Better than Blackpool, worse than Wolves
According to BetVictor, a trip to Edgeley Park is the 30th best away day for travelling fans
Sunday 17 September 2023
NEXT HOME GAME: Wrexham – Saturday 23 September, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Accrington – Saturday 30 September, 3pm
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, and anyone else joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Sunday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.
How did you find the 72nd best away day in the country yesterday, County fans? “Comfy seats, shit location” seems to be the general consensus amongst the 1,064 travelling Hatters. A more detailed away day analysis has been published by BetVictor this week, looking at everything from atmosphere and infrastructure to food and location. They’ve ranked all 92 clubs, which I thought I’d have a bit of a look at for you today.
Finally, a big thanks to Matt from UK Sports Coaching for sponsoring today’s edition. With the October half-term coming up soon, if you’re looking for things to do to keep your little ones entertained (reception to year eight), Matt’s company are running camps throughout the week at Hazel Grove Sports Centre. There’s four different camps to choose from: ultimate football experience, goalkeeper wars, multi-sport, and dance. If you’d like more information, give Matt a call on 07891 205763 or email matt@uksportscoaching.co.uk.
Enjoy today’s issue.
Des Junior
Every single day on the internet you’ll find a top 10 list of some kind, or a “greatest ever” this and a “worst ever” that. The pinch of salt you have to take with these is so large you’ll probably exceed your daily recommended intake in one sitting. Any old virgin with any old computer can write any old shite. (I wonder if Tim Berners-Lee used that as his USP when pitching the idea back in 1989…)
However, BetVictor’s attempts at putting one of these lists together might be fairly accurate. They recently published a list ranking all 92 away days in the Premier League and Football League and stuck Gillingham at the bottom. That’s fair enough, innit? In any discussion amongst travelling football fans, the “temporary” away end at Priestfield is always likely to crop up. Temporary is in sarcastic quotation marks, by the way, as that heap of scaffolding behind the goal has been in place for 20 years now.
First place goes to Bramall Lane, home of Sheffield United. (Sheffield’s a decent city but Wednesday are way back in 40th place.) Interestingly, eight of County’s last ten trips to the Blades have been on a Tuesday night, so we’ve only been able to experience a couple of Saturday away days during our five years in Division One. I can think of a few away days I’d rank higher, but Bramall Lane has always seemed pretty decent. Close to the train station, loads of pubs and bars, big away end. And it was also the scene of one of our greatest ever cup performances…
Edgeley Park comes in at number 30, sandwiched in between Liverpool at 29 and Middlesbrough at 31. I’ve spoken to loads of away fans over the years and a trip to Stockport is genuinely loved by many rival supporters. With a roof on the Railway End and better facilities for away fans, I’m sure we’d have made the top 20.
At this point in the article I was hoping to share the thoughts of the various members of an eclectic County WhatsApp group I’m part of. But they all started rabbiting on about bloody York, who aren’t even in the 92. Some great memories of previous trips to Bootham Crescent, though, so let’s put those copy and paste buttons to work.
“Some great memories and some blanks that would probably be great memories if the pubs hadn't caused them to be erased. Includes a joint 40th birthday away day with many off here in [does some maths] 2012 that even the abject version of County being typically abject couldn't ruin; and being lobbed off the train by BTP at York station post-match in the 90s for some ridiculously low level misbehaviour that still makes me laugh (though it did eat into our drinking time in Leeds, as I recall...).”
“Yeah some good memories away at York. One in particular where we were late getting away from Stockport. We were in my wife’s mini which ended up doing 90 over the M62. I needed a piss really badly but told her to just keep driving. When we got to York I couldn’t stand up straight such was the pain in my kidneys. We got in the ground about 15 minutes late. One long piss later I stood on the terrace just in time to see York go 1-0 up. Still, we won 4-2. Happy days.”
“Our league game back in 2012, I missed the last train home at about 10 or 11. Went back to the Stone Roses bar to get (even more) bladdered. There was actually a train about 2am or 3am to Manchester Airport. Ended up getting that, before making it home at about 6am.”
“I’ve spent many an hour in Stone Roses. Trebles for singles. Could get steamed on a tenner.”
Going back to the list to finish, Edgeley Park is placed above loads of our historic rivals like Port Vale, Crewe, Burnley, Stoke and Tranmere. As well as Wrexham, languishing down in 68th place. Ha ha ha ha ha. Take that you Hollywood-loving sheep-interfering Disney+ goons. Might as well start stoking the fire ahead of Saturday…
Click here to have a look at the full list.
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Today in SK
🍽 Food and drink
Andrew Arms (SK6) have recently launched their new Sunday menu, with a three course meal priced at just £19.95. Call 0161 484 5392 to book a table.
Simply Sunday at TRUNK (SK7). Sunday brunch including face painting and colouring competitions. Call 0161 222 9260 to book a table, and mention “The Scarf My Father Wore” to receive a 15% discount off the normal tapas menu.
🎶 Free jukebox
The Nelson Tavern (SK1). 3pm - 6pm.
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Photo of the day
Heaven & Hell, Stockport
County fans of all ages can feel nostalgic reading this article from the Manchester Evening News yesterday, looking back at Stockport’s lost clubs and bars. Your editor much prefers Bask, where you’re less likely to pick up an STD or a glass to the face, but he does miss those nights at Heaven & Hell fresh out of school in the early 2000s. Just a little bit.
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