Cambridge are standing on the shoulders of giants this season… but the bookies think they’ll be in League Two a year from now

Garry Monk’s men are one of the favourites for the drop

Jul 11, 2024

Thursday 11 July 2024

If you’d like to write an article for The Scarf My Father Wore, share a few snippets or photos, or advertise your business, please email thescarfmyfatherwore@substack.com.

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.

So… how’s the hangover?!

I’m sure many of our readers are feeling slightly worse for wear today after seeing England book their place in the final of Euro 2024 with a dramatic 90th minute winner against Netherlands last night.

We’re cracking on with our League One season previews today (if there’s any confused Cambridge fans, for no reason whatsoever, I’ve been using Oasis-themed stuff for our titles) and it’s the team who County will be facing first on Saturday 10 August. Cambridge will be off to former Premier League clubs such as Birmingham and Bolton this season, but the bookies think they’ll be in the fourth tier next year. There was no name on the email that came back from Under the Abbey Stand, but thank you to whoever you are for an interesting piece!

Today’s edition is sponsored by Malbern Solar. My thanks to Wayne and Vicki. If you’d like to save money on your energy bills, make sure you book your FREE survey, worth £150. Full details below.

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: £1,929

Total completed streets so far: 347 (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

Former County player Garry Monk is in charge at Cambridge (Photo credit: Cambridge Independent)

Last win at our place: Saturday 10 December 1994, Division Two, 2-1

Last win at their place: Saturday 20 August 1994, Division Two, 4-3

Today’s Sky Bet title/promotion odds: Us – 18/1 11/2 Them – 100/1 28/1

Top story in the local news today: The 13 Cambridge roads where most drivers have been hit with speeding fines

The general election is finally over and done with. What’s happened in Cambridge? And which person at your football club do you think would make the best prime minister?

There’s six of us here at Under the Abbey Stand so I’m not going to put political persuasions in people’s mouths, but Cambridge as a city has always been very left-leaning, and voted Labour once again. Daniel Zeichner, the MP, is a season ticket holder at the Abbey as well.

The MP for Cambridge is a regular at the Abbey Stadium (Photo credit: Cambridge 105 Radio)

I was about to say I wouldn’t have any footballer involved at Number 10, but they can’t exactly do a worse job, so I’ll just say Michael Morrison standing as an independent.

Nigel Farage has had cement and a milkshake chucked over him recently. If he was to do a lap of the Abbey Stadium on a Saturday afternoon, what would Cambridge fans be most likely to throw at him?

Erm, a small Coke bottle lid that someone snuck in? A shoe? A phone? A nice pint of locally brewed Breadboard? Take your pick.

If you had to compare the ownership and daily operations of your club to a political party, which would it be?

We’re a far better run football club than any political party, especially in the last 10 years. It’s something we can take real pride in – sustainably run with local people and lifelong supporters in place at every rung of the ladder. It’s a blessing after some of the terrible years we went through.

On and off the pitch, what do you think your club’s manifesto should say for the next 12 months?

Don’t. Get. Relegated.

Right, that’s enough political stuff. Next question. “We’re all from Stockport, who the fuck are you…?”

I’m so sorry to hear that, my condolences.

Which team do you most want to beat this season?

Peterborough.

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

Liam Bennett, a flying right wing-back who always catches the eye. He’s getting better and better every season.

County haven’t been to Cambridge in the league since January 2013. In just one paragraph, sum up everything that’s happened at your place since then.

Since then, quite a lot, and it’s been pretty steady progression. We escaped nine years of non-league football the season after that, in 2014, then spent a few drab years in League Two before a surprise promotion in 2021 under boyhood fan Mark Bonner, who then kept us in League One two years running (one time more comfortably than the other). He was relieved of his duties last year after another really poor start, and then after a brief spell with Neil Harris who quickly ditched us, we stayed up under Garry Monk. The jury is still out on him, but there’s a fair degree of confidence he can build a team that can challenge to stay up again.

Cambridge away. I think of the Boat Race, a posh uni for people with names like Boris and Rishi, and an away end that’s about eight miles away from the pitch. Do I need to educate myself further, or is that fairly accurate?

There’s a big divide in Cambridge called town vs gown. Your impressions are fair, but I think most townies would resent it as a reflection of their city, and they’re the people who actually support United. But yes the away end is ridiculous.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Stockport County?

Either Mustafa Tiryaki scoring at your place a decade or so ago, or long throws from your gaffer (when he played for Tranmere).

Rotherham play at the New York Stadium. NFL star Tom Brady is involved at Birmingham. Wrexham are plastered all over Netflix or Nickelodeon or whatever it is. League One has a bit of an American flavour this season. What’s the most American thing about Cambridge?

Our 20% minority owners are also American, having moved their business over to the area (or something like that) and invested in the club.

I’ve been watching Football Cops on Channel 4 recently, featuring Sunderland fans kicking down barriers after the game at Coventry, and loads of little Crewe rapscallions playing up at home to Walsall. On a scale of 1 to 10, how naughty are Cambridge fans these days, and how safe will our lot be when we make the trip to Cambridgeshire this season?

Erm, you’ll be fine! Every club has their naughty element to it but I’m not sure any of our fixtures will exactly be the Istanbul derby…

Who or what needs to be top of Cambridge’s shopping list before the new season starts in August?

A centre-mid or two is absolutely crucial. Probably a striker and I’d have a left-back too.

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

Brum, Rotherham and Charlton (finally) to go up.

I’ll be optimistic and say Shrewsbury, Crawley, Burton and Stevenage to go down.

Click on the links below to read the other 2024-25 season previews we’ve published so far.

Birmingham / Blackpool / Bolton / Charlton / Crawley / Exeter / Huddersfield / Leyton Orient / Lincoln / Northampton / Reading / Rotherham / Shrewsbury / Wigan / Wrexham / Wycombe

Book your FREE survey so you can start saving money on your energy bills

Malbern Solar are on a mission to harness the power of the sun for your home and business. They believe in the transformative potential of solar energy, offering a cleaner, greener future.

With a commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, their cutting-edge solutions promote clean, renewable energy.

The first step is to book your FREE survey worth £150. Simply call 0800 616 022 to start your journey towards a brighter, greener future.

Visit malbernsolar.co.uk to learn more about how they can help you save on energy costs while embracing sustainability.

Photo of the day

AMP, Stockport

Some people hugging, some people chugging beers, one girl on her phone and someone randomly pointing at me… the moment Harry Kane equalised for England last night!

Today in SK

👀 Bingo

The Marple Tavern (SK6). 8pm.

🎬 Cinema

One film at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 (15) at 5pm and 8.15pm. Click here for tickets.

💿 DJ

Boybands vs Girlbands at Bask (SK1) with DJ Lewis James. 8pm - late. Tickets are free.

🍺 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 Petersgate Tap (SK1), Thread (SK1), The Crown (SK2), The Armoury (SK3), Reddish Working Men’s Club (SK5), The Crown Inn (SK6), The Railway (SK6), The Steelworks (SK6), The Shady Oak (SK7), The Three Tunnes (SK7), The Railway (SK9), Flute & Firkin (SK12) or The Friendship (SK13).

🎶 Free jukebox

The Nelson Tavern (SK1). From 6.30pm.

100 random grounds that County have played at

#62 – Abbey Stadium, Cambridge

Last visit: Only 168 County fans made the trip to Cambridge on our last visit. To be fair, though, it was at the start of January, during our horrendous 2012-13 season that saw the club relegated to the National League North. Danny Whitehead equalised in the first half, a minute after Cambridge opened the scoring, but the home side ran out 4-1 winners. Jim Gannon was sacked less than a fortnight later.