Des Junior’s Great Big Review of 2023: Part 4 – April
Plus! 26 photos from County’s final home game of the year
Saturday 23 December 2023
NEXT HOME GAME: Mansfield – Monday 1 January, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Barrow – Tuesday 26 December, 3pm
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, and anyone else joining us today, a very warm welcome to your top-of-the-league-on-Christmas-Day edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.
I’m afraid our stuff on Friday night’s game won’t be with you until tomorrow. Notts County have had my laptop for the last 45 minutes and they won’t give it back. (They were bloody good, weren’t they? But from our point of view, that’s the sort of victory that wins the championship.)
Leyton Orient were the League Two champions last season and we’re heading down there today as my Great Big Review of 2023 takes us into April. County were unbeaten throughout the month, taking the automatic promotion race to the final day.
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: £1,027
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
Friday 7: Sutton (A) 1-0
Monday 10: Newport (H) 4-0
Saturday 15: Gillingham (A) 1-1
Tuesday 18: Carlisle (A) 2-2
Saturday 22: Rochdale (H) 1-0
Saturday 29: Leyton Orient (A) 3-0
County haven’t always smashed eight past Sutton. Before last weekend, the previous time we played the U’s we only managed one goal. But what an important one. Jack Stretton scored the only goal of the game at Gander Green Lane to keep the pressure on Northampton, Carlisle and Stevenage in the automatic promotion race.
Three days later, on Easter Monday, Carlisle and Stevenage both dropped points which meant County climbed to 3rd with a comfortable 4-0 victory at home to Newport. Stretton was on target once again, along with Kyle Wootton (2) and Kyle Knoyle.
“Excellent,” was Sandy McGregor’s verdict after the game. “Automatic is still there as a real possibility. Bookies seem to prefer Stevenage and Northampton but if we keep winning I am sure we can catch at least one of them. It’s going to be nerve shredding.”
Those nerves started to jangle the following Saturday as County slipped out of the automatic promotion places with a 1-1 draw at Gillingham. Will Collar’s 89th minute equaliser salvaged a point.
Another late leveller was needed on our Tuesday night trip to promotion rivals Carlisle. County led at half-time through Myles Hippolyte, but the Cumbrians scored twice in the second half before Connor Evans rescued a point in the 86th minute. Dave Challinor’s men hadn’t yet secured a play-off place, so it felt like an important point at Brunton Park, but with Northampton and Stevenage both winning that evening, it did feel like this was the moment our automatic promotion hopes were finished.
Back at Edgeley Park, something else was finished: Rochdale’s Football League place.
“I’m absolutely devastated,” said Dale fan Charlotte Cromarty before the game. “As much as we’ve been expecting it for the majority of the season, it’s horrible. I think what worries us the most as fans is whether we’ll still have a club in years to come. We’ve become worse and worse since Covid and never really recovered after the shenanigans of the ‘hostile takeover’ and the various managerial changes that haven’t worked. Our chairman has also admitted that we need outside investment as our fan-owned structure isn’t sustainable to compete with other clubs in these modern times. So there really is a lot of uncertainty around the club. We also need to appoint a full-time manager, which is a decision the club have got to get right.”
Tanto’s strike at the end of the first half was the final nail in Rochdale’s coffin, which also took us to within one point of the top three after Stevenage’s defeat at Mansfield. “Just win these last two and hope for the best,” said Simon Lomas after the game.
At this point, Stevenage still had a game in hand over County, which produced three points from their midweek trip to Swindon. Automatic promotion was then secured on the Saturday, with a 2-0 victory at home to Grimsby.
Northampton also had the opportunity to clinch their place in League One on the penultimate weekend of the season, but lost 2-1 at home to Bradford. That gave County the chance to take the battle for promotion to the final day following a stunning 3-0 victory away to champions Leyton Orient.
County were two up after just ten minutes, through Akil Wright and Callum Camps. Connor Evans added a third late on, rounding off a memorable day.
“Unforgettable,” was Dave Thompson’s verdict. “Joe Lewis silenced some critics. Camps controlled the midfield well. Croasdale was his usual brilliant unsung hero. And the fans. Shutting the bar meant we were there for 90 minutes and don’t believe what you read from the Orient fans. We were singing relentlessly.
“I hope that the stars align and the players and staff get promoted, one way or another. They deserve everything. AEF.”
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.
County’s final home game of 2023
Photo of the day
A house in Edgeley
I loved Kyle Wootton’s early goal yesterday. So too Paddy’s late penalty. But this was my favourite moment on Friday, snuggling on the sofa with cute and squishy little Evan Hinks (his twin brother Myles was being a grumpy bugger elsewhere).
Today in SK
🎶 DJ
Bask (SK1) have recently been granted an extended license, which means you can now party until 3am on a Saturday night! Last entry 1.30am.
🍟 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.
🎤 Karaoke
Lee at The Nelson Tavern (SK1). 8pm - 1am.
🎵 Live music
Liam as Robbie Williams at The Crown Inn (SK6). 9pm.
The Scarf My Father Wore works closely with venues on a daily basis to bring you the most comprehensive guide to all of the best offers and events taking place across the whole SK region. Click on the links below for full details of everything taking place in your area over the next few weeks.
SK1 / SK2 / SK3 / SK4 / SK5 / SK6 / SK7 / SK8 / SK9 / SK10 / SK11 / SK12 / SK13 / SK14 / SK15 / SK16 / SK17 / SK22 / SK23
DJ Des
Mark Love’s flag caused havoc on social media last night with our friends from North Wales. So let’s enjoy this Frankie Goes To Hollywood classic. We go to the Racecourse eighteen weeks today…
Would you like DJ Des to play a particular song for you? Email thescarfmyfatherwore@substack.com with your requests/shoutouts!
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