After the credits rolled: What happened to the cast of 2023? (Part 2)

A catch-up with six people who featured on The Scarf My Father Wore last year, from July to December

The Scarf My Father Wore

Jan 15, 2024

Monday 15 January 2024

NEXT HOME GAME: Harrogate – Saturday 3 February, 3pm

NEXT AWAY GAME: Notts County – Saturday 20 January, 3pm

NOTTS COUNTY COACHES:

Bredbury Con Club: FULL

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Afternoon all! Yesterday, I shared Part 1 of a big feature I’ve been working on for the last couple of weeks.

Firstly, allow me to hold my hands up. Yes, I have completely nicked this idea off The Mill. Sue me. (Actually, please don’t.)

It’s a good idea though, innit? Looking back at various articles from the last 12 months and having a catch-up with certain contributors. I’m more than happy to nick a non-County idea and turn it into a County piece from time to time, and that’s exactly what I’ve done here. You’ll find 12 people (6 yesterday, 6 today) who all featured on The Scarf My Father Wore in 2023. Let’s see what they’ve been up to since then.

Today’s edition is sponsored by Slimming World Reddish & Bredbury with Shlean. I’m sure 99% of County fans have put on at least a pound or two over the last few weeks with all those chocolates and Christmas dinners. If you have, make sure you give Shlean a call on 07725 088549 or email shlean@sky.com. She runs a group in Bredbury every Monday, and Reddish every Tuesday.

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: 46.68 miles

Total steps so far: 83,302

Total raised so far: £1,037

Total completed streets so far: 24 (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

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Jeremy Axten / Nick Babrovskie / Jonathan Baker / Andy Baldwin / Mike Bell / Kelvin Briggs / Ian Brown / Bob Carey / James Farrar / Steven Hargreaves / Steve Jones / David Laycock / Keith Mills / Kev Richardson / Ben Roach / David Shasha / Peter Snape / John Snellgrove / Mike Wilson

July: Hannah Brown

An early Ryanair flight for Hannah Brown (right) and Clare Jeffs, as County fans headed to Spain!

In July, Hannah Brown sent us some cracking content from Spain, with her amusing ‘Postcards from Pinatar’ feature which kept us up to date with County’s pre-season trip to Murcia.

What was your favourite part of County’s Spanish trip?

I think the game. It was just a lovely party atmosphere and we got to see the beautiful new away shirt in person. Predictably, County were wonderful with our fans, especially compared to Lincoln who barely acknowledged theirs. The fan event the night before was great too with the shirt release and a meet and greet with all the players.

County were a point off the relegation zone in August. Were the players getting pissed on sangria every night?

Ha! No, categorically not. Most of them were barely seen even by the pool when they had spare time due to the heat. It was all Lemon Fanta and hotly contested Uno tournaments.

What country would be your dream destination for a County tour?

In the absence of there being teams in the Maldives, I’d say Italy, or fuck it, let’s go full Wrexham and take on the US. I’ve heard Dubai might be on the cards one day due to Stott’s business interests there – would totally take that!

You reported that McDonald’s in Spain serves beer. Would you introduce that concept in the UK or would it be chaos?

It’s been in McDonald’s in France since I was little so I suspect someone at HQ has made a very conscious choice to not offer it in the UK. Seems sensible having seen the carnage of Grand Central McDonald’s without adding alcohol to the mix.

Have you got any nice holidays planned for 2024?

I’ve been in Chicago for New Year, and then in February (half term) I’m taking the girls on a Disney Cruise to the Caribbean. This is the (expensive) lengths I go to, to avoid Mansfield at home and Grimsby away.

August: Keith Mills

In August, we had an interesting chat with County fan Keith Mills about the fantastic charity work he does with Forever Friends of Uganda.

If a County fan visited Uganda for the first time, what would be the biggest shock for them?

The trouble is that when you visit as often as we do, you just accept that it is how things are. It’s the normal. My first reaction was:

1) The madness of the Kampala traffic.

2) The contrast between the poverty in which village people live and their cheerfulness and friendliness and how smart they keep themselves considering they don’t have sinks or washing machines. I think I’d look a permanent mess if I had to put up with that.

So… I asked a couple of people who have previously visited with us. Here are their answers:

“I think I kind of knew what to expect but for many I think it might be the contrast between the extreme poverty and the joyous faces / warm welcome.”

“I had expected the poverty, but it was still a shock to see so many people with nothing, and I'd never thought about how difficult it would be to get to the villages once we got off the main roads.”

What’s it been like having Fraser Horsfall on board as an ambassador?

He’s been lovely and really wants to help, but we are still in the early stages. I like to think that we have set off a slow release programme and that the results will bear more fruit if we show patience.

You’ve written a book about your time in Uganda, and other countries. What was it like putting pen to paper on your life story?

It started simply as a project to show our grandchildren something of our lives – that’s all. We were both aware that there were so many things that we ought to have asked our parents and grandparents and never did. It’s too late now. And… I do enjoy writing. I still write a blog for FFoU as I did for an educational charity in the past, as well as in my role of press officer for a couple of groups. I guess that I’m a frustrated journalist at heart.

What’s the main fundraising thing you’re doing with the charity at the moment?

We’ve just had a bucket collection at the Walsall match. Then in April, one of our grandsons is running the Manchester Marathon to help raise funds.

You’ve been involved in football in England and Uganda. What are the biggest differences?

As a referee, in Uganda you are given respect by the players as a matter of course. Even Idi Amin asked to meet Mr Referee! When we got back to England that respect had to be earned the hard way. I still remember that experience on Mellands Fields soon after our return when two (shall we say) senior teams had me for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the same match. It required a whole new start.

September: Gaz

This isn’t a photo of Gaz, but I had to give it another airing today

In September, County battered Wrexham by five goals to nil. Gaz from Chips for a Quid is proper sound, though, and still offered to do the match report for us.

Just three seasons after being a National League fixture, is County v Wrexham going to be a League One game in a few months?

I think it will be, you know! There are plenty of other teams in the mix – Mansfield won't budge and Barrow seem to have popped up out of nowhere. But I really fancy us as things stand. We both seem to have the strength in depth that's needed to keep challenging and grinding out results even when our backs are against the wall.

Understandably, you were quite scathing about your team after the 5-0. But if my calculations are correct, you’ve lost just 2 of your 17 league games since then. Things have certainly improved, haven’t they?

That hammering was painful at the time, but it actually did us a favour. Parky did some tinkering in the weeks following the Edgeley Park Pasting and found a way to plug that defensive line which was so prone to popping open at any given moment.

Some changes have been deliberate, others have been forced due to injuries. But the biggest influence of all has been our new man between the sticks. Arthur Okonkwo has arrived on loan from Arsenal and has proven exactly what we needed: assured, confident and imposing.

We're not exactly AC Milan of the early 90s by any stretch of the imagination, but we've improved considerably in defence since playing you.

Problem now is we keep losing players to suspensions! It's been another nutty old season and there'll be plenty more ups and downs to come yet. But I'm more confident going into 2024 than I was back in September.

Twitter can be quite fun sometimes, but it’s hardly the most accurate resource for reasoned debate. What do Wrexham fans actually think about County?

Well, exactly. I can't speak for all the Reds, but from what I can tell, there isn't really any particularly strong feeling there at all.

You hear people at The Racecourse talking about County results as they come through, and occasionally you'll overhear someone in the pub predicting that you're probably going up as champions. But for the most part, we seem to be far more focused on ourselves than we were the last time we had a promotion battle.

The finger-to-the-Wrexham-documentary-billboard and Santa-on-a-Wrexham-chimney photos temporarily rattled a few Reds online. But let's be honest, that was always the intention wasn't it lads? [Des: I don’t know what you mean!]

I've always called Wrexham v County a sibling rivalry. We're similar in many ways and we know exactly how to get on one another's nerves. But there's no real hate there, is there?

What’s it like having all four sides open at The Racecourse again?

A relief, frankly. Not only does it look so much better, we're actually creating space for an extra 2,000 supporters. And the demand is definitely there.

It's a shame our permanent stand is long delayed, but I'm glad the club has taken the bold decision to introduce a stopgap in the meantime.

It'll be bouncing on the final day!

If you had to make a prediction now, what’s going to happen on the final day at your place?

Could be a corker, couldn't it?!

I'll take a wild guess here and say County will arrive at Y Cae Ras already promoted, with Mansfield in second place (also already promoted) and Wrexham neck and neck with Barrow or Notts County for the final promotion slot.

You'll score early and go two goals up, we'll fight back to 2-2, and the draw takes us up. Meanwhile, Mansfield win their game and pinch the title from you due to our draw. But we all get promoted and everyone is friends.

Be interesting to see how ridiculously off the mark that might be come May...

Good luck until then, lads!

October: Britton Barthold

In October, Britton Barthold shared the lovely tale of his first ever County game, having flown over to the UK from his home in Chicago. The game against Doncaster looked to be heading for a goalless draw, but up popped Tanto seven minutes from time, allowing Britton to experience the ecstasy of a late Edgeley Park winner.

What was it like experiencing your first County game?

After spending a few days in London before the Doncaster game, the matchday experience was so different yet so refreshing. Having grown up around sports in America, the passion and excitement in and around Edgeley Park was a breath of fresh air for someone who was experiencing his first football match in England.

It couldn’t have been a smoother experience, either. Those who I chatted with welcomed me with open arms, gave me plenty of helpful tips and made me feel welcomed immediately. For me, it was so important to respect those around me and respect the true County faithful who deserved to be there ahead of me. I was so happy to receive the same type of loving respect.

The winning goal in the 83rd minute from Olaofe was the cherry on top. I spent six days in London and only a few hours at County during my trip, but my visit to Edgeley was by far the top moment.

What’s it like watching County on the live stream now you’ve been to your first game?

It’s a totally different experience, especially watching home matches. Seeing the ground in person makes the connection to the club so much more meaningful. You hear the songs, you hear the public address announcements, you hear the chatter of the crowd before the match – it all makes me remember the incredible experience I had on 7 October.

County means even more to me now, as cheesy as it sounds.

What do you find is the biggest difference between watching live football and live baseball?

Pacing for sure. I think in football you've got constant moving pieces versus baseball, where you're essentially playing in set pieces until the ball is put into play---and that can take quite some time if a pitcher is playing well. In that same sense though, I do see some similarities. Both sports to me are chess matches with a lot of strategy and small details that could have drastic impact. That's the beauty of both of them to me---they can be so different yet so similar when you think about them in a bigger sense.

That being said, that's why I think it is important to have multiple sporting interests---especially when it's two sports that on the surface are so different. You can learn so much from them separately and occasionally, can learn things from one that you maybe can use in your understanding of the other."

What’s the reaction been like to Welcome to Wrexham in America?

Personally, I never wanted to watch it. I watched the first episode and saw what it was meant to be: a show geared towards an American audience that sometimes missed the essence of what the sport and club are meant to be. It’s great that the show has created more interest in the sport in America, but I do see the issue of the waves of American fans coming to Wrexham to “experience” what the show portrays. The club and city aren’t an amusement park; which is why I always tell myself to stay respectful to the true County faithful. Now, that isn’t a knock on all American supporters, but staying respectful is so important to me. Like I said, these clubs and towns/cities aren’t amusement parks.

For me, Sunderland ‘Til I Die was something I really enjoyed. I felt that the show portrayed the true essence of English football in a much more realistic sense.

How was Christmas in Chicago?

County being top of the league at Christmas was quite the gift itself, along with receiving an early 2000s County shirt as a gift on Christmas morning. Over here in the States though, I’m already preparing for another baseball season, as well as looking forward to another awesome finish to the EFL season over the next few months!

November: Jack Isherwood

Jack and his girlfriend Ciara, along with Riichi, Kim and Akito

In November, Jack Isherwood wrote his first article for The Scarf My Father Wore. It was one of my favourite pieces we published in 2023, as Jack beautifully described all the sights and the sounds from his trip to Japan, where he received the warmest of welcomes from our Tokyo Hatters.

What was your favourite part of your trip to Japan?

This is a hard question. I keep seeing videos of Tokyo on social media since I've got back and the thing that proper hits me is the train station jingles. That’s the sound of Japan for me. But apart from that it has to be spending time with Riichi, Kim and Akito.

Any holidays planned for this year?

We've got four nights in Bangkok followed by eleven nights in Ao Nang. If I can't find a County fan there I'll create one!

What’s the biggest difference between Stockport and Tokyo?

I suppose you could say the food, the weather and the size. The food is top class, the weather was 27 degrees in November and it's about 200 times bigger in population than Stockport. Get out there and explore it.

How would you feel about a Japan v England final at the next World Cup?

I would love to be out there in Japan watching that because the atmosphere would be amazing. You can't beat drinking with the Japanese.

What do you think the future holds for the Tokyo Hatters?

I think they'll grow as we do in all honesty they are the nicest guys on the planet and if we keep going up the leagues they'll get more members since I've got back I've heard about contingents in other countries like South Korea. But I hope they keep coming over when they can as I'll keep going there when I can. The next visit is end of Feb Kim is coming over. Although he has been a few times before he came under the radar I want to really show him what county is about this time and if anyone wants a Tokyo Hatters t shirt get in touch.

December: Nick Lee

Quiz glory for Nick Lee and Jonathan Baker

In December, The Scarf Bergara Wore hosted their second festive quiz at Stockport Gin. I was in the audience to do a write-up, and although I gave Nick Lee a little bit of stick for failing miserably in one round, I did manage to capture the moment both he and Jonathan Baker were crowned the winners.

After losing to Sam Byrne and Liam Richardson in 2022, how did it feel to be victorious for the first time in 2023?

I wouldn't go as far as to say it's the best moment of my life, but it's definitely in the top two. Although to be fair the competition wasn't as fierce this time; they're just dragging any old shite out for these things nowadays.

How did you celebrate after the quiz?

Gunpowder gin and tonic, an argument in Spoons, then it was over to the casino till 4 in the bastard morning. Followed by a stagger home to Cheadle and the longest sleep I've ever had in my life. 'Rough' doesn't do the next day justice.

Ben Walker compiled a cracking quiz didn’t he?

It really was pitched perfectly. Deliciously obscure (bordering on the autistic) but at the same time eminently guessable. I still maintain anyone who still knows the County Clubcall number should be the subject of a statue right next to Danny's.

Which TV quiz show do you think you’d have the best chance of winning?

Pointless. Every day of the week and twice on Sundays. The final round the other week was Only Fools and Horses and I pretty much climaxed there and then. Just don't get me on Shakespeare, though. He was too long ago for me to give a shit.

Can you name a County player with a surname beginning with ‘E’?

Too soon Des. Too bloody soon.

5 questions with Shlean from Slimming World Reddish & Bredbury with Shlean

What was your favourite moment with the business in 2023?

Giving up my job in January to make Slimming World my full-time job.

What’s your plans for the business in 2024?

Helping as many people as possible understand that they don't have to suffer and that at Slimming World we have more than 50 years of experience, expertise and science. Our programme is rooted in the psychology of slimming, and has helped millions of people just like you to lose weight and stay slim for life.

What was the best present you received on Christmas Day?

The joy of life, spending time with my family and friends, and being happy and healthy.

What would you like to promote to our readers in January?

If you sign up for a 6-week or 12-week course you’ll receive a free cookbook. We’ve also got free memberships on offer this month. Please get in touch for further details.

Start your weight loss journey in 2024. Give Shlean a call on 07725 088549 or email shlean@sky.com.

Photo of the day

This Godless Place, Stockport

“I’d like to think that they noticed but did anyone leave a bra in our disabled toilet yesterday?”

The Facebook page of This Godless Place on Sunday. I sincerely hope this wasn’t one of our female (or male) readers, no matter how excited you may have been after County’s 3-1 victory over Walsall.

Today in SK

☕️ Food and drink

Whether you like it hot or cold, head down to Coffee Block (SK1) to get your matcha fix. Open till 5.30pm.

Start your week in style by enjoying some delicious tapas dishes (with a cheeky cocktail or two!) at La Cueva (SK8).

🎶 Free jukebox

Nelson Tavern (SK1). From 6.30pm.

❓Quiz night

The George & Dragon (SK7). 7.30pm.

The Scarf My Father Wore works closely with venues on a daily basis to bring you the most comprehensive guide to all of the best offers and events taking place across the whole SK region. Click on the links below for full details of everything taking place in your area over the next few weeks.

SK1 / SK2 / SK3 / SK4 / SK5 / SK6 / SK7 / SK8 / SK9 / SK10 / SK11 / SK12 / SK13 / SK14 / SK15 / SK16 / SK17 / SK22 / SK23