County 0 Wycombe 5
Just seven days after our best performance of the season comes the worst
Friday 8 November 2024
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Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Wycombe supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Friday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.
Wycombe fan Chris Spratt watched the game from the comfort of his sofa on Tuesday night. No such joy for County fan Dave Espley, who sat through the Bonfire Night blitz on a cold and miserable night at Edgeley Park.
Today’s edition is sponsored by Stevie’s Ices and Guerrilla Chicken Spirits. A big thank you to Steve and Paul.
Thanks also to Baz from Chicken Cottage for sponsoring our Wycombe Wanderers content on the website.
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: £2,027
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
✍️ Tuesday’s match in one word
Dave: I'd prefer two. Okay, one: shite. And if I am allowed two, stick "fucking" in front.
Chris: Spectacular.
🤔 Pre-match thoughts
Dave: Optimistic after the last league game. Thought it'd be tough given Wycombe's form and league position, but as I'm still convinced that we have a decent League One squad, I was hoping for a narrow win.
Chris: Typically pessimistic, I was unusually confident heading into this game and had predicted a 3-0 win to us. Our form has been so strong recently, I'd have been confident against anyone.
🧐 Post-match thoughts
Dave: Christ. Christ on a bike. Christ on a BMX doing wheelies through the precinct. Christ on a BMX doing wheelies through the precinct and flicking the Vs at all the County fans watching.
Chris: A night that will surely go down in Wycombe history – the game was everything and more that I hoped it would be and one that no Chairboy or Chairgirl will ever tire of watching.
🔵 Verdict on County
Dave: Absolutely awful, in case the above hadn't made it clear; one of the worst I can ever remember, and I've been watching since 1972. Couldn't see much of the first three goals (what a phrase to be using about a home game – "the FIRST three goals") due to distance, crappy eyes and bonfire night haze, and I refuse to watch the "highlights", but after that blitz it was game over. We looked absolutely terrified and didn't have a clue how to hold them off, let alone get in behind them and create a chance. One of the most depressing performances I've ever seen (and I've been to… etc).
Chris: It’s hard to describe it as anything other than woeful. Having followed County’s results for some time I'm sure that Tuesday was a one-off aberration and genuinely wouldn't be surprised if the return match on the final day of the season was a promotion/play-off chasing fixture for both sides.
🟢 Verdict on Wycombe
Dave: Solid, professional, quick. Hard to know how much of that is down to us making it easy for them. In fairness, given how they've been playing recently, you have to give them most of the credit. If you're winning 5-0 away you're doing a lot right.
Chris: Simply one of the best performances I have seen from us… ever. We were spoilt for success under Ainsworth but the football we’re now playing under Matt Bloomfield is simply outstanding. The consistency across each match is unreal and performances are just getting better and better. In many ways, Tuesday was a perfect match (away from home against a team likely to leave space for us to exploit) for us and so it proved. The early penalty certainly helped but I was genuinely shocked with how poorly County reacted, particularly in allowing our most dangerous attacker so much time and space before scoring the second. In truth the game was done at that point and those early goals just made the rest of the night a lot more comfortable than it might have been.
🎩 Top Hatter
Dave: Fevrier or Hinchliffe.
Chris: When a team loses by five at home, I think it’s fair to say that no one should be picked. Perhaps the only person with County connections who can come out of the night with any credit is my mate Russ. Choosing to go and see Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds instead of a night at Edgeley Park turned out to be a very wise decision.
🪑👦 Top Chairboy
Dave: In terms of helping them get the result, at least five County players were ahead of any from Wycombe.
Chris: Take your pick. Tuesday's team was stacked with players playing near the maximum. If I had to go for just one though it would probably be Cameron Humphreys. Since joining us on loan, the kid has shone. He has a big future ahead.
👂 Atmosphere
Dave: Strangely muted. I expected a lot more anger, but apart from the odd shout, there wasn't much. I think people were all waiting for the point at which they could bugger off home. For me, that was after the fifth went in.
Chris: From my house, absolutely lovely! Edgeley Park is a ground I’ve visited before and the kind I really love. Full of character and history, it knocks the socks off the more modern, dull bowls we now seem to get. Full credit to the kids stationed near the gantry who didn't stop singing, even in the closing minutes.
🙏 Hopes for the rest of the season
Dave: Oh man, I'm an eternal optimist, and genuinely thought we'd be in with a chance this year. I still think the squad is good enough, but we're far less than the sum of our parts at times. Whether that's down to the coaching staff, players or, ahem, strange EP atmosphere (don't go there again, please, Mr C) I wouldn't like to say. It's hard to be optimistic after that shambles, but we’re only two points off the play-offs and we've got a team that on our day can give sides a lesson. So who knows?
Chris: At the start of the season, few Wycombe fans would have believed we could finish above mid-table. With Tuesday's win sending us top, any hopes of a higher finish appear to be turning into a reality. From out of nowhere, we have a squad with incredible depth. Unless something catastrophic happens, this season could result in another promotion to the Championship – something that seemed impossible just a few years ago.
😀 Best part of the day
Dave: Fireworks with the grandkids earlier. Even they got bored and wandered off, though.
Chris: Seeing a few familiar faces having the time of their lives was special. We haven't always had the best of times at Edgeley Park but Tuesday was one to savour.
😡 Worst part of the day
Dave: Ooh, let me think. Would it have been at the game? Quite possibly, given that I didn't either break both my legs or piss myself in public. Yes, I think it'd have to be at the game. Probably their fourth, when the cross came in, and 17 players, the physio, the chairman, their mascot and the coach driver were all queuing up at the back post to head it in.
Chris: Not being one of those in the stadium. It's nights like Tuesday that every Wycombe fan really wishes they could be part of.
The British Library receives a copy of every single book published in the UK. In the same fashion, Des Junior believes a detailed record of every County game should be preserved for the history books. So here’s the full story of our 5-0 defeat at home to Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday 5 November, as told from his County-related WhatsApp groups…
7.58pm: We’re getting battered here.
8.07pm: Awful defending, powder puff challenges. Shall we guess how many well concede tonight? Five for me.
8.16pm: On the positive, we haven’t conceded a goal for over 10 minutes now. I have hope we’ll settle into this game now and get a goal back before half-time. And then who knows in the second half.
8.17pm: Can I have what you’re on please.
9.22pm: Can I just say… Anyone wanting us to rush to the Championship – we’d see a lot more games like this if we do.
9.23pm: We'll see a lot more of them this season as well if tonight’s anything to go by.
9.52pm: Final day of the regular season we win 2-0 at Adams Park to get in the play-offs and knock them out of the top two. You heard it here first.
9.53pm: I love optimism.
10.00pm: They all need a long hard look at themselves. No one and I mean literally no one got above 3 out of 10 for me tonight, and as I was walking out of the ground someone rightly asked what the fuck are they doing in training.
Hire an ice cream van for your event!
You might have seen Stevie’s Ices in the Cheadle End car park in recent weeks, or at the Marple Bonfire last weekend, or simply round the streets of Stockport during half-term. But did you know you can hire Stevie for your own event!
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5 questions with Baz from Chicken Cottage
What was the funniest moment with your business in October?
When my brother asked me to make him a chicken burger and I accidentally put very hot sauce in it, which was too hot for him. He downed five bottles of water.
What’s your plans for the business in November?
To prepare for Christmas and also keep my customers happy throughout the winter.
What would you like to promote to our readers in November?
As part of our 30th birthday celebrations, we have a new Double Mountain Burger, plus our mango kulfi ice cream.
What’s your favourite thing about Bonfire Night?
The lovely colours that surround the night and also families and loved ones getting together.
County travel to Burton this month, a town known for its many breweries. What’s your favourite beer (or any other beverage)?
Unfortunately, I don’t drink beer, so I’d have to go with Red Bull.
Address: 5 Oxford Street, High Wycombe, HP11 2DG
Photo of the day
Stockport train station
The 10.19pm train from Stockport to Chester was cancelled after the Wycombe game on Tuesday. The next one was delayed by 45 minutes as well. One of those nights.
Stock up on spirits for your winter adventures, and enjoy a 10% discount!
Guerrilla Chicken Spirits has a range of four show-stopping spirits that challenge the industry by using a reusable flask and refill pouches rather then single use glass bottles.
They want you to enjoy their spirits and use their reusable flask forever. They would love that none of their bottles need to be recycled and certainly never hit the landfill.
Keep your bottle chillin’ in the fridge, ready for enjoying at home, or ready cold for taking to a winter picnic or a party in a park!
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
Two films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) this evening. Blitz (12A) at 6pm, followed by Small Things Like These (12A) at 8.30pm. Click here for tickets.
💿 DJ
The Nelson Tavern (SK1) have their resident DJ playing on a Friday night, with Dicko (Ian Dickinson) on from 8pm till 1am.
🍺 Food and drink
Pop in for a pint at Heaton Hops (SK4), CAMRA Pub of the Year for Stockport and South Manchester.
Bitter £2.30 a pint all day at The Cross Keys (SK8).
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 Dog & Partridge (SK2), The Steelworks (SK6) or The Three Tunnes (SK7).
🎤 Karaoke
The Alexandra (SK3).
🎵 Live music
The Still at The Crown (SK6). 9pm.
Random photos of County players at other clubs
#43 – Simon Hackney, Carlisle
Stockport-born Simon Hackney only made 10 appearances for his hometown club, during the final stages of our 2012-13 relegation season. He did play for Woodley Sports at the start of his career, where his performances caught the eye of Carlisle United. Hackney moved to Brunton Park and was part of the Cumbrians’ League Two title-winning side in 2005-06. The midfielder was in their starting line-up for that 0-0 draw at Edgeley Park on the final day of the season.
Need any of these products or services this November? Support the businesses that support The Scarf My Father Wore
🪟 Blinds & Shutters: Bauhaus Blinds and Shutters
👷♂️ Builder: C E Building Services Ltd
🧱 Builders Merchant: MKM Manchester South
🧽 Car Valeting: Rub A Dubz Detailing Ltd
🧼 Carpet Cleaning: A Star Clean Ltd
🏠 Carpets & Flooring: Kingsway Carpets & Rugs Ltd
🐈 Cat Flaps: That Cat Flap Company Ltd
👶 Child Health: The Sleep Nanny
🧹 Cleaning: Beespoke Cleaning
🚙 Coatings: Colourtone Ltd
🐶 Dog Trainer: Forever Home Dog Training
🐕🦺 Dog Walker: Luna Care
🚘 Driving School: CFN School of Motoring
💡 Electrician: The Electrics Guy
🏠 Estate Agent: The Agency UK
💧 Exterior Cleaning: Impact Pro Clean Ltd
💷 Financial Services: The Mortgage Mill
💐 Florist: The Flower House
🍦 Ice Cream Van Hire: Stevie’s Ices
💻 IT Services: Bridge Computer Services
🪚 Joinery: SAW Contracts Ltd
🔌 Kitchen Appliances: SW Appliances
🍳 Kitchens: Kitchenwise
🌳 Landscaping: Dylan’s Developments
📮 Leaflet Distribution: Wolf Distribution
🔑 Locksmith: APL Locksmiths Ltd
💪 Male Weight Loss: MAN v FAT
🖌 Painter & Decorator: BGM Decorators
🚑 Personal Injury: Parkers Solicitors Ltd
📸 Photographer: Adam Edwards Photo
🧱 Plastering: DT Plastering Services and Damp Proofing Specialists
🛖 Roofing: Pate & Lever Roofing Ltd
☀️ Solar Panels: Malbern Solar Ltd
👨💼 Solicitors: B.J. McKenna & Co
🍹 Spirits: Guerrilla Chicken Spirits
💆♂️ Sports Massage: RobMcRunning
🪨 Stonemason: LM Stone Creative
🚕 Taxi Hire: Lynx Taxis
☀️ Travel Agent: PTF Travel Ltd
👩🏫 Tutor: Conexus Tuition
📺 TV Aerials: SDS Aerials
🧰 Vehicle Repairs: C J Motors Stockport
⚖️ Weight Loss: Slimming World Reddish & Bredbury with Shlean