On Tuesday night Celtic travel for the non-league old-firm game when we take on Stafford Rangers. Stafford are currently thirteenth on eighteen points, seven places and four points behind Celtic having played a game more. Kick-off 7:45pm.

After an excellent start to the season which saw Stafford win four and lose two, they rose to second in the table, however, since the end of August, they have won only once, beating Kidsgrove away from home, and drawn three, with the accompanying slide down the table such a change of form entails. Their last two games were both home draws, with Runcorn and Newcastle getting a point each in Stafford. Ranger’s last home win was five home games ago toward the end of August when they beat Nantwich 2-1, and have only won one other home game this season, beating Congleton. Stafford have lost only twice at home, with only Witton drawing more home games than Rangers.

Former Celtic striker Dan Cockerline leads the league golden boot, with four goals, Jack Birch hot on his heels with three. On average, at home they score a goal per game (1.1 overall), failing to score three times on home turf from five overall. Stafford have kept three of their six clean sheets at home, conceding 1.1 goals per game (1.4 overall). Only Darlaston have scored fewer home goals this season than Stafford, though their eight conceded home goals puts them mid-table defensively.

Since the 90s, we’ve visited Stafford fourteen times. Our last visit there was a 3-1 win with Stafford taking the lead, an own goal equalising and two in stoppage time from Jack Irlam and Lewis Rawsthorn making the final score more convincing than the game was. Our last mid-week visit to Stafford was back in 2006, a game they won 1-0. In our last five visits, Celtic have won the last two, lost two and draw the other. In our last twenty meetings with Stafford, Celtic have won ten, Stafford seven and there have been three draws. Stafford’s last win over Celtic in Staffordwas 2022, when they won 2-0.

Stafford’s last match was a 2-2 draw at home to Runcorn, in which Stafford lined up as:
1. Aaron Davies
2. Callum Wilson
3. Andrew Burns
4. Ashley Fallon
5. Scott Wara
6. Tomasi Wara
7. Callum King-Harmes
8. Jack Birch
9. Kaiman Anderson
10. Joe Thomas
11. John Atherton

In Celtic’s last match, the 1-0 away defeat to Avro, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Mike Koral
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Charlie Doyle
5. Jack Byrne
6. Jack Tinning
7. Max Leonard
8. Liam Tongue
9. Ruben Jerome
10. Benni Smales-Braithwaite
11. Brandon Newell

John Macken should have a full squad to choose from against Stafford, and will have to find the winning formular again from before the injuries. With Avro, Shifnal and Bury not in action, if Celtic win and Atheron don’t win away at Mossley, Celtic would go second. Vauxhall are hosting Nantwich, so if Celtic lose, Vauxhall could drop us another place down to seventh.