“A pie and chip tea in the town’s finely-appointed indoor food hall will be just the aperitif, with three points to follow, and a midnight sing-song on the train home to Davenport via Victoria”

On the eve of the new football season, Geordie Hatter shares his thoughts on the months ahead, including a trip to South Yorkshire he’s rather looking forward to in September

Aug 09, 2024

Friday 9 August 2024

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STOCKPORT COUNTY PREDICTION GAME 2024-25: Predict County’s top scorer, final league position, cup performances etc. £10 to enter. 40% of the pot to the winner, 30% to second, 20% to third, and 10% to Mentell. If you’d like to enter, drop us a message or an email.

Happy Season’s Eve everybody! 💙

In just over 24 hours’ time, we’ll be back inside Edgeley Park once more to do it all over again. This hobby/obsession of ours that causes plenty of stress from time to time, but also offers beautiful moments of ecstasy that make it all worthwhile. Nearly 10,000 Hatters will be in SK3 tomorrow for the season’s opener, but today we remember those cherished members of the Blue & White Army sadly no longer with us. I’m currently on my way to Marple for Memorial Day, where dozens of fans will gather for the special annual event in the County calendar that captures what this wonderful football club is all about. I’ll pop some photos in tomorrow’s edition.

Today, Jonathan Baker offers his thoughts on the new campaign, as County go through their final preparations ahead of the club’s first game in League One for 15 years.

Today’s edition is sponsored by Heald Green Fencing. A big thank you to Anthony, a home and away County fan.

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: 176.31 miles

Total steps so far: 284,130

Total raised so far: £1,976

Total completed streets so far: 399 (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

After a politically-dominated summer, it’s back to football tomorrow. On and off the pitch, what do you think County’s manifesto should say for the next 12 months?

After the excitement of 23-24 Des, I still feel like I’ve just stepped off the rollercoaster, and that a promised smooth and jeopardy-free season-long transition to the rarified heights of tier three would be enough to capture my vote. Of course, that’s what I’m saying now. Ask me again come April when we’re neck-and-neck for the last play-off spot with Wrexham with three games to go, and I might give you a different answer. Half-a-dozen springtimes of promotion-chasing peril have got me quite attached to this regular supply of SK3-sourced adrenaline, and I’m not quite sure if I can imagine life without it. In fact… you know what? Bring it on – Championship or bust! Get that on the ballot!

Which team do you most want to beat this season?

I’m just taking a look at the runners and riders now Des, and you know what? I’m finding it hard to muster a great level of antipathy towards any of them. If pushed to pick a couple who I’d love to beat though, I’ll take Charlton Athletic (because of their ham-fisted attempt to nick our manager), and Exeter City (on account of them humiliating Newcastle United in a 1980-81 FA Cup fifth round replay in front of the BBC cameras). I should probably have forgiven that latter lot by now, but I simply cannot find it in me. The red and white stripes don’t help, of course.

Which away day are you most looking forward to?

Any one I can get to, Des! The gala day out in Blackpool is looking like a non-runner to me due to a camping holiday in Anglesey, so my first big trip is looking like the late night showdown with Barnsley at the back end of September. That’s a proper League One club for me, playing at a decent-sized and history-tinged ground that I’ve never yet got round to visiting. With the wintry frosts yet to take the edge off the fuzzy glow of autumnal optimism, I’m sure we’ll take numbers, and the prospect has my nerve ends all set a-tingle already. A pie and chip tea in the town’s finely-appointed indoor food hall will be just the aperitif, with three points to follow, and a midnight sing-song on the train home to Davenport via Victoria. I mean, what’s not to like?

Which County player is most likely to end up in League One’s team of the season?

Early days I know, but I have to say young Lewis Bate looks a hell of a player. I love the way he moves instinctively into space with every first touch, and how his second one is always about getting us moving forward through the lines. Add in that box-to-box energy, covering in front of the defence one moment, driving through to supply a killer through-ball the next, and you’re talking about a player very much suited to the manager’s high-intensity philosophy. Assuming he keeps fit, the boy Bate will surely start regularly, and with the pedigree in those feet and the quickness of that footballing brain, is sure to impress. Got to be nailed on for that XI!

What’s your early predictions in terms of the promotion and relegation places?

At this still-summery juncture, I’m going to admit to a level of insight into the competition akin to that of a once-a-season punter calling into the betting shop on Grand National morning. I’ll stretch my knowledge of the field to its absolute limit and venture the view that surely those perennial ‘also-rans’ Bolton Wanderers can at last hold down an automatic promotion slot. At the bottom? Having only narrowly escaped the drop last year and with their prized asset in captain Sam Hughes having departed for Cheshire, Burton Albion look ripe for a drop through the division’s trapdoor. A fiver each way on those contrasting fortunes for the Brewers and the Lilywhites, and I’ll snap your hand off right now for a return worth a plate of Barnsley chips.

If you’re looking to get your gates or fences sorted out for the summer, give Anthony a call

With the sunshine slowly starting to appear this summer, you’ll be able to invite your friends and family round for a barbecue or two over the next couple of months. If your gates and fences could do with an upgrade before then, now’s the time to get booked in.

With over 25 years’ experience, Heald Green Fencing install bespoke gates and fences. Covering the whole of Cheshire and Greater Manchester, they offer a large range of contemporary and traditional styles.

For a free quotation, call Anthony on 07300 590678 or email healdgreenfencing@gmail.com.

Photo of the day

A pub in York

Your editor’s had a brilliant week in York doing some filming for the new series of Jamie Johnson FC on CBBC. Really fun working alongside the lovely Craig Kelly, who starred in one of my all time favourite films, the 90s football movie When Saturday Comes. Craig played Russell Muir, the brother of Jimmy Muir, who was played by Sean Bean. We both spent quite a lot of time reciting scenes from the movie to each other in Yorkshire accents (his a lot better than mine, admittedly).

Incidentally, When Saturday Comes is free to watch on YouTube. If you haven’t seen it, you really must!

Today in SK

🎬 Cinema

Three films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Despicable Me 4 (U) at 3.45pm, The Instigators (15) at 6pm, and Longlegs (15) at 8.15pm. Click here for tickets.

💿 DJs

Stockport’s biggest party at the weekend is at Bask (SK1), with DJ Gareth Brooks playing till 3am. Last entry 1.30am.

The Nelson Tavern (SK1) have their resident DJ playing on a Friday night, with Dicko (Ian Dickinson) on from 8pm till 1am.

The Steelworks (SK6) are hosting their Hawaiian Party this evening. DJ Tommy Mac is on from 7pm till 11pm. Plenty of cocktails to enjoy too!

🍺 Food and drink

Treat yourself to lunch at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). One course for £7, two courses for £11. 12pm - 2pm.

Bitter £2.30 a pint all day at The Cross Keys (SK8). Plus, discounts on certain lagers between 12pm and 6pm.

If you’re simply in the mood for a couple of pints today, pop along to one of our featured venues such as AMP (SK1), The Crown (SK2), The Armoury (SK3), Reddish Working Men’s Club (SK5), The Shady Oak (SK7) or The Three Tunnes (SK7).

100 random grounds that County have played at

#81 – Molineux, Wolves

Last visit: A 2-2 draw in September 2001. County twice took the lead, through Shefki Kuqi and Scott Taylor, but Wolves hit back both times. Wolves went on to finish 3rd, County finished bottom.