County v MK Dons
After yet another favour this afternoon (this time from Colchester) the title is back in County’s hands ahead of this evening’s live Sky Sports game
Saturday 23 March 2024
NEXT HOME GAME: MK Dons – Today, 5.15pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Forest Green – Friday 29 March, 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, MK 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, ahead of today’s game of the day in League Two.
It really is a big one tonight, isn’t it? The stress of the promotion race is even affecting our County correspondents, who are usually so calm and composed. Ian Brown was “trembling” as he compiled today’s offering, whilst Andrew Barlow has opted for some reverse psychology. After only one win in seven games, anything’s worth a go at this stage.
Our first live event of 2024 is taking place next month. ‘Flynny at the Finger’ – an evening with County legend Mike Flynn – is at The Fingerpost on Wednesday 17 April. Start time 7.30pm. Over 60% of the tickets have now been sold. If you’d like to join us, please email thescarfmyfatherwore@substack.com. Tickets are £10 (or £5 for paid subscribers plus anyone who’s written an article for The Scarf My Father Wore). That includes a full colour souvenir programme, and even a little bit of stand-up comedy!
Today’s edition is sponsored by Slimming World Reddish & Bredbury with Shlean. A big thank you to Shlean. If you’re looking to lose a few pounds, give Shlean a call on 07725 088549 or email shlean@sky.com. She runs a group in Bredbury every Monday, and Reddish every Tuesday.
Also, a big thank you to Three Counties Spirits Co, who sponsor our MK Dons content on the website. If you need to stock up your drinks cabinet at the moment, you can get a 10% discount off all orders on their website. Simply enter the code SCARF10 at checkout.
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: 136.36 miles
Total steps so far: 217,174
Total raised so far: £1,666
Total completed streets so far: 271 (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 take to the field in front of the Sky Sports cameras for the second time in ten days.
Ian Brown, hedgegrower
County 2 MK Dons 2
Dave Challinor has said it’s a must-win game. I’d actually take a point this evening, as long as we follow it up with all three at Forest Green next Friday. Are you siding with me or Dave?
This is a game we need to win in my opinion. We’re unbeaten in five, but four of those have been draws. We need to make a positive break with this trend and start winning now.
We’re told that Franchise are playing probably their best football of the season just now, whereas we’ve been running on fumes, but still managed to look a class above most of the teams we’ve faced – for 45 minutes anyway!
Turn just half of the chances we’ve set up and then wasted recently into goals and our run-in would look like a cakewalk now. As it is, there’s a growing tendency for us to see every game that comes along as another cup final with all the attendant tensions and traumas those throw up. Put simply we need to beat MK and a win by a decent margin would change our mindset instantly.
The manager will no doubt have his win strategy nicely boxed off, but I do hope that this includes a revision of substitution policy eliminating the perceived need to deplete our on-field attacking and midfield options in favour of deep defence in our final third – unless of course we’re three or four up!
Other than that, trust in Rico and Tanto but possibly get the latter to spend less time drifting wide left; instead set him up to terrorise our opponents through the middle where his withering pace is an absolute winner.
Trembling after a seriously long run of duff forecasts, I’m going to forecast County 2 Milton Keynes 2, whilst really expecting us to win 3-1!
Andrew Barlow, Hatters Matters
County 1 MK Dons 3
Mansfield are probably going up. If County make it as well, who’s the other team you’d choose to finish in the top three - Wrexham, Crewe or MK Dons?
Definitely not Milton Keynes. The Football Association should never have allowed their owners to relocate the club from Wimbledon to Milton Keynes so as far as I’m concerned they will hopefully stay down in the bottom division (or lower) for as long as possible.
I know we finished 4th in our maiden season back in the Football League, and Phil Parkinson’s side are possibly on target to emulate that feat this time around, but I personally think they have perhaps underachieved this season. If you look at the calibre of players they have at their disposal, as well as their financial backing, I thought they would do much better this season and go up as champions.
On the other hand I think Lee Bell has done a very good job at Crewe since he was appointed as their manager last year. The performance from his side as they completely outplayed us in the recent league game also deserved a lot of praise – not many sides have done that to us at Edgeley Park in recent seasons.
In terms of an away day, a trip to The Mornflake Stadium is also much better as you can actually go around Crewe before a game whereas as soon as you arrive in Wrexham you are normally frogmarched straight to the ground. So if I had to pick a team from either Wrexham or Crewe to join us in League One next season I’d certainly favour the Railwaymen.
I’m terrible at predictions so I’m going for a reverse psychology tactic this week. We’re most definitely going to get heavily beaten in front of the TV cameras this evening and I wouldn’t be surprised to see us lose 3-1 to Milton Keynes.
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Photo of the day
The Armoury, Shaw Heath
A great big Happy Birthday to Stockport Sippers Society member and The Scarf My Father Wore paid subscriber Bob Carey! He’s on his way back to Essex this afternoon, so can’t be at Edgeley Park, but hopefully County have got one last birthday present in store for him later this evening…
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
Three films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. The Holdovers (15) at 2.30pm, Poor Things (18) at 5.15pm, and Wicked Little Letters (15) at 8.15pm. 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
If you’re in Stockport today, pop into The Petersgate Tap (SK1) for a pint or two.
Fish Meal Deal at The Friary (SK3). Lite bite fish and chips with peas, curry or gravy. Plus tea or coffee. £9.75.
🎤 Karaoke
The Nelson Tavern (SK1) with Lee. From 8pm.
🎸 Live music
The Rest Of Us at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). 7.30pm. Featuring songs by David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac and many more.
Twisted Etiquette at The Crown (SK6).
Bad Mother Covers at The Flying Coach (SK7). 9pm.
Random County fan of the day #78 – John K Bilsbury!
One final thing before you go… if you’re in need of any of these products or services this month, get in touch with our brilliant bunch of sponsors!
🎨 Art & Gifts: Kate O’Brien Art
🪟 Blinds & Shutters: Bauhaus Blinds & Shutters
📚 Bookkeeping: Eleven Accounts Services Ltd
🧱 Builders Merchant: MKM Manchester South
🍰 Cake Maker: Claire Green Bespoke Cakes and Catering
🧽 Car Valeting: Rub A Dubz Detailing Ltd
🏠 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
🗣 Counselling: Time and Space Counselling
🦮 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
🎈 Party Supplies: Step Into Fun Events
🚑 Personal Injury: Parkers Solicitors Ltd
📸 Photography: Holly Dwyer Photography
🎹 Piano Tutor: Sophie Grace Piano and Keyboard Tuition
🚰 Plumber: GTG Gary the Gasman
🦶 Podiatry: SK Podiatry
📕 Publishing: Victor Publishing
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☀️ Solar Panels: Malbern Solar Ltd
👨💼 Solicitors: B.J. McKenna & Co
⚽️ Sports Coaching: UK Sports Coaching Ltd
🪨 Stonemason: LM Stone Creative
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🪵 Timber Supplies: Portwood Timber Division of Illingworth Ingham (Manchester) Ltd
☀️ Travel Agent: PTF Travel 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