EXCLUSIVE: An extract from the brand new book on Stockport County’s first season back in League One

Exeter City make the long trip to SK3 in December with Storm Darragh causing havoc across the UK

Jun 25, 2025

Wednesday 25 June 2025

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THE SCARF MY FATHER WORE 2025-26 CALENDAR: Having been to all 56 County games this season, I’ve taken thousands of photos. I’ve put together calendars for next season, featuring some of my favourite photos from the last year, plus some other County bits and bobs. £10 each. Get in touch if you’d like one.

I’ve written a book! Well, not quite, but it’s certainly nearing completion now. I’m hoping to have it on sale around August/September, in plenty of time for you all to buy it for Christmas for the County fan in your life! Having attended all 56 games in 2024-25, the book tells the tale of County’s first season back in League One, combined with plenty of personal memories from my four decades following the club home and away. If you’d like to have your name printed at the front of the book, along with a signed copy and a ticket to the book launch, please consider supporting The Scarf My Father Wore as a paid subscriber by clicking on the button below.

Today’s edition is sponsored by CFN School of Motoring. A big thank you to Craig.

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: 253.75 miles

Total steps so far: 418,084

Total raised so far: £2,312

Total completed streets so far: 474 (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

No way back for Exeter after Louie Barry’s late penalty made it 2-0 in December

If this afternoon’s game was taking place at St James Park rather than Edgeley Park, it would probably be called off. Storm Darragh is causing havoc across the UK, but it’s the South West (and Wales) in particular that’s bearing the brunt of the conditions, where three million people have been sent an emergency alert from the government. Games at Cardiff, Plymouth, Bristol Rovers and Newport have already fallen victim to the weather, and as the morning develops, the storm causes further damage to the fixture list. Matches taking place in Blackpool, Crawley and Barrow go to the wall, as does Notts County versus Colchester, due to a couple of panels on the Meadow Lane scoreboard coming loose, which can’t be fixed before kick-off, and can’t be left dangling precariously above supporters’ heads. Ah, health and safety gone mad. And spare a thought for 15-year-old Mackenzie Kinsella from Australia, who’s flown halfway around the world for the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, only for the storm to bugger that one up too.

County v Exeter, however – the first meeting between the two sides since we were last in League One in 2009-10 – goes ahead. Good news for one of my mates Dave Philbin, who put the following in a WhatsApp group at 9am: ‘If I don’t get my pigs in blankets in gravy I will kill someone.’

It’s our first home game in December, which means supporters have already started salivating over the festive fayre on offer before the game in the County Courtyard. There’s the aforementioned pigs in blankets (served with a pot of Bovril dipping gravy), Christmas in a barm, turkey and cranberry pies, as well as the return of the club’s Christmas Dinner in a Cup, which went viral in 2022 when it was launched, before gaining further acclaim last December when it sprouted up on the BBC, in town for our FA Cup replay against Aldershot.

As a vegetarian, I’m not arsed about the pigs in blankets. I’ve got to tell you, though, there’s a Desmond-in-a-duvet who’s finding it extremely hard to surface from his sty this morning with the wind howling outside and the rain battering his bedroom window. As I finally venture out of the front door, the wintry conditions haven’t relinquished a jot, but at least I’m dressed appropriately. I’m sporting a brand new winter coat and a pair of boots. With a ferocious storm on the horizon, you can be sure a mother won’t visit her son in the week without insisting on a short (and sensible) shopping spree. Thank you mummy.

I’m protected from the elements, but there’s a problem at Chester train station. The word CANCELLED is flashing in big, red, unfriendly letters next to every service on the departures board. There is, however, a solitary Manchester airport train leaving shortly. I feel like I’m on the last plane out of Saigon as I take my seat, along with a number of other passengers letting out relieved sighs as they uncomfortably remove soggy coats, hats and scarves. A young child on the table behind me (probably oblivious to the red weather warning in place to be fair) sings ‘Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop, when the wind blows, the cradle will rock’. Never mind the cradle, this Transport for Wales service is rocking and rattling a fair bit, but I make it to Manchester Piccadilly in one piece; Stockport shortly after.

Fraser Horsfall returns from suspension today, but Ibby Touray keeps his place in the team, with Ryan Rydel dropping to the bench. Callum Camps comes in for Ollie Norwood after an impressive second-half display in midweek, with Jay Mingi also starting in place of Macauley Southam-Hales, having picked up a knock at Birmingham.

Louie Barry, who had a frustrating evening at St Andrew’s on Wednesday, has County’s first chance of the afternoon after just four minutes, jinking into Exeter’s area before firing wide at the near post. Barry then sets up County’s second opportunity, with a low cross from the left to Kyle Wootton, who looks nailed on to open the scoring but somehow gets his feet muddled up before firing wide. There’s a couple of half-chances after that – and Horsfall’s afternoon is cut short due to feeling dizzy after a challenge – but that’s about it from the first 45. It’s raining, it’s pouring, the first half’s been pretty boring. The weather isn’t helping, obviously. A couple of Ben Hinchliffe long balls have sailed straight into the hands of Exeter’s keeper, while one of Horsfall’s clearances vamoosed over the Pop Side roof.

The atmosphere picks up at the start of the second half, as County kick towards the Cheadle End, but against the wind. Hands are clapped, fists are pumped, voices are heard. Although that could just be an attempt by County fans to keep their circulation going. It’s bloody cold. It’s still bloody windy too, as a Touray cross from the left hangs in the air like an empty crisp packet without causing Exeter’s defenders any trouble. Barry’s making a real nuisance of himself, but his decision-making is slightly off this afternoon, either failing to find a teammate or frustratingly taking an extra touch having done the hard work in creating a decent opportunity to test the visiting keeper.

At half-time, the general consensus amongst County fans was that it might take a mistake to break the deadlock today, and so it proves in the 67th minute. Wootton’s shot from 12 yards is parried by Joe Whitworth, before Exeter’s French defender Tristan Crama puts the rebound into his own goal. Perhaps Crama just wanted to deliver an early Christmas present to County fans. He was born in Beziers, a city in southern France which was twinned with Stockport back in 1972.

I’m joking, of course, but if there are any conspiracy theorists reading this, Crama brings down Barry inside the area with three minutes to go. The Aston Villa loanee picks himself up, places the ball on the spot, and sends Whitworth the wrong way. Another gift from Crama; three points underneath the Christmas tree for the home side.

Football is a tribal sport, so there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a raucous rendition of ‘cheerio, cheerio, cheerio’ as some of the Exeter contingent start to head for the exits, but you have to feel slightly sorry for the 687 Grecians having to make the long trek back to Devon in this weather, goalless and pointless from their trip to the north. I’m not virtue signalling, by the way. If I’m honest, my sympathy for the Devonians has lapsed by the time I’ve retreated to the warmth of the Armoury, and any Exeter-related empathy is long gone an hour or two later as I’m tucking into crunchy poppadoms smothered in red onion and mango chutney at Chilli Massalla on Castle Street (it’s the annual Christmas curry night for the Stockport Sippers Society). Ah, there’s plenty of motorway service stations for Exeter fans to grab a Ginsters on the way home. Sod ‘em.

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Photo(s) of the day

Edgeley Park, Stockport

County v Exeter in December. A grim afternoon (apart from the result) due to Storm Darragh!

Today in SK

🎬 Cinema

One film at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) this evening. The Salt Path (12A) at 8.30pm. Click here for tickets.

🍺 Food and drink

The Nelson Tavern (SK1) have a great range of offers throughout the week, including £5.50 for drinks off the Doubles Bar, a comprehensive range of shots for £1.50, and 3 for £7 on Jägerbombs. Also, double up for £2 on premium spirits.

Bitter £2.30 a pint all night at The Cross Keys (SK8).

A number of venues are featured on The Scarf My Father Wore such as The Crown (SK2), The Dog & Partridge (SK2), The Crown Inn (SK6), The Three Tunnes (SK7) and Flute & Firkin (SK12). Support them this month by popping in for a few drinks and a bite to eat.