If you are looking for an avid Stafford Rangers fan, then Dianne Jones is your woman. Helping out at the Northern Premier League side since 1972, it is fair to say she is Boro through and through.
Now, while she was unable to serve club fans and members in hospitality on matchdays for the remainder of the season due to its cancellation amid the outbreak, Dianne is battling coronavirus in her day job as a frontline NHS nurse.
Dianne was one of the supporting staff from County Hospital in Stafford who were sent over to the Royal Stoke University Hospital to provide support wherever they needed it in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I have worked a total of 41 years in the NHS as a Phlebotomist nurse and Clinical Nursing assistant,” she told Sport in Staffs.
“I love my job, I’ve met so many wonderful patients throughout my time at County Hospital and Royal Stoke Hospital and worked with some amazing colleagues.
“It has been a tough time recently with Covid-19 as my unit was redeployed to Royal Stoke. It was a very scary, apprehensive time for all patients and staff. We have cried on bad days, laughed on good days but each and every day we have supported each other throughout all this pandemic.”
Dianne, who also works as part of the club’s bar staff team for weddings and function nights, shared her history with Stafford Rangers and the passion she has for the Staffordshire outfit.
“I started voluntary work at the Rangers around 1972 selling programmes and ‘golden goal’ tickets; then helped in the canteen serving food and drink. I moved into the directors room under the stand to help behind the bar and I have been there ever since but I now work in the new Chairman’s suite.
“I have always been passionate about Stafford Rangers from when I first started watching them with my dad Jack. We used to travel to all the games home and away and I went to all three Wembley appearances in the 1970’s, watching them through all the good and bad times.
“In 1981, I was crowned Miss Stafford Rangers in the ‘queen of clubs’ competition held every year – it was my dad who persuaded me to enter. I always said to my dad that if I ever win some money I’m going to buy Stafford Rangers FC!”
Like all football fans, Dianne is longing to see the game return again and is looking forward to the start of the 2020/21 campaign, whenever that may be.
“I have missed watching the football so much, we all have a great time at Rangers,” she continued.
“We are a friendly lot – from the chairman, manager, players, and staff – all have time to stop and chat to each other. I’m so looking forward to the new season with a new manager – at this point we are still waiting to find out who it will be!
“I miss my hospitality work too we have regular emails from away teams and sponsors saying what a great day they had and how wonderful the hospitality was. We have a good team of bar staff too.”
For the time being, Dianne will continue to heroically combat the coronavirus and help save lives. She explained that she has taken away some positivity from the situation despite going through a hard period of life.
“I’m lucky, I have my husband and son at home but I miss my two brothers and five sisters. I lost my beautiful eldest sister, number six, just before Christmas and at the same time another of my sisters was struggling with breast cancer so it’s been a few tough months to be fair.
“The one thing I will take away from this is to treasure the time spent with your family and make lots of memories because you just don’t know do you?”
Dianne revealed she has some very exciting news in the not-too-far distant future.
“I plan to retire on September 30 just after my 59th birthday,” she stated.
“But I will be going back to work in pre-surgical assessment unit for two days – you can take the girl from the NHS but you cant take the NHS from the girl!”
Stafford Rangers Football Club told Sport in Staffs how much everyone at the club values her, stating: “Di is an integral part of the team of people that make the club tick.
“She is a warm, big-hearted person and exemplifies community not only in what she does on a full-time basis but also with the loyalty and involvement at the football club.”
There will be another ‘Clap for Carers’ for health professionals like Dianne and her colleagues, tomorrow evening (Thursday) at 8pm.
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