Saturday 23 September 2023
NEXT HOME GAME: Wrexham – Today, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Accrington – Saturday 30 September, 3pm
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, and any Wrexham supporters joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Saturday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.
You might be thinking that’s a rather cordial welcome for any Wrexham fans reading this from a 38-year-old man who took this photo the other day…
…but I’m genuinely glad Wrexham are back in the Football League with us. Would you rather be playing Crawley or Forest Green today? Exactly. I’d much rather traditional old-school clubs like Wrexham and Grimsby and Notts County get back into the 92 than non-league upstarts with a few quid behind them.
Social media gimps aside, I don’t think many clued-up County or Wrexham fans would class this as a proper rivalry. Although with the police recommending The Armoury as the designated away pub today, and graffiti like this going up overnight on Castle Street…
…presumably as a greeting for Wrexham’s James McClean, perhaps the rivalry will be cranked up a notch or two this afternoon.
For me, it’s got draw written all over it, but Ian Brown, Paul Thompson and Jonathan Baker are all backing Chally’s men to make it three wins on the spin, which could put us in the play-offs by 5pm, just as Greater Manchester Police are breaking up a mass brawl on Edgeley roundabout…
Today’s edition of The Scarf My Father Wore is sponsored by Radial Fire and Security. A big thank you to Dan. See below for further details.
COME ON COUNTY!
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 and Wrexham prepare to lock horns for the first time since the final week of the National League title race in 2021-22.
Ian Brown, hedgegrower
County 2 Wrexham 1
What are your best and worst memories from previous games against Wrexham?
The best goes back to a Tuesday night game at the Racecourse Ground in 2006-07 where Jim Gannon’s County side were en route to their epic Football League record of nine consecutive wins without conceding a goal. The Hatters had a great side but even with Jason Taylor busting a gut for the County cause (yes, he got booked) and Anthony Elding leading the blue charge, the game was still agonisingly goalless as we neared 90 minutes, with Wrexham looking to hold on to the home point they’d set their stall out for.
In those days we were housed behind the goal, where the home ‘ultras’ reside now, and a somewhat underwhelming match suddenly burst into life with the sight of Liam Dickinson coming on for Elding with barely a minute of normal time remaining.
Wrexham had probably shaded possession, but their negativity hit payback when Stephen Gleeson was unceremoniously clattered by someone in red with the referee poised to blow for time. Adam Grifin took the free-kick near the main stand touchline and still the whistle hadn’t blown as he lifted the ball into the box where Tes Bramble headed it on for Dicko to head home. The rest was a blur; I just remember we won, and that record was on track still!
It’s on to 2014-15 for the worst experience as part-time County went down to a predictable FA Trophy defeat, 6-1 at the hands of Conference Premier full-timers Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground.
The weather was diabolical but the referee’s performance matched the conditions as he waved County’s legitimate penalty claims away when the ball crashed into a Wrexham hand in the box, and again moments later when Chris Sharp was hacked down. The near side liner’s performance was no better – so fastidious in the first half flagging men in blue offside, only to keep his flag resolutely down when Wrexham slotted two clearly offside efforts home after the break.
Chris Churchman had reduced early arrears sending us in only 2-1 down at the break with some hope, but those calamities mentioned above quickly moved the scoreline from 2-1 to a far less manageable 4-1. Two more Welsh goals followed to complete the rout; the Fingerpost Flyer took us home not a moment too soon.
As for today’s game, if County keep their cool, and retain their discipline, we can win this 2-1 – preferably via a 97th minute own goal!
Paul Thompson, Stockport County Supporters Co-operative
I O County 3 Wrexham All Stars 1
Both clubs have expressed a desire to reach the Championship. Who do you think will get there first?
“Welcome to the Championship!” That really would be the best gift.
For now we can both dream. Many trials and tribulations will happen along the way to give both teams enough drama to fill a few hours of a streaming show.
We could both rise (and fall) at the same time. Dave v Phil. The lower leagues’ answer to Pep v Mikel. Stotty v Hollywood. You could spin this any way you wanted. It could be a Rocky story on either side, that ultimately defeats your current foe only to become lifelong friends after. So after a neck and neck season in League Two, followed by a couple in League One, before a final sprint up the town hall steps, you have to remember it’s always Sunny in Stockport, and Dave and Stotty will be performing the now set in stone Danny salute!
While I’m afraid I don’t have a knockout segue for this, can I just remind you that the Co-op are running a foodbank collection for Chelwood Foodbank Plus today. Your support would be very much appreciated. Click here for further details.
Oh… I nearly forgot the closing credits. I O County 3 Wrexham All Stars 1 this afternoon (with 15 minutes of added time to try and allow Wrexham to equal things up).
Jonathan Baker aka Geordie Hatter, The County Away Day Show
County 3 Wrexham 2
I feel a bit cringey asking you this question, jumping on a bandwagon I don’t even want to be on. But with today’s visitors, it has to be done. So… what’s your top five Disney songs?
1) “In a World of My Own” by Kathryn Beaumont
Alice in Wonderland - 1951
In a week where one opposition player’s personal poppy preferences appear to have transported certain sections of our fanbase into a state of perplexed apoplexy more commonly associated with immoderate recourse to mind-altering substances, the whimsical wish expressed here to reside in a wondrous wonderland where “The Flowers have very extra special Powers” seems an apt opener.
Taking the just-possibly-recreational-drug-use-inspired lyric further into the realms of the charmingly absurd, Beaumont then invites us to imagine a harmonious and bountiful world packed with magical delights, including a dozen-strong flock of friendly bluebirds issued personally to each inhabitant. It’s probably too late to suggest that Greater Manchester Police adopt similar crowd-calming tactics as part of the stringent anti-aggravation measures expected this weekend at Edgeley Park, but perhaps note could be taken by the constabulary, in respect of upcoming ‘Class A’ fixtures. I mean, it’s got to be worth a try…
2) “Trust in Me” by Siouxsie and the Banshees
The Jungle Book - 1967
Speaking of personally-curated universes in which one could imagine residing for blissful eternity, I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking the wall-to-wall provision of unlimited Siouxsie and the Banshees would be stipulated as a non-negotiable element within my own idealised blueprint.
And this track – in which our favourite proto-Goths lay a trademark slice of archly shimmering menace over the film – would feature heavily, and on repeat. I’d also like, while we are at it, to request the constant presence within my own wondrous wonderland of Siouxsie in her actual person, and that she serve me with trays of steaming hot tea and lightly-buttered crumpets, on the hour, every hour. But perhaps I’m sharing too much here. Just perhaps. On then, to…
3) “Ev’rybody Wants to Be a Cat” by Scatman Crothers
The Aristocats - 1970
According to a heavily radio rotated and approximately 17 minutes long Tears for Fears number that remained perched atop the national hit parade for seemingly the entire duration of my long-ago O-level studies, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”.
Even as a callow youth, this proposition struck me as both statistically unlikely and problematically unachievable within the context of a liberal democracy. Far more appealing for me personally – then and now – would be the lifestyle enjoyed by the domestic feline, in which aspirations towards global domination take a back seat, in favour of 16 hours of power-napping each day, interspersed with short bursts of being tickled on the tummy, grazing on choice meats, and chasing imaginary spiders across the living room carpet. But enough (again) of my own idealised lifestyle. And swiftly onwards, to…
4) “Sueltalo” by Gisela
Frozen - 2013
Regarded as the finest power ballad to emerge from the Disney stable in modern times, “Let It Go” has enjoyed levels of airplay sufficient to reduce Tears for Fears to sobs of envy. Sufficient reason in my book to hold up the substitution board, and bring on mightily-lunged native of Barcelona, Gisela, for a late four-minute cameo featuring the Spanish language soundtrack version of the filmic classic.
There’s a certain melodramatic quality in the Castilian delivery here that heightens the already significant emotional impact of the number, and I’m all for it – even if I feel the need for a lie down with a cup of tea and a warm crumpet immediately upon its conclusion. And then something a little more light-hearted to see us all on our way. Something like…
5) “Chim Chim Cheree” by Dick Van Dyke
Mary Poppins - 1964
It’s a safe bet that when the prolific soundtrack-composing brother-duo Robert and Richard Sherman sat down to create the signature tune that would propel Dick Van Dyke’s cod-cockney characterisation of a cheerful capital city chimney sweep into global popular folklore, a scenario they hadn’t envisaged was their singalong number being belted out by 15,000 beer-fuelled Black Country-ites, with the second line adapted to read: “We hate those bastards in claret and blue.”
This however remains my abiding memory of a 1987-88 Molineux League Cup tie pitting then Fourth Division Wolverhampton Wanderers against their second city rivals Aston Villa – and the ditty is of course no stranger to our very own Cheadle End, where, regardless of the day’s opposition, it may be occasionally aired as a declaration of collective enmity towards Burnley. Should we ever draw that lot in a cup tie… well, save to say the atmosphere may rival that expected for this afternoon’s sell-out clash.
Along with all members of the County Nation fortunate enough to be in possession of a match ticket for the encounter with the Hollywood-backed hard-hitters of League Two, I absolutely cannot wait. I envisage a high-scoring and close-run affair, with County to edge it. Bring it on!
Get in touch with Radial Fire and Security
As you know, we like to have a laugh and a joke at The Scarf My Father Wore, but something like fire protection is a serious matter, so we’ll get straight down to business. Radial Fire and Security are a leading commercial fire safety company with over 20 years’ experience, operating throughout the UK, specialising in the supply and service of a variety of different ranges of fire protection equipment. If you’re looking for cover, or simply to obtain some further information, give Dan a call today.
Visit radialfire.co.uk for further details.
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.
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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Photo of the day
I don’t even know where to begin with this one. Liam Dickinson’s still in good shape though, isn’t he? Get him up front, Chally!
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