County v Bradford

Plus! Andy Dibble drops in for a Christmas chat

Dec 10, 2024

Tuesday 10 December 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.

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

Don’t forget it’s an early kick-off tonight: 7pm. That still gives you plenty of time to read today’s edition, with Dan Culverwell, Ian Brown, Jonathan Baker and John Giles sharing their thoughts as the Vertu Trophy knockout rounds begin. Andy Dibble also joins us for a festive chat.

Today’s edition is sponsored by CFN School of Motoring and Beespoke Cleaning. A big thank you to Craig and Vicky.

Thanks also to MB Photography Services who sponsor our Bradford City 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: 192.73 miles

Total steps so far: 311,804

Total raised so far: £2,047

Total completed streets so far: 469 (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

Des Junior loves writing about County. But he can never be arsed doing match previews. They’re a bit dull, aren’t they? Will Collar’s out for a month with diarrhoea… blah blah blah…tomorrow’s referee has handed out more cards than Moonpig…blah blah blah…County haven’t won at Birmingham for a thousand years.

Fortunately, he has a number of fellow County content creators to call upon. Here’s their thoughts, general chit-chat and score predictions, as County go in search of the first of four victories that would take them to Wembley.

Dan Culverwell, The Scarf Bergara Wore

County 2 Bradford 0

Dave Challinor didn’t seem too bothered with this one in his post-match interview on Saturday, and County fans have been moved from the Cheadle End to the Main Stand due to low ticket sales. Should this competition be put out of its misery, or is it still a decent opportunity for lower league clubs to reach Wembley?

The key word there is “opportunity”. It’s a chance to progress closer to Wembley with only 16 teams left after this round, and I still feel County need to right a wrong in the final of this competition. Although we all agree it’s been watered down over the years with the introduction of Premier League youth teams, it’s still a Wembley cup final.

Tonight is also an opportunity for those fringe players to show Challinor that they have something to offer. With the January transfer window opening in just over three weeks, the opportunity for Challinor to strengthen the squad could mean that some fringe players will depart, or drop even further down the pecking order.

➡️ Dan is part of The Scarf Bergara Wore team, hosting live County podcasts every Wednesday at 8pm. Click here for links.

Ian Brown, All Things Stockport County

County 1 Bradford 2

We’ve gone into battle with Bradford a hell of a lot over the years. What’s your best and worst memories?

The worst experience by a long way happened at Valley Parade in 2010-11. A feeling of helplessness had overtaken me when I realised Trevor Kettle was refereeing this one, and boy did he live down to his reputation!

Bradford scored first, but a goal by Paul Turnbull brought us level before the half-hour mark. Enter Mr Kettle, who promptly sent Adam Griffin off for a most dubious handball decision. With County down to 10 men I feared the worst, but amazingly we took the lead via a goal by Ryan Doble. I was made up. County kept the lead and looked to be winning all the important battles, but with 25 minutes left, after some Bantam-inspired handbags, Mr Kettle sent off Doble, who was no more culpable than two or three home combatants, reducing us to nine men on the park with an absolute mountain to climb.

Inevitably, Bradford equalised not long after, but County battled on. It was 2-2 going into added time but right at the death Gareth Evans snatched the winner for Bradford. An unforgettably bad experience.

My best experience came in 2022. City were chasing promotion, and the atmosphere was electric with over 18,000 inside Valley Parade, but County looked nerveless with Ryan Johnson and Fraser Horsfall commanding matters in the centre of defence, so much so that Vit Jaros ,the County keeper, had just one save to make in the whole match.

County’s play meanwhile was excellent, and I thought we’d taken the lead through Myles Hippolyte early on, but the flag-happy liner on the Main Stand side ruled it out – offside we were told.

It didn’t matter. County’s command of the game was almost total, and when Antoni Sarcevic was upended around the half-hour mark, the referee pointed to the spot before Paddy Madden stepped up to put the penalty kick away. It was no surprise that County were able to manage the game well enough to seal the win and send 1,679 of us home happy.

➡️ Ian follows County home and away, producing detailed match reports every week, along with lots of other great content. Head over to hedgegrower.blogspot.com.

Jonathan Baker, The County Away Day Show

County 3 Bradford 1

How was your weekend back home in Newcastle?

It was a lovely trip up north, thank you. I was just relieved to get there and back without undue interference from Storm Darragh, even managing to enjoy a wander through the steep streets of the city’s Quayside environs on Saturday evening (in between visits to/days out with my extended Geordie family), slaloming my way nimbly through the thoroughfare-blocking groups of stags and hens like Peter Beardsley in his pomp.

I even found time to dive into the handsomely-high-ceilinged Centurion Sports Bar by Central Station, there to catch the first half of Manchester United’s latest amusing capitulation on their massive screens, accompanied by several hundred festively jubilant train-awaiting North-Easterners. Throw in learning the news of County’s late penalty clincher while crossing the picturesque River Tyne on the bus back to my mam’s house in Blaydon, and you are looking at nothing less than a textbook weekend, Sir!

Prediction for tonight? Well, let’s just say that with the line-ups for both teams about as predictable as the contents of an advent calendar put together by a standing committee of Quayside hen do revellers over their third litre-size bottle of rhubarb gin, I have frankly no idea. A slight and entirely non-chemically-induced inkling, however, tells me that the manager will want to see no repeat of the fringe squad’s reportedly lacklustre showing in the recent Whatever-The-Hell-This-Cup-Is encounter with another League Two side Tranmere Rovers, and will send them out onto the hallowed EP turf with a sort of pre-emptive dose of the hairdryer treatment likely to singe their actual fringes.

➡️ Jonathan, aka Geordie Hatter, hosts The County Away Day Show on selected Saturday mornings during the season, when the Hatters are on the road (there’s a Christmas special this Saturday before Stevenage!). All episodes can be found at the-geordie-hatter.mixlr.com.

John Giles, Stockport County Supporters Co-operative

County 3 Bradford 2

Why should County fans sign up and join the Co-op this Christmas?

County fans should look at joining the Co-op as we’ve agreed a new partnership to provide a £2 discount on travel to every away game with Edgeley Con Club coaches, as well as SK6 County Coaches which depart from Bredbury. This is in addition to the discount that members can receive on all Co-op events, including the forthcoming evening with Fraser Horsfall, which is in aid of Forever Friends of Uganda.

➡️ Joining the Stockport County Supporters Co-operative costs £12 a year for adults, £3 for those aged 16-25 or £1 for under-16s. Click here for further details.

Tonight’s other prediction

SK3 TV: County 2 Bradford 2

Get yourself on the road with CFN School of Motoring

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Visit craignicksonadi.co.uk for further details.

Beespoke Cleaning can provide a weekly, fortnightly or monthly service for you

Look how spotless this place is. I’m not saying your place isn’t, but it would be nice to get a bit of help with the cleaning, wouldn’t it? Especially for County fans, as they spend a lot of time away from home. There’s trips to Stevenage, Huddersfield and Rotherham coming up this month. Wouldn’t it be nice to get back to Stockport from your travels and find your home in immaculate condition.

Beespoke Cleaning can do exactly that for you, whether you’d like their services once a week, once a fortnight or even once a month. The business has been operating since 2010, with a long list of satisfied regular customers, as cleaning projects are completed in a timely manner and with the highest level of quality.

Visit beespokecleaning.com for further details.

The County Advent Calendar: Day 9 – Andy Dibble

Andy Dibble enjoyed a long career, which included winning the League Cup with Luton and the Scottish Premier League with Rangers, before signing for County towards the end of his playing days. He made 25 appearances for the Hatters, and was sent off three times.

First of all, Mr Dibble, I’ve got a special hotline to Father Christmas. He’s asked me if you’ve been naughty or nice this year?

I’m being very nice but I’m going through a tough time recovering from my total knee replacement.

What was the best thing about being a footballer at Christmas?

Knowing you’re trying to entertain and win games for the fans.

What would be the best Christmas present underneath the tree for you this year?

An improvement in the functioning of my left knee and a strong recovery.

County have got Huddersfield away, Rotherham away and Birmingham at home over the festive period. How many points are we getting?

Five. Win at Rotherham, draw the other two.

Where do you get your Christmas tree from?

The loft.

What’s your best Christmas cracker joke?

What do you call a smelly Santa?

Farter Christmas.

Are you organised when it comes to Christmas shopping or are you a Christmas Eve petrol station sort of guy?

Due to being off with my knee (my first Christmas away from football in 41 years sadly) I’m not too organised this year. I’m ordering everything online.

Are you looking for an experienced photographer with a passion for capturing the perfect moment?

MB Photography Services is based in Bradford with both a mobile studio setup and a studio in Leeds. With over half a decade of experience, Mike is able to shoot a range of styles, from birth announcements to school balls and model portfolios. A full range of services and packages are available.

➡️ For more information give Mike a call on 07909 890475 or email mike@mbphotographyservices.co.uk.

Photo of the day

Valley Parade, Bradford

Our last meeting with Bradford was also in December, 12 months ago, on a wet and windy night at their place in League Two. Here’s some of the 2,404 County fans in the away end just after Christmas.

Today in SK

🎬 Cinema

One film at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Wicked (PG) at 4pm.

➡️ Click here for tickets.

🍰 Food and drink

Enjoy a coffee and a cake for only £6 at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). Served till 4pm.

Pop in for a pre-match 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). Plus, discounts on certain lagers till 6pm.

Cocktails are 2 for £12 at Flute & Firkin (SK12) from 3pm till 7pm.

A number of venues are featured on The Scarf My Father Wore such as The Nelson Tavern (SK1), The Crown (SK2), The Alexandra (SK3), The Crown Inn (SK6), The Three Tunnes (SK7) and The Ram’s Head (SK12). Support them this festive season by popping in for a few drinks.

⁉️ Quiz night

The Steelworks (SK6). 7.30pm. £1 per person.

Random photos of County players at other clubs

#69 – Barry Conlon, Bradford

Barry Conlon never scored for County (11 appearances in 2010-11) but he did alright at Bradford, finding the back of the net 18 times over two seasons – 2007-08 and 2008-09.