Monday 5 February 2024
NEXT HOME GAME: Crewe – Tuesday 13 February, 7.45pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Grimsby – Saturday 10 February, 3pm
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.
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Harrogate supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Monday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore. For the second day running, I’m a tired boy once again, but that’s because I’ve walked over 16 miles round Heaton Norris today! I’ll have that write-up with you over the next few days.
I couldn’t find a Harrogate fan to speak to I’m afraid, but we have got one of our paid subscribers, Kelvin Briggs, joining us today to share his thoughts from the weekend. One point gained or two points dropped? Time will tell. The league table is still a fantastic sight, though.
Today’s edition is sponsored by Colourtone. As always, a big thank you to Paul.
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
✍️ Saturday’s match in one word
Kelvin: Compelling.
🤔 Pre-match thoughts
Kelvin: Sensed it could be a tough one given Harrogate’s recent good run and solid defensive credentials.
🧐 Post-match thoughts
Kelvin: Enough chances to have won the game. It’s another point in the right direction especially with Wrexham losing. Looking forward to Grimsby away with some quality fish and chips.
🔵 Verdict on County
Kelvin: A slower start than expected but some good football at times. The midfield engine is solid, we just needed to convert the chances. Recovered well to dominate near the end. Hippolyte looked sharp didn’t he.
⚫️ Verdict on Harrogate
Kelvin: Solid defensive unit with an ability to break fast, which caused a few scary moments!
🎩 Top Hatter
Kelvin: Lemonheigh-Evans for his tenacious ball winning and the goal. Powell also showed us some great touches.
🧪 Top Sulphurite
Kelvin: I’d give the award to their manager Simon Weaver. He worked out a good way to play us. The whole team displayed a great work ethic and organisation.
👂 Atmosphere
Kelvin: Pretty loud and positive with the Cheadle End getting behind the lads more than I can remember for a while. Surprised how few travelled from Yorkshire – just the 243 of them – but they made some noise and enjoyed their day out. We are a generally quiet bunch in Block D of the Danny Bergara Stand. Almost joined in a chant!
🙏 Hopes for the rest of the season
Kelvin: Top three for sure, but still a strong shout for the title. The injury to Macca is clearly a negative but the squad depth should get us there.
😀 Best part of the day
Kelvin: The pre-match pint of NW IPA in Runaway Brewery was top notch. A great atmosphere in the bar area. They brew Cheers Thank You which is sold in the County Courtyard.
😡 Worst part of the day
Kelvin: As ever the toilet facilities were inadequate.
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 1-1 draw at home to Harrogate Town on Saturday 3 February 2024, as told from his County-related WhatsApp groups…
10.56am: To the regiment!
11.03am: Where are you at? Respect!
11.04am: The Pantheon in Rome!
3.19pm: 1-0 down. We haven’t got going at all.
3.33pm: 1-1. Thank fuck for that.
3.47pm: Macca’s done his knee.
3.48pm: Stretchered off.
5.01pm: Two points dropped, which we get away with. Frustrating, irritating, not the end of the world.
6.00pm: Passed a convoy of 12 coach loads of Wrexham on Chapel Street when I was on the bus home. Everyone on the bus wondered why this random bloke was chuckling to himself!
Give your car a lick of paint
Granted, Stockport used to be a little rough around the edges. But the town’s getting a good old lick of paint these days, with fancy new offices, apartments, bars and restaurants springing up. You can’t be driving up and down the A6 in a tatty car with chipped paintwork, so give your car a nice lick of paint too. Colourtone is your go-to company for that. They’ve been servicing the automotive and industrial markets in Cheshire and Greater Manchester for decades, and carry an extensive range of car paint and industrial paints.
Visit colourtone.com for further details.
Photo of the day
Edgeley Park, Stockport
Vinnie Wright, Des Junior and Dave Marchbank-Smith bumped into Liverpool’s two-time European Cup winner Alan Kennedy after the Harrogate game on Saturday.
Today in SK
Acoustica at Bask (SK1).
Random County fan of the day #36 – Pete Mellor!
One final thing before you go… if you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day gift this month, how about a painting, or a cake, or a bottle of gin, or anything else from our fantastic sponsors!
🎨 Art & Gifts: Kate O’Brien Art
💈 Barber: STUDIO26 Haircare
🪟 Blinds & Shutters: Bauhaus Blinds & Shutters
📚 Bookkeeping: Eleven Accounts Services Ltd
🍰 Cake Maker: Claire Green Bespoke Cakes and Catering
🧽 Car Valeting: Rub A Dubz Detailing Ltd
🧼 Carpet Cleaning: Pro Clean Carpet Services
🏠 Carpets & Flooring: Kingsway Carpets & Rugs Ltd
🐈⬛ Cat Sitting: The Crazy Cat Ladies Cheshire
👶 Child Health: The Sleep Nanny
🤹♀️ Children’s Entertainment: Stockport Hero Hire
🧹 Cleaning: Beespoke Cleaning
🚙 Coatings: Colourtone Ltd
🦮 Dog Training: Paws High Peak Dog Training
🚘 Driving School: CFN School of Motoring
💷 Financial Services: The Mortgage Mill
🔥 Fire Protection: Radial Fire And Security Limited
🍸 Gin: Hatters Gin
🛁 Grout Refresh & Recolour: GroutGleam Stockport
💇♀️ Hairdressing: C West Hairstylist
🛠 Home Improvements: Menzies Develop & Build
💻 IT Services: Bridge Computer Services
🪚 Joinery: SAW Contracts Ltd
👨🍳 Kitchen Appliances: SW Appliances
🔑 Locksmith: APL Locksmiths Ltd
🚐 Minibus Hire: Westfield Minibuses
🧤 Oven Cleaning: That Oven Girl
🖌 Painter & Decorator: BGM Decorators
🧱 Plasterer: Tate Plastering Services
🚰 Plumber: GTG Gary the Gasman
📕 Publishing: Victor Publishing
🛖 Roofing: ADM Roofing Services Ltd
☀️ Solar Panels: Malbern Solar Ltd
⚽️ Sports Coaching: UK Sports Coaching Ltd
🖊 Tattooist: Heatons Tattoo Club
🪵 Timber Supplies: Portwood Timber Division of Illingworth Ingham (Manchester) Ltd
👨💻 Web Design: SITEZO
⚖️ Weight Loss: Slimming World Reddish & Bredbury with Shlean
🪟 Window Cleaner: R ‘N’ B Window Cleaning
🏋️♀️ Women’s Fitness: Sophie Pavey Fitness
🧘♀️ Yoga: Greenshoots Yoga