It will be business as usual for AFC Telford on Boxing Day – whether their trip to Stafford Rangers goes ahead or not.

The Bucks are scheduled to head to Marston Road for a big derby clash in the Blue Square Bet North.

The match is in extreme doubt, with Rangers due to hold a pitch inspection later today and their pitch currently frozen and covered by snow.

But Bucks boss Andy Sinton is set to play the role of Christmas party pooper by summoning the players in for training instead.

“If we don’t play on Boxing Day then we’ll definitely train instead,” he confirmed.

“If the Stafford game’s off then we need to start preparing for Tuesday’s game at home to Redditch.

“I’m not doing it as a punishment or as an inconvenience – it’s about doing things properly. It’s the professional thing to do and even though we’re not a professional club I like to do things in the right way.

“We’ll have the lads in for 90 minutes or so and then get them off to enjoy their day.”

Telford trained at Aldersley Stadium in Wolverhampton last night, with Sinton insisting they worked to the assumption that the Stafford game was on.

That session included striker Steve Abbott, who has returned from a one-month loan spell with Chorley.

The former Wrexham and TNS hitman, 28, was only able to play in one game during that spell due to the adverse weather.

And Sinton admitted: “It’s not been ideal and we may look to get him out on loan again if that is something Chorley want to do.”

By CHRIS HUDSON