Steve Bull recorded his first win as a manager at the Abbey Stadium on Saturday and urged his players to enjoy the experience.

Stafford's relegation from the Blue Square Premier was confirmed with their 4-0 drubbing by York City last Tuesday but they put that behind them to take all three points from a shocked Abbey Stadium on Saturday.

"That's my first victory as a manager and that's top draw," he enthused afterwards, "One of your players said to me as he left the pitch that 'you battered us' and that's what I want to hear about my players.

"I always ask for 100% of them and they've given it all today. I'm excited, the players are excited in the dressing room, and we have to carry the buzz we have now into our next game on Tuesday."

While Jimmy Quinn branded United's performance as "disgusting" and apologised to the supporters, former Wolves and England striker Bull was particularly pleased by his team's effort and commitment.

"It wasn't an individual's performance that impressed me today, it was the hard work across the team. You are playing for the play-offs whereas you could say we have nothing to play for except pride in the shirt and they've done it for me today.

"I only wish they'd done that eight games ago," he added, before admitting, "I was surprised about how predictable you were. I don't know if we made you play bad or that you just weren't up for today, but we got at you and from the moment you went ahead I don't think we let you play, apart from when our keeper kept us in it early doors and we got ourselves a bit of luck.

"But hard work brings you luck and Jimmy will be disappointed about the lack of movement up front. As a fellow striker he'll be frustrated that the only option you were left with was the lump it into the box, which we dealt with easily."

Hoping that the win marks a late upturn in form for Stafford Rangers, Bull added, "We don't want to finish bottom of the league so we'll go down fighting and the lads showed that today. There are five games left and if they give me a performance like that, week in, week out, they'll all be playing for me next season."

He closed with his delight at silencing the home crowd and upsetting the odds, saying, "When the crowd went quiet we knew we were nearly there. After your last two results I think the fans thought you just had to turn up to win, so it always has given me great pleasure to wee on someone else's bonfire and we did that today.

"People did that to Wolves when we were climbing the league so I'm used to feeling that. But today is about the lads, we've had enough clubs coming into our bar after beating us at home and larging it so I want my lads to go into your players bar and savour every minute of this win!"

Assistant manager Kevin Street added, "I think today was just an off day for you. Even after our win I think you'll win the play-offs because on your day you are a better side than any of the others involved and are quite capable of beaten all of them.

"Jimmy's already done it once and experience counts for a lot in that situation."

Interview by David Gray

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