Cambridge v County

A trip to League One’s bottom club, albeit with a new manager in their dugout this afternoon

Feb 22, 2025

Saturday 22 February 2025

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NEXT HOME GAME: Blackpool – Saturday 1 March, 3pm

NEXT AWAY GAME: Cambridge United – Today, 3pm

Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Cambridge supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Saturday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.

Nick Lee and Jonathan Baker join us this afternoon, with third place up for grabs by the end of today, as Wrexham don’t play until tomorrow.

Today’s edition is sponsored by Adam Edwards Photo. A big thank you to Adam.

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: 216.74 miles

Total steps so far: 353,516

Total raised so far: £2,270

Total completed streets so far: 474 (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

Nick Lee, SK3 TV

Cambridge 0 County 3

Cambridge are bottom, eight points from safety, but they do have a new gaffer in the dugout this afternoon, with Neil Harris returning to the club. Do you believe in the whole ‘new manager bounce’ theory?

There's probably an easy way to work out if the 'new manager bounce' theory holds up, but it sounds like a proper faff. And there's a loophole in this case which is more of a 'new old manager bounce'. Either way, I'm confident we'll be fine. I'm expecting them to come out and have a bit of a go to appease those fans who weren't enthused with the appointment, but I'm confident it'll play out much the same as the Burton game did.

➡️ Nick’s one of the co-hosts of SK3 TV, a new podcast for the 2024-25 season, with live episodes every Monday at 8pm. Click here for links.

Jonathan Baker, The County Away Day Show

Cambridge 1 County 2

Have you ever been for a punt in Cambridge?

Well Des, I do like a flutter as much as the next man, but I wasn’t aware that the betting shops in the land of the Fens were any different from those up here in Stock… oh hang on I think you’re alluding to the posh person’s riverbound boating pursuit? In that case, I don’t believe this is a pastime I’ve ever dipped my toes into, and I’m not sure it would be a good idea to start, given that my track record with water-based leisure exploits is somewhat chequered, its high point of bronze prize in the one-width walking race at the 1978 West of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Cub Scout Gala being somewhat offset by the time I was trusted with stewardship of a two-man canoe on the occasion of a mid-90s outdoor-pursuit-focused corporate team building weekend, and managed to capsize the damn thing in thirty seconds flat, plunging both myself and the Assistant Account Manager for the Industrial Flange Division (Eastern England Region) unceremoniously headfirst into the murky depths of a rural lagoon adjoining a block-booked youth hostel. That unedifying extracurricular blot on my Curriculum Vitae likely put paid in one fell swoop to my own prospects for advancement into the ranks of middle-management, a side-outcome for which I am given to understand the world of industrial adhesive sales remains eternally thankful.

On the basis of all the above, I would rank my chances of maintaining respect-worthy control of a Thames-floated punting boat for the duration of a late winter weekend morning’s hire-slot at a keen 14/1, with a reprise of the above-mentioned upturned-vessel scenario at a generous 9/2, and your actual full-blown drowning priced to attract the more speculative punter at an alluring 66/1. This is if I was actually going to Cambridge today - which I’m not, as I’m still here in Stockport, where I’m considering a trip to take in the 3pm Curzon Ashton versus Buxton, a mouthwatering National League North fixture which presents no obvious risk of fatal underwater peril, so long as I can avoid swerving sideways off the M60 at an inopportune moment and plunging to my instant death in the River Mersey.

Talk among the County Nation has fixated somewhat this week on to what extent New Manager Bounce may be an Actual Thing, and if so, whether the phenomenon may manifest itself at the Abbey Stadium this afternoon at an extent sufficient to knock our high-flying County out of our unbeaten stride. My personal view is that the hosts may indeed enter the fray fired up to impress their returning supremo, but that the momentum established by Dave Challinor’s men during the last couple of months will prove more than adequate to ensure another - albeit closely fought - victory on the road.

➡️ Jonathan, aka Geordie Hatter, hosts The County Away Day Show on selected Saturday mornings during the season, when the Hatters are on the road. All episodes can be found at the-geordie-hatter.mixlr.com.

Today’s other predictions

Hatters Matters: Cambridge 1 County 3

The Scarf Bergara Wore: Cambridge 0 County 3

A few words from Adam Edwards

Hi! I’m Adam, a photographer from Liverpool now decamped – via Melbourne, London and Manchester – to Stockport.

From snapping everything around the world, I now love shooting weddings across the UK!

I started shooting around 2010, assisting at weddings first – and also taking up music photography to get into gigs for free!

I’ve now shot a thousand gigs and a fair few weddings too. Not to mention covering corporate events, special occasions, photoshoots, and being lucky enough to shoot around the world. (I’ve been published in NME, Vice, Guitar World, Bido Lito! Magazine and more.)

Though every photographer probably says this, I’d say my photography style is authentic, fun, and memorable. I enjoy shooting real people, in real situations. I love capturing the good times, and I always try to take images that have either the wow factor or the aww factor!

If you’re looking for a wedding photographer in Stockport, Liverpool, Manchester, or the north and beyond, give me a call on 07429 255666 or email adam@adamedwardsphoto.com.

➡️ Visit adamedwardsfoto.com for further details.

Photo of the day

Kenilworth Road, Luton

The final day of the 1996-97 season, with County fans already celebrating after clinching automatic promotion to Division One earlier in the week.

Today in SK

🎬 Cinema

One film at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (15) at 3pm, 5.45pm and 8.30pm.

➡️ Click here for tickets.

🍺 Food and drink

All pints £2.50 at The Cross Keys (SK8) from 6pm till 9pm.

A number of venues are featured on The Scarf My Father Wore such as The Crown (SK2), The Alexandra (SK3), The Steelworks (SK6), The Three Tunnes (SK7), Flute & Firkin (SK12) and The Ram’s Head (SK12). Support them this month by popping in for a few drinks or a bite to eat.