Doncaster, Wimbledon, Colchester, Crewe, let’s have a catch-up with you… and Newport too
Our 2023-24 preview continues today with Newport, who we did the double over last season
Tuesday 4 July 2023
NEXT HOME GAME: Huddersfield - Saturday 22 July, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Lincoln (in Spain!) - Friday 7 July, 4pm (Click here for our away day guide)
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, and any Newport supporters joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Tuesday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.
Ed Bridges from the 1912 Exiles podcast joins us today for a chat about annoying Wrexham fans, The Raggy Dolls, and Omar Bogle.
Finally, a big thank you to Lee at On-Point Construction for sponsoring today’s edition.
Des Junior
Their place: Saturday 25 November 2023, 3pm
Our place: Saturday 9 March 2024, 3pm
Last win at their place: Saturday 12 November 2022, League Two, 2-1
Last win at our place: Monday 10 April 2023, League Two, 4-0
Today’s Sky Bet title/promotion/relegation odds: Us – 6/1 11/8 50/1 Them – 50/1 8/1 7/1
Are you glad County lost the play-off final, or would you rather be playing Carlisle this season?
In my 2022-23 review for you, I said that County and Carlisle were the best two teams we played and I was astonished neither of you went up automatically. I was genuinely sad that only one of you could get promoted via the play-offs. I marginally preferred my day out in Carlisle last season to my one in Stockport (although both involved gutless defeats in freezing temperatures) so I was pleased they won on the day – but County are amongst my tips for promotion this year.
In terms of your summer transfer business, where have Newport been shopping?
The food bank! On a recent podcast, I described our transfer policy as being akin to the 1980s children’s cartoon The Raggy Dolls where we take other club’s cast-offs, crocks and no-hopers out of the reject bin, get them all to work together and make up for each other’s deficiencies, and then they go off and have a wonderful adventure together. And 2023-24, against a backdrop of financial uncertainty, is set to be a hell of an adventure…
With the current energy crisis, the government have ordered all Football League clubs to switch off one thing that uses power for the whole season. What are you choosing?
I think this question comes at it from the wrong angle. Football fans create so much unnecessary energy, they could surely be a net contributor to the National Grid. The parvenues of Wrexham could light up half the country with their smug sense of entitlement, whilst us Newport fans could probably pay off the club’s mounting debts if only we could capture the kinetic value of the incessant moaning at the back of the Hazells Stand.
Which team do you most want to beat this season?
Northeast Wales Hollywood Franchise™. We actually get on well with the sort of Wrexham fans who attend their games and have been going for years, but the hangers-on and starfuckers have made that club unbearable.
County haven't played MK Dons since 2009-10, so we're a little out of the loop. What's your current thoughts when it comes to MK Dons away – boycott the game, happy to attend, or reluctantly go without spending any other money on food, drink, programmes etc.
As far as we’re concerned, they’re still a pariah club who don’t deserve to exist. When Newport were forced to play 80 miles away at Moreton-in-Marsh in the 1980s we did it to preserve our identity and with the aim of getting back to the city as soon as possible. When Wimbledon were forcibly moved 80 miles to Milton Keynes, those behind it sought to rip up a club’s identity and prevent them from playing in their community. To coin a phrase, Franchise FC’s existence is “not in the wider interests of football”.
The Conservative party are in disarray at the moment. They've contacted your club and asked your chairman and manager to join them, to bring some new ideas to the table. Which roles would they be most suited to?
Chairman… what chairman?! Our supporters’ trust – like the UK government – is in a bit of a state at the moment, and coincidentally are also overdue for an election. But perhaps whoever next gets the gig can also fill in as secretary of state for Wales – they’d be better than the current incumbent, the truly odious David Davies MP.
As for our manager, Graham “Cocko” Coughlan, we reckon if you brought him in at transport he’d get the trains running on time just by sheer force of personality.
There's a huge game at Rodney Parade this season. You're 1-0 up with 15 minutes to go when Just Stop Oil protestors invade the pitch and get the game abandoned. How are Newport fans reacting?
“If it gets abandoned, we might still get a point from this.”
Newport County, Notts County, Stockport County. Snog one, marry one, avoid one.
Marry Newport, snog Notts, avoid Stockport (sorry). Fully expecting the other 23 responses to put us back in our box though.
Ryan Reynolds gets in touch and says he wants you to take him on a Hollywood-style night out when Wrexham visit. He wants the nicest meal in town, followed by the swankiest bar, and then the best hotel. What are your recommendations?
I feel like I’m ragging a lot on Wrexham with these answers so rather than be a smartarse I will simply say that there are moves afoot to try and generate some Welsh solidarity between Newport and Wrexham fans by seeing if there’s scope for a weekend celebration of Welsh music, Welsh fan culture and general bonhomie at both games this season. Let’s hope so, it might be the only thing that makes the inevitable defeats bearable. For any County fans wanting to sample something along those lines, drink at Tiny Rebel, eat in the street food hall in Newport Market and go and watch a band at Le Pub. You can’t go wrong.
There's a quote saying "Stockport Isn't Shit" which has taken off around our town, with the words proudly displayed in bars and on various bags and t-shirts. What quote would you use to promote Newport to people who think it's not that fashionable?
Newport – home of working class radicalism since 1839.
Which Newport player is most likely to end up in League Two's team of the season?
It’s a bit early to say. The heart says Omar Bogle, who racked up a healthy goal tally last year in a poor team and will hopefully do so again, but the head says it should be one of our (many) midfield grafters, like Harry Charsley.
Early predictions for 2023-24?
Brace yourselves… County (you, not us!) as champions, with the Northeast Wales Hollywood Franchise and Salford as the other automatics. Grimsby to go up in the play-offs ahead of Notts County, Bradford and Sw*ndon. Relegation beckons for Forest Green and the Crawley Cryptononces.
Click on the links below to read the previous 2023-24 previews we’ve published so far.
On-Point Construction – building tomorrow’s history
On-Point Construction was formed in 2017, with one of their first projects in Knutsford, laying the foundations on Wayne Rooney’s new house. From there the business has gone from strength to strength across Cheshire, also renovating the old farmhouse in Alderley Edge where Dietmar Hamann used to live. Recently, the company has built many extensions in the area, as well as paving numerous driveways and extracting a number of chimney breasts. They price aggressively to win work without sacrificing on quality, never missing a deadline with a long list of happy clients that recommend their services. If you’re looking for a quote on any building work at the moment, give Lee a call.
Click here for contact details.
Photo of the day
Manchester airport
Clare Jeffs and Hannah Brown on a Ryanair flight out of Manchester early this morning. Hannah’s Spanish diary will be on The Scarf My Father Wore later this month!
Today in SK
🍺 Food and drink
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Tapas Tuesday at TRUNK (SK7) from 5pm. All tapas dishes are 3-for-2 (cheapest dish free). 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.
🎱 Free pool
The George & Dragon (SK7). 6pm - 9pm.
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