County v Swindon
After three games without a win, three points desperately needed this afternoon
Saturday 24 February 2024
NEXT HOME GAME: Swindon – Today, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Colchester – Saturday 2 March, 3pm
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Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Swindon 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.
Today’s Swindon build-up comes from Andrew Barlow, Jonathan Baker and Ian Brown.
A big thank you to The Crazy Cat Ladies Cheshire and Pro Clean Carpet Services for sponsoring today’s edition.
If you need to leave your feline friends at home when you’re at work or on holiday, you can be sure they’ll be well looked after. Just call 07478 697605 or email thecrazycatladiescheshire@gmail.com.
And if your carpets are looking a little worse for wear at the moment, call 07359 461781 or email info@procleancarpetservices.co.uk.
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: 97.67 miles
Total steps so far: 160,432
Total raised so far: £1,571
Total completed streets so far: 156 (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 get their promotion push back on track against the struggling Robins.
Andrew Barlow, Hatters Matters
County 2 Swindon 0
Best and worst memories from previous games against Swindon?
I’ve seen some good wins against Swindon over the years but my best memory has to be the moment Jim Gannon and his players set a Football League record by clinching their ninth successive win without conceding a single goal. To equal Preston’s record by beating Walsall during the week at an electric Edgeley Park was special, but to go one better and actually write our name in the record books with a comfortable 3-0 win over Swindon was one of many special memories of following County under Jim Gannon.
That achievement was and still is phenomenal when you look back at it. Whilst a few Premier League teams (and Ipswich Town) have come very close to equalling the record in recent times, County’s own achievement should be held in very high regard because less than 12 months before we set the record we had only just managed to avoid the drop out of the Football League on the final day of the season.
This is a little bit of a cop-out but my worst memory of Swindon is the iconic ‘Magic Roundabout’. Any fan who has visited the County Ground in the past should have encountered this unique road layout as it is very close to the ground. My one and only experience of navigating it from behind the wheel was when I was somewhat younger than I am today, and hadn’t been driving particularly long. To be fair I’m bemused by the double roundabout in Poynton so the one in Swindon was bound to cause a few nervous moments. Thankfully a mate drove us down this season so he had the pleasure of navigating it this time as we looked for a parking space close to the ground.
As for today’s game, I always get my predictions wrong but I am super confident that we WILL win today – 2-0 to County to stay top of the pile for another week.
Jonathan Baker aka Geordie Hatter, The County Away Day Show
County 2 Swindon 1
This really is a must win today, isn’t it?
From the perspective of the other 23 clubs in League Two, that might seem like a daft question for us to be asking ourselves. After all, which one of them wouldn't snap our hands off right now if offered the opportunity to swap their position in the table for our own? Nevertheless, the feeling among the County support is absolutely that anything less than three points could set alarm bells ringing vis-a-vis our automatic promotion prospects.
I feel that's a rational view, given the marked irregularity of our performances and results leading up to the fixture. Add into that the pre-game rallying cry issued by the manager – exhorting us to come together and get behind the team during a time of challenge – and we have a recipe for a high-octane atmosphere at EP this afternoon, with a shared sentiment, on the pitch and in the stands, that for a game being played in advance of the clocks going forward, the stakes are unusually high.
Does all this add up to a MUST WIN scenario? Taking a fresh look at that League Two table – and reflecting that even an unlikely away win for the Robins could still see us top at 5pm – I'm going to stop just short of such a stark pronouncement. I do think however that an encouraging display of front-footed football from the Hatters will go a long way towards calming some slightly stuttering nerves among us all, and if that can come with a side order of a goal or three, well, we will be looking forward to springtime with notably more spring in our promotion-seeking step.
So… not a must win. Maybe more a should win, and definitely a please win! Please County, win!
I think having said all that, my prediction needs to be a win. I'm going for a tight one though – 2-1 to our boys. I O COUNTY!
Ian Brown, hedgegrower
County 2 Swindon 0
You uploaded your Gillingham report at about 2am on Wednesday morning. That’s a fantastic effort, and I know me and loads of County fans enjoy your work. But were you not tempted to say “sod it that can wait until tomorrow” and just look out of the window / sleep / listen to music on the Flyer?
Although delaying until the morning after arguably would have been a sound course of action, I did not dwell very long over considering that option. I was pretty much hell bent on publishing the Gills report at the earliest possible moment.
I usually work to a deadline. For home games it’s 10pm; for away games it depends on the distance involved. If the journey is four hours or so, there’s every chance I can get everything written, checked, re-checked and published (with images also added) before the Flyer reaches the Finger.
Not including pitchside shots of the games these days has slightly reduced the appeal of the match reports to the fanbase, but I am very appreciative of the support, match after match, from around 1,000 County supporters who by reading my ramblings and responding with largely positive comments make all the extra effort involved in producing the match reports worthwhile!
As for today, after an unbroken run of failed forecasts, I absolutely promise accuracy this time! I was thinking score draw (2-2) but then I noted that after Tuesday’s example of iffy reffing by Mr Swarbey, Carl Brook will have charge of the whistle today and he was similarly occupied when we dispatched Wrexham 5-0 earlier this season, so I’m swayed to confirm a much needed 2-0 County win.
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Photo of the day
Edgeley Park, Stockport
County were 3-0 up by half-time the last time Swindon came to town, back in November 2022 (we won 4-0 in the first round of the FA Cup). More of the same today please County to settle those promotion nerves.
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
Three films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. One Life (12A) at 12.30pm, Argylle (12A) at 3pm and 8.30pm, and Bob Marley: One Love (12A) at 6pm. 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.
If you’re in Stockport before or after the match today, pop into The Petersgate Tap (SK1) for a pint or two. Open till 11pm.
Enjoy a delicious meal at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). You’ll also receive 20% off your bill. Just mention the discount at the till when paying!
🎤 Karaoke
The Nelson Tavern (SK1) with Lee. From 8pm.
🎸 Live music
Birkenhoffe at The Flying Coach (SK7). 9pm.
Random County fan of the day #55 – John Edgerton!
One final thing before you go… if you’re looking for a birthday present 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
📓 Celebrant: Elliot Dodd – Independent Celebrant
👶 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
🚑 Personal Injury: Parkers Solicitors Ltd
🧱 Plasterer: Tate Plastering Services
🚰 Plumber: GTG Gary the Gasman
📕 Publishing: Victor Publishing
🛖 Roofing: ADM Roofing Services Ltd
☀️ Solar Panels: Malbern Solar Ltd
👨💼 Solicitors: B.J. McKenna & Co
⚽️ Sports Coaching: UK Sports Coaching Ltd
🖊 Tattooist: Heatons Tattoo Club
🪵 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