County v Grimsby
Can Dave Challinor’s men remain at the top of League Two by breaking the recent Grimsby curse?
Saturday 21 October 2023
NEXT HOME GAME: Grimsby – Today, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Crewe – Tuesday 24 October, 7.45pm
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, and any Grimsby supporters joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Saturday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.
They say you’re there to be shot at once you’re top of the league, and four other clubs – Notts County, Mansfield, Crewe and Wrexham – could be in pole position in League Two by 5pm today. However, unless Notts County win by nine goals at Gillingham, which I’d say is fairly unlikely, all we need is a point to stay in first place. With the Mariners down in 20th, I’m sure every football fan across the country is predicting a home win at Edgeley Park this afternoon, but there is the small matter of the recent Grimsby curse to overcome, having picked up just one point from our last five league meetings. Our County correspondents don’t seem to be worried, though, with Ian Brown, Nick Lee and Jonathan Baker all backing the Hatters to pick up three points, and they’ve generally been spot on with their recent predictions.
Today’s edition is sponsored by Bridge Computer Services. A big thank you to Mark.
Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for men’s 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: 19.38 miles
Total steps so far: 30,966
Total raised so far: £618
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? Paddy Madden’s out for two games with an ingrown toenail…blah blah blah…tomorrow’s referee has handed out more cards than Moonpig…blah blah blah…County haven’t won at Birmingham since 1672.
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 a first league win at home to Grimsby since our first season in the Conference back in 2011-12.
Ian Brown, hedgegrower
County 3 Grimsby 1
How do we prevent our Grimsby curse from striking again this afternoon?
My first inclination is to say that there is no “curse” – it’s all down to the two sides that turn up on the day, and which one has brought their very best game onto the playing surface.
Results in recent years do not greatly back the “no curse” idea, but I stick nevertheless with the “bring your best game to the match” prognosis with certain essential provisos.
We still have to make sure we look after the basics: get the throw-ins correct; keep attacking and looking for goals; and ensure we keep the back door securely closed, after getting an early warning at Harrogate last week when Josh March broke clear and, fortunately, struck the woodwork rather than the back of the net.
So for me it’s not “all up” on corners and free-kicks – we need to leave one or two at the back to deal with any breaks. This isn’t more hedgegrower “belt and braces” stuff but common sense in my view.
Other than that, I think our forwards and midfield offer us a real prospect of progressing, particularly via Tanto and Louis Barry’s excellent play. It’s so good to see Will Collar getting on the scoresheet now as well, we just need to see Odin Bailey get the goal his general play merits and I see him obliging against Grimsby this afternoon in a 3-1 County win.
Nick Lee, The Scarf Bergara Wore
County 3 Grimsby 1
You co-hosted a night with our National League North champions at Stockport Gin on Wednesday night. How was it?
Can’t complain with how it went at all. It was brilliant to see the lads in the same room sharing some hitherto unheard stories about that season. I don’t think anyone can deny that’s probably the most important squad we’ve ever had. Without their achievements there’s no takeover, no work done on the ground, and probably no Kenan Dunnwald-Turan. Genuinely one of the most emotional nights I’ve had doing these sort of events. Still buzzing 48 hours later to be honest!
Despite our recent form against Grimsby I see no reason why we can’t continue our fantastic recent form. I’ll go for a 3-1 County win with goals from Tanto, Sarce and Collar.
Jonathan Baker aka Geordie Hatter, The County Away Day Show
County 5 Grimsby 0
With Storm Babet wreaking havoc across the country, what’s your outfit of choice to keep warm on a cold afternoon at Edgeley Park?
This is a highly pertinent enquiry Des, because when it comes to reporting for terrace duty in clothing categorically unsuited to the prevailing inclemency, me and Grimsby Town have what I believe the fashionable young ones nowadays call “form”.
The occasion was the early rounds of the FA Trophy in frosty early December conditions a couple of seasons back, and for reasons that presumably constituted perfect sense at the time (I think they may have had something to do with a very kind and unexpected invitation to attend the 1883 Lounge for pre-game libation) I chose to set off on my habitual 1.30pm trek down Shaw Heath wearing an Autumn-weight checked suit jacket, twinned with a pair of light cotton slacks. I seem to recall we won 4-0, but it wasn't until the fourth one went in that I'd even started to thaw out, and on the way back up the hill to SK2 I swore under my breath and between clattering teeth that I'd never again allow a semi-formal dress code for preferential admittance into the inner sanctum of a conference suite to place me in live and present jeopardy vis-a-vis an outbreak of galloping pneumonia, even if I would thereby risk being judged to be over-leisurely attired while in the presence of Steve Bellis.
That's a solemn promise I've kept to this day, and being in no mind to break my streak today, the plan is to set up camp within The Armoury just after lunchtime and engage in robust barter with the trawlermen of Humberside I expect to be generously represented among the travelling support, until one of them consents to lease me out their So'Wester for the duration of the afternoon. In the (surely unlikely) event that this cunning ploy should fail to furnish me with a serviceably impermeable great-coat, then recourse will be made to my standard post-clocks-back Cheadle End outer-garment, in the form of a ski-jacket purchased several years ago from TK Maxx, whose positively garish bright blue tones once prompted, on the Monday morning after a wintry home fixture weekend, the following water cooler exchange with an SK3 resident co-worker:
“Oh by the way Jonathan, I saw you on Edgeley Saturday afternoon. Were you off to the game?”
“I was, Aine. Why didn't you say hello?”
“I would have, but you were about 250 yards away at the time!”
So, one way or another, my lead-off prediction for today is that I'm going to be unusually visible, almost luminous in fact. My follow-up one is that we'll give them a good old Football League Division Four seeing-to, and not before time, either. 5-0.
Give Mark a call with any computer problems
County have had some awful experiences against Grimsby over the years: Paul Jones getting sent off at Edgeley Park after just two minutes; losing 3-2 in the FA Cup despite being 2-1 up with a minute to go; getting twatted 7-0 at Blundell Park on a miserable Tuesday night in the Conference.
If today goes pear-shaped and you take out your aggression on your computer, give Mark a call at Bridge Computer Services. Based in Romiley, the business provides computer workshop and callout services to residential and business customers across Stockport. Their callout and workshop engineers are trained to fix computers, laptops and servers on site (where possible) as well as setting up new computers and wireless networks, plus maintaining existing networks and removing viruses.
Visit bridgecomputerservices.co.uk for further details.
Photo of the day
McDonald’s, Heaton Chapel / Levenshulme
My charity walk has started! After a quick hash brown and a bottle of Tropicana, I walked 19.3 miles on Thursday covering the full stretch of the A6 from McDonald’s (which is really in Levenshulme even though it’s listed as Heaton Chapel on loads of websites) to Disley. The mileage is higher than the distance as I’m not just walking in a straight line; I’m delivering flyers to homes and businesses along the way so there’s lots of paths and drives and stairs to contend with as well.
I’ve written an article covering my adventures on day one which I’ll share with you tomorrow. In the meantime, I’d love it if you could make a donation today. I’ve managed to raise £618 for Stockport-based mental health charity Mentell so far, and I’d be ever so grateful if you could help me to close in on the £1,000 mark.
Click here to make a donation through JustGiving.
Today in SK
🇮🇹 Food and drink
Lite bite meal deal at The Friary (SK3). Cod or haddock, served with chips, and a side of peas, curry or gravy. Plus tea or coffee. £9.95. 11.30am - 6.30pm.
How good do those Arancini Siciliani look! They’re back on the specials board at The Italian (SK6) as a starter throughout October. Homemade the traditional Sicilian way, arancini are saffron-infused fried risotto balls with a mozzarella, peas and slow-cooked beef ragu filling. Call 0161 406 6261 to book a table for tonight.
Bottomless Saturday at TRUNK (SK7). Bottomless lunch £35 per person (includes 3 tapas dishes) from 12pm till 4pm. T&Cs apply and 90 minutes of selected bottomless drinks. Call 0161 222 9260 to book a table, and mention “The Scarf My Father Wore” to receive a 15% discount off the normal tapas menu.
🎤 Karaoke
Lee at The Nelson Tavern (SK1). 8pm - 1am.
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