Des Junior’s Great Big Review of 2023: Part 2 – February
County fans start dreaming of a second consecutive promotion after a run of five straight victories
Thursday 21 December 2023
NEXT HOME GAME: Notts County – Friday 22 December, 7.45pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Barrow – Tuesday 26 December, 3pm
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, and anyone else joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Thursday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.
Congratulations to Nick and Geordie Hatter, the winning team in last night’s The Scarf Bergara Wore quiz at Stockport Gin. Commiserations to Russ and Waggy, who were in front late on, but were pipped at the post in a bizarre final round involving distorted images of County players from FIFA 23. You don’t get that on University Challenge. Big thanks to Paul for hosting, and Ben for compiling a belting quiz. I’ll have a write-up with you over the next few days.
Today, it’s part two of my review of 2023. County only tasted victory once in January, but there’s much more of that winning feeling in February, as the push for promotion intensifies.
Today’s edition is sponsored by UK Sports Coaching. A big thank you to Matt. Aside from the coaching, they also have a great studio available to hire in Welkin Mill. An ideal space for dance, martial arts, children’s parties or local community groups. To check availability, call 07891 205763 or email info@uksportscoaching.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: 46.68 miles
Total steps so far: 83,302
Total raised so far: £1,027
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
Saturday 4: Tranmere (H) 3-2
Saturday 11: Harrogate (A) 3-1
Tuesday 14: Crawley (H) 2-1
Saturday 18: Stevenage (H) 2-0
Tuesday 21: Rochdale (A) 2-1
Saturday 25: Barrow (A) 0-1
February is the shortest month of the year, but those 28 days produced no fewer than five County victories, as Dave Challinor’s men first climbed into the play-off places, and then started to launch an attack on the top three.
Tranmere came to SK3 at the start of the month for the first time since May 2010, when they celebrated clinching League One survival on the final day by snapping the Railway End crossbar in half.
This time it was County toasting all three points, which took us into the play-off places for the first time. Tranmere gave a good account of themselves, equalising in the first half and pulling one back late on, but goals from Kyle Knoyle (his first for County), Kyle Wootton and Will Collar secured a 3-2 victory.
Here’s what Ian Brown had to say after the game: “It was the kind of gritty performance we will need going forward in the battle to attain League One status. No one let us down. I looked in vain for Rydel wide left but Saturday’s width came from Hussey who had a fine game supplementing solid defence with some dangerous crosses. I loved the alertly opportunist nature of our second and third goals which took full advantage of defensive errors by Tranmere and it was particularly good to see Tanto weigh in with a hefty assist for our third. I can see him and Wootton shaping up well together if given the chance.”
Here’s what Des Junior had to say about his pre-match meal: “Our starter is a cranberry and Wensleydale tart, with apple chutney and baby leaf salad. Looking back at my notes, my dining companions are not quite on par with Jay Rayner or Grace Dent, it’s fair to say. Verdicts such as ‘it’s not a steak bake’ or ‘it’s just a posh quiche, innit’ are unlikely to impress the Guild of Food Writers. As for my view, it’s not the cheesiest of tarts (and I do like a cheesy… no, don’t finish that one Des), but tasty all the same.” You can click on the link below for the rest of my Edgeley Park corporate experience.
A week later, on the morning of County’s first Football League trip to Harrogate, I asked our readers not to shoot the statistic messenger as I revealed that the Hatters had never failed to find the back of the net when playing at Wetherby Road. Understandably, some County fans did shoot the statistic messenger, worried I was tempting fate, but there was absolutely nothing to be concerned about in North Yorkshire. Myles Hippolyte had us 1-0 up after 19 minutes, Tanto doubled our lead on 34, and although Harrogate pulled a goal back just after the hour mark, Will Collar made it 3-1 just ten minutes later.
The Hatters were never in danger of dropping any points. “Man for man County were the better team and deserved the win,” was the verdict from Harrogate fan Jordan Ford. “We were rubbish. No drive, no quality, no clue.”
Sandy McGregor was pleased with County’s performance – “job well done” – as well as the food: “The pie and mash went down very well. Gary, our driver, was waxing lyrical about the Bovril.”
On the day of Crawley’s long midweek trip to Edgeley Park, I opened my editorial with the following: “Happy Valentine’s Day! I feel a little bit slutty saying that to 386 different subscribers (plus the hundreds of others who read the website each day) but sod it, I’m feeling the love today. The sun is shining, County are in the play-offs, and I’m off to Stockport shortly for a Tuesday night under the Edgeley Park floodlights. No date unfortunately, but Vernon Bear has promised to lick corned beef hash off my torso if I can make it to the County Courtyard by 7pm. Who needs a box of Milk Tray when you’ve got that tantalising proposition…”
I appeared to be in a particularly jovial mood that morning, even finding the time to share a little treat with our female readers…
…plus the male ones…
…but my mood had certainly changed nine minutes into our date with the Red Devils as Jack Powell fired the League Two strugglers into the lead with a superb free-kick that rocketed into the top right corner. Crawley were only in front for four minutes, however, as Kyle Wootton equalised, before heading home the winner just after the break.
Mozzer shared his thoughts with us after the game: “I thought we were lucky to go in level but we upped our game enough after the break to just about give us the edge – I suspect a Crawley fan will think they did enough over the 90 to have got something out of us! Uncharacteristically poor performances from some of our key players, particularly in the middle of the park in the first half, made things very tricky for us. We got hold of the ball more after the break and moved it around better than we had done, causing them problems down both flanks. Hopefully this was us finding a way to win despite having an off-day, rather than a sign of anything to come.”
“Steve Evans has done the best job of any manager in the EFL.” That was the opinion of Matt Farley from The Stevenage FC Podcast ahead of his side’s trip to Edgeley Park. Stevenage were 2nd at the time, the position they’d finish the campaign in, and as I write they’re only one point off the automatic promotion places in League One. It was a bold statement from Matt, but it is difficult to argue with him.
Evans and Co were no match for Dave Challinor’s men back in February, though. “Outclassed,” was the verdict from Stevenage fan Mike Harniman. “It was great, wasn’t it?” said Jamie Summers. “The match called for a big performance and we got one, completely deserving of the win. The way we controlled the game in the first half, and then dealt with Stevenage’s threat in the second was textbook County at our best. You know sometimes when you get a win and it feels just that bit more significant than usual… well, definitely that.”
Will Collar and Ryan Rydel were on target as County clinched a fourth consecutive victory.
Number five came three days later at Spotland, as 2,927 Hatters made the short trip to Rochdale expecting County to make light work of League Two’s bottom club, six points from safety. Another three points were secured – taking County up to 4th, just a point off the top three – but it was a frustrating evening that required a lot of patience. It wasn’t until the 56th minute that County took the lead, through a Will Collar penalty which settled the nerves, even more so when the same man made it 2-0 a couple of minutes later. Devante Rodney pulled a goal back late on, but County held on.
February ended with a 1-0 defeat at Barrow. Our County correspondent Sandy McGregor opted to use “dire” for his one-word assessment of the game at Holker Street, not a word you’d expect to be used after a run of five consecutive victories. But unfortunately, Sandy’s verdict wasn’t hyperbolic - everyone I spoke to who travelled up to Cumbria said the same thing, and for further evidence you only had to listen to Dave Challinor’s post-match interview.
Victory in Cumbria would have taken County into the automatic promotion places, but defeat meant we had to settle for 5th place at the end of February.
Des Junior’s Great Big Review of 2023
Book your place in the Greater Manchester Christmas Cup!
UK Sports are currently taking bookings for the final few spaces in their fantastic Christmas Cup.
All competitions are sanctioned by the FA, with low, medium and high level groups available.
December dates take place at Hazel Grove Sports Centre, with January events at Stockport Sports Village.
Wednesday 27 December, kick-off 9am: Under-7s (fully booked)
Wednesday 27 December, kick-off 1pm: Under-8s (one space remaining)
Thursday 28 December, kick-off 9am: Under-9s (fully booked)
Thursday 28 December, kick-off 1pm: Under-10s (one space remaining)
Friday 29 December, kick-off 9am: Under-11s (one space remaining)
Friday 29 December, kick-off 1pm: Under-12s (one space remaining)
Tuesday 2 January, kick-off 9am: Under-8s (one space remaining)
Tuesday 2 January, kick-off 1pm: Under-10s (three spaces remaining)
For further details, please call 07891 205763 or email info@uksportscoaching.co.uk.
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Photo of the day
Lane 7, Sheffield
A rare photo of Oliver Beaumont (Chris’s lad) with his shirt on, enjoying his Christmas do in Sheffield.
Today in SK
🥘 Food and drink
Lunch deal at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). One course for £7 or two courses for £11. 12pm - 2pm.
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 - 7.30pm.
Taster Thursday at TRUNK (SK7). Three tapas dishes and a glass of sangria for £20 from 5pm. 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.
Enjoy a taste of India with Curry Thursday at Platform 5 (SK8). £14.45 for a curry, which includes rice, naan bread, poppadoms, mango chutney and a drink. 12pm - 8pm.
🎶 Free jukebox
Nelson Tavern (SK1). From 6.30pm.
🎱 Free pool
George & Dragon (SK7). 6pm - 9pm.
❓ Quiz night
Cheshire Line Tavern (SK8). 8pm. £3 per person. Cash prizes and vouchers for the winners, runners-up and team finishing second to last. Food available before the quiz, including two meals for £20.
DJ Des
“This is the best moment of my life,” said Nick Lee after winning The Scarf Bergara Wore quiz at Stockport Gin last night. That deserves a little bit of Queen.
Would you like DJ Des to play a particular song for you? Email thescarfmyfatherwore@substack.com with your requests/shoutouts!
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