A gushing article on Connor Jennings from Tranmere’s fanzine
Plus! 25 photos from yesterday’s trip to Merseyside
Sunday 18 February 2024
NEXT HOME GAME: Swindon – Saturday 24 February, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Gillingham – Tuesday 20 February, 7.45pm
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Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Tranmere supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Sunday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.
I don’t even want to think about that Prenton Park pummeling this morning, let alone write about it. So I’m not going to. It’s my website. There’s got to be a perk or two for the editor along the way. Instead, I’m simply going to upload my photos from yesterday, pinch an article from the copy of the Tranmere fanzine Give Us An R which I purchased outside the ground (with their permission obviously), and get back to hiding underneath my duvet. Which is what our back four did in Birkenhead…
Today’s edition is sponsored by Sophie Pavey Fitness and The Sleep Nanny. A big thank you to both Sophie and Lisa.
Sophie helps women achieve sustainable results through weight training. If any of our female readers would like more information, give Sophie a call on 07734 022670 or email sophie@sophiepaveyfitness.com.
Lisa specialises in helping children with sleep issues. If your little ones are experiencing any problems in that area, give her a call on 07958 756977 or email lisafoster@sleepnanny.co.uk.
Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for mental health charity Mentell. If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target, please click here.
Total distance so far: 97.67 miles
Total steps so far: 160,432
Total raised so far: £1,561
Total completed streets so far: 156 (Click here for the full list, which includes reports and photos from every day of the walk.)
Further information on the walk can be found by clicking here.
Des Junior
We’ve written an awful lot about Jenno over the years, mostly positive and all of it warranted. As this season has unfolded though lurching from disaster to epiphany I’ve come to the realisation that (in my humble opinion) he’s actually better now than the first time we had him. Then he was in a team packed with quality players. Norwood was keeping the Hollywood star Mullin out of the frame. The two Olivers, Banks and Norburn plied the midfield. Steve McNulty was a wall by himself in the back four. Cook arrived to add to the goal tally. Everything was fine.
This time round we’d lost our identity. The team had no confidence. The manager was heading for a fall, the natives were revolting. The one constant in all of that though was that you always got 100% from Jenno. He was the mortar between the bricks of that team.
When he came back we all had our doubts. We would deny it because there was a taboo subject we couldn’t bring up. Would he be the same, or anywhere near as good as he was, after his illness. It’s like when a Hollywood star reprises a role years later. The new Indiana Jones movies were OK, but just didn’t capture the excitement of the originals. Would that be the case with Jenno.
We needn’t have worried. He’s like a man possessed. He’s all over the place and must be a nightmare to play against. Constantly stealing the ball from the opposition and popping up with his fair share of important goals. His stamina has proven to be one of his best assets, seeing his work rate still constant into the now ridiculous added time we have to deal with at the end of a match. He is a perfect role model for our younger players. He doesn’t dive, he doesn’t feign injury. He rarely argues with the ref. His post-match interviews are always a measured, balanced version of what’s just happened, even if we haven’t played well. The Premier League prima donnas could learn a lot from him.
He may not have the silky skills of Muir, the positional savvy in the box of Aldo, the defensive know-how of Goody at his prime, but the all round package that he is makes him a legend in the eyes of many of the SWA. The goal at Wembley against Newport was a fitting reward for him and was evocative of the goals Jim Steel used to score, hanging in the air and heading the ball back in the direction it had come from. His contract extension in November of last year was fully deserved. He was the one bright light in that dark tunnel at the start of the season. Even though my mate says his song should now be “he occasionally gives the ball away ….. 1, 2, 3, 4” you can always rely on him to cause the opposition problems. He is one of the first players opposition fans mention on their message boards when they are about to play us. They know what’s coming! I just hope that next season we have to give him another contract extension. I wouldn’t recommend anything as grandiose as a statue, but if he continues on his current career path with us he at least deserves a giant mural on someone’s wall.
Get in shape with Sophie
Sophie Pavey is a personal trainer with over 10 years in the fitness industry, helping women drop fat, get strong and love their body without restrictive diets.
Her mission is to transform the lives, bodies and mindsets of stressed out and overwhelmed women, who are desperate to take back control of their health and habits and build unstoppable confidence.
Sophie wants to inspire and educate women on having a better quality of life by making time for themselves in their crazy, busy schedules!
Visit sophiepaveyfitness.com for further details.
Book a £49 SOS call in February
Lisa Foster is a sleep consultant who helps families with their children’s sleep problems. Waking in the night, early rising or stressful bedtimes can be difficult for parents, but Lisa can support you to resolve the issues. She has a range of packages to suit every budget so please feel free to get in touch, to see how she can best get you the results you need.
This month, Lisa’s offering a £49 SOS call. This is a 30-minute call where you can speak to Lisa to look at making important changes to your child’s bedtime routine to help them sleep better.
Visit lisafoster.sleepnanny.co.uk for further details.
Tranmere away
Photo of the day
The Bridewell, Liverpool
The Stockport Sippers Society ended up in a police cell after the game yesterday!
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
Three films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Migration (U) at 11.45am, The Color Purple (12A) at 4.45pm, and The Holdovers (15) at 7.30pm. Click here for tickets.
🍺 Food and drink
If you’re in Stockport today, pop into The Petersgate Tap (SK1) for a pint or two. 12pm - 9pm.
Enjoy a delicious meal at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). You’ll also receive 20% off your bill. Just mention the discount at the till when paying!
🎶 Free jukebox
The Nelson Tavern (SK1). 3pm - 6pm.
Random County fan of the day #49 – Frankie Hulme!
One final thing before you go… if you’re looking for a birthday present this month, how about a painting, or a cake, or a bottle of gin, or anything else from our fantastic sponsors!
🎨 Art & Gifts: Kate O’Brien Art
💈 Barber: STUDIO26 Haircare
🪟 Blinds & Shutters: Bauhaus Blinds & Shutters
📚 Bookkeeping: Eleven Accounts Services Ltd
🍰 Cake Maker: Claire Green Bespoke Cakes and Catering
🧽 Car Valeting: Rub A Dubz Detailing Ltd
🧼 Carpet Cleaning: Pro Clean Carpet Services
🏠 Carpets & Flooring: Kingsway Carpets & Rugs Ltd
🐈⬛ Cat Sitting: The Crazy Cat Ladies Cheshire
📓 Celebrant: Elliot Dodd – Independent Celebrant
👶 Child Health: The Sleep Nanny
🤹♀️ Children’s Entertainment: Stockport Hero Hire
🧹 Cleaning: Beespoke Cleaning
🚙 Coatings: Colourtone Ltd
🦮 Dog Training: Paws High Peak Dog Training
🚘 Driving School: CFN School of Motoring
💷 Financial Services: The Mortgage Mill
🔥 Fire Protection: Radial Fire And Security Limited
🍸 Gin: Hatters Gin
🛁 Grout Refresh & Recolour: GroutGleam Stockport
💇♀️ Hairdressing: C West Hairstylist
🛠 Home Improvements: Menzies Develop & Build
💻 IT Services: Bridge Computer Services
🪚 Joinery: SAW Contracts Ltd
👨🍳 Kitchen Appliances: SW Appliances
🔑 Locksmith: APL Locksmiths Ltd
🚐 Minibus Hire: Westfield Minibuses
🧤 Oven Cleaning: That Oven Girl
🖌 Painter & Decorator: BGM Decorators
🧱 Plasterer: Tate Plastering Services
🚰 Plumber: GTG Gary the Gasman
📕 Publishing: Victor Publishing
🛖 Roofing: ADM Roofing Services Ltd
☀️ Solar Panels: Malbern Solar Ltd
⚽️ Sports Coaching: UK Sports Coaching Ltd
🖊 Tattooist: Heatons Tattoo Club
🪵 Timber Supplies: Portwood Timber Division of Illingworth Ingham (Manchester) Ltd
☀️ Travel Agent: PTF Travel Ltd
👨💻 Web Design: SITEZO
⚖️ Weight Loss: Slimming World Reddish & Bredbury with Shlean
🪟 Window Cleaner: R ‘N’ B Window Cleaning
🏋️♀️ Women’s Fitness: Sophie Pavey Fitness
🧘♀️ Yoga: Greenshoots Yoga
I was stood behind our goal first half was looking at Connor Jennings after twenty minutes he was blowing like a whale 😂😂 I thought to myself he won’t last the 90 😂😂😂 he pops up just after madden had had his mele with turnbull for their 4 th .😂😂😂😂 yes it was a bad day but I enjoyed the game and aptmosphere at tranmere , they ain’t a bad bunch