County v Harrogate
Our first meeting with Harrogate since October, when County climbed to the top of League Two
Saturday 3 February 2024
NEXT HOME GAME: Harrogate – Today, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Grimsby – Saturday 10 February, 3pm
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Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Harrogate 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.
Ian Brown, Nick Lee and Jonathan Baker are with us today, and we’re also joined by Ed Chadwick for the first time, who’s taking the Co-op baton from Paul Thompson. A friendly hello to Ed, and a big thank you once again to Paul.
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
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 look to do the double over Harrogate today.
Ian Brown, hedgegrower
County 4 Harrogate 1
This could be a Dover at home sort of game this afternoon. What’s your message to any County fans getting restless if it’s still 0-0 after 80-odd minutes?
First off, I would say that the 1-0 result we achieved against Dover in February 2022 would be quite OK for our purposes thank you, even if we have to wait until the 84th minute for the winner, which came on that occasion from Paddy Madden.
As I recall there were some preposterous pre-match examples of classic County fan overconfidence. 11-0 to County was one prediction offered to me with a straight face, such was the confidence that abounded in these parts.
Well, the reverse is so now, as Harrogate are on a bit of an upward curve, hence the worry beads are out as some wonder quite where the next goal is going to come from with such excellence heading our way from the drafty end of Yorkshire.
I see no reason for negative thoughts though, and if Challinor is able to name the same starting 11 this Saturday, I see Madden and Powell dismantling the Wetherby Road Pretenders as they did Donny just a week ago.
1-0 will be quite sufficient of course, but expect a goal feast, so no lingering longer to drain the last dregs of that pint at half-time. Those that did at Doncaster missed the best goal of the game, and there might be a few more this time around. I’ll go 4-1 to County.
Nick Lee, The Scarf Bergara Wore
County 2 Harrogate 0
How do you normally spend transfer deadline day? Do you occasionally check Twitter or are you sat in front of Sky Sports News with a box of tissues for the whole day?
On deadline day I like to keep myself as far away from it all as I possibly can. It's another part of the game that solely caters to those absolute yoghurts whose only exposure to football is via Sky or social media. No time for it whatsoever. Plus, I've always been of the mindset that if you're scrambling round for signings at 10.50pm on deadline day you've made a complete pig's ear of things somewhere along the line. Very glad of a quiet one this year!
A hard-fought 2-0 County win for me today, goals from Powell and Tanto.
Jonathan Baker aka Geordie Hatter, The County Away Day Show
County 2 Harrogate 1
Are you happy with County’s January transfer business?
Am I happy with our transfer business? On balance, yes I think I am. Broadly we seem to have recruited in the most called for areas, and with quality. In Evans and Bailey we gain a pair of ever-improving talents already known to the squad, Bristow looks a solid addition with reliable experience at our level, and the loaned-in youngsters seem carefully picked, ambitious to grow with us, and ready for the fray.
As for those who've departed, none are figures who we'd have reckoned on as key to our promotion push, and the moves seem the most beneficial outcome for all parties. Add into all of this the eleventh hour incoming of a bonafide Son of the Tyne in North Shields-born Lewis Cass (who's built like The Angel of the North by the way, they make centre-halves out of wrought iron up there...) and we've got a handsome-looking month's worth of business there, for sure.
Above all, though, I'm relieved the January rumour mill will now grind to a halt and we get to concentrate on the football again. Starting with this afternoon, when I see an in-form Harrogate providing a significantly sterner test of our promotion credentials than their Yorkshire neighbours Doncaster could muster last week – but ultimately in vain. 2-1 County, and another step closer to the Promised Land. Bring it on!
Ed Chadwick, Stockport County Supporters Co-operative
County 2 Harrogate 0
Firstly, a very warm welcome Ed, joining us for the first time today. Your first question is a fairly simple one I suppose. Who are ya?
Let's get this out of the way: I'm one of these awful new County fans you've heard about. I lived in Stockport for five years in the 2000s and yet never watched a single County game. After a spell down in London and overseas I moved back up here in 2019 and started coming during the first season back in the National League. It's fair to say I've fallen hard for the club, Edgeley Park and County fans in general. It wasn't long before I started dragging the wider family along and there are regularly three generations of Chadwicks at home games.
I got involved with the Co-op at the end of last year because I believe fans deserve to have a strong voice in the game. Covid proved what a dismal spectacle the game can be without fans in the ground. Football is moving very quickly and it's important that supporters have a say on its future. I'm a journalist and editor by day and I'll gradually take over Ian 'Hedgegrower' Brown's media and comms duties. You will see a new website from us within the next few months.
In the meantime, we'll be working hard this year to grow our membership and we are offering a very nice mug to the next 20 members to sign up. For the negligible cost of £1 per month, you also get priority access to some great events like the evening we hosted with Oshor Williams and Tommy Sword at Stockport Gin this week.
As for today, if you'd told me in the wake of our trip to Harrogate in October that they'd have crept to the brink of the play-offs four months later, I'd have said you need your head examined. The Weavers have done an incredible job there and getting rid of Luke Armstrong doesn't seem to have weakened them. It would be quite ironic if he found himself and Harrogate passing each other in opposite directions this summer after the way he seemed to throw his toys out of the pram when his move to Wrexham collapsed.
We've got our swagger back and I don't foresee anything other than a home win. It won't be the sort of stroll we enjoyed at Donny but we ought to have far too much quality for them. It would be very embarrassing to lose to a spa town wouldn't it? It would show a real lack of minerals. [Des: Yep, Ed’s definitely going to fit in here.]
The only change I'd like to see would be Croasdale coming back in, assuming he's fully fit. Camps was superb at Doncaster getting us on the front foot, but I just prefer the balance of the team with Croasdale as the anchor.
I take my hat off to the club for conducting themselves so sensibly during the transfer window. It looks like we've managed to get cover in without being held to ransom and arguably the best bit of business was recalling Lemonheigh-Evans. He's back with his hyphen and back with a bang. County to win 2-0.
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.
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
Three films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Wonka (PG) at 1.30pm, One Life (12A) at 4pm and 6.15pm, and The End We Start From (15) at 8.30pm. Click here for tickets.
💿 DJ
Stockport’s biggest party at the weekend is at Bask (SK1), with DJ Gareth Brooks playing till 3am. Last entry 1.30am.
🌭 Food and drink
Treat yourself to the February special from Enigma (SK1). Just £5 for a hot dog with grilled onions, ketchup and mustard, skin-on fries, and any ground bean coffee. 12pm - 10pm.
🎸 Live music
Lee Perry at The Flying Coach (SK7). 9pm.
Random County fan of the day #34 – Betsy Fletcher!
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