth worst in the league, whilst scoring thirty-six, the fewest number of goals of any team in the league, Basford (second worst) got forty-four.

We last met Stafford, in February 2023 with Stafford winning 2-0 at Bower Fold to get revenge for the 3-0 Celtic win in Stafford in November 2022, with two goals from Raul Corriea and one from Nathan Caine. Celtic’s last win over Stafford came in October 2021, when Celtic won 2-1, with Marcus Dackers grabbing a brace and Luca Navarro stealing a stoppage time consolation. In total, we’ve met twenty-seven times in the last forty-years, with Celtic winning ten, Stafford winning twelve and there have been five draws. At Bower Fold, we’ve met fourteen times over that period, with Celtic winning six, Stafford six, and there have been two draws.

In Stafford’s last match, the pre-season friendly against Buxton, which they lost 2-0, Stafford lined up as:
1. Cam Belford
2. Andy Burns
3. Ben O’Hanlon
4. James McQuilkin
5. Oliver Jepson
6. Trialist A
7. Trialist B
8. Trialist C
9. Aaron Opoku
10. Joe Robbins
11. Joe Morley

In Celtic’s last match, the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round in which Celtic beat Ramsbottom 3-1, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Javid Swaby-Neavin
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Jordan Butterworth
5. Sean Tse
6. Aaron Chalmers
7. Jack Bannister
8. Liam Tongue
9. Josh Quarless
10. Jack Irlam
11. Connor Hughes

This is a tough start for Celtic, playing one of the relegated teams, a team with whom we’ve had many a tussle over the years, but it’s also a good chance for Celtic to start strongly with a competitive match already under their belts.