Express & Star

Alex Meechan thrilled to stay on at Stafford Rangers with Andy Fearn

Alex Meechan has told of his immense pride after he and Andy Fearn were given the Stafford Rangers reins for next season.

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Meechan and Fearn took charge on a caretaker basis earlier this campaign after Steve Burr’s departure and have steered Boro towards Northern Premier survival.

They are seven points clear of the drop zone, and it was announced earlier this week that the pair will remain at the helm for next term.

“I’ve already said it to the fans, but they really welcomed us with open arms,” said Meechan.

“I’m not going it lie, it’s been tough – but the hard work has paid off so far.

“And, rest assured, we’ll continue to work hard for this great club.

“People can see the commitment me and Andy have shown since we came in, and the atmosphere has turned – the feeling among the players and fans.

“We’ve turned the corner in terms of performances. We’re not conceding silly goals anymore. We’re resilient.

“And now the onus is on finishing the season as strong as we can.

“The remit is to ensure safety and will continue to be until it’s mathematically impossible to go down. But we also want to be able to continue the good work next season.”

Since taking over, Meechan and Fearn have made several signings – the arrival of former Wolves left-back Matt Hill perhaps being the most notable.

Experienced campaigner Paul Bignot has been on the opposite side of the back four and performed well too, and Meechan added: “The signings have been key.

“They’ve played an influential part in what we needed to do, and other lads who were already here have stepped up.

“We’ve gone from strength to strength.

“We’ve shown that we can do it and, hopefully, we can retain the core of this squad and look to improve next season in the Northern Premier.”