Harrogate v County
Don’t shoot the statistic messenger, but County have never failed to hit the back of the net when they’ve played at Wetherby Road…
Saturday 11 February 2023
Good morning County fans! A safe journey to those of you travelling to Harrogate today. Your stat of the day as you’re eating your breakfast is this… County have scored at least one goal on all nine previous visits to Wetherby Road. Let’s hope for a goal or two on our 10th trip this afternoon, as we’ll almost certainly need three points in Yorkshire to avoid dropping out of the play-offs.
Over the last couple of days, I’ve finished writing the questions for our quiz night at Bask on Thursday 23 February. We’ve got a cracking quiz. We’ve got great prizes. We’ve got Paul Jones joining us for the evening. We’ve even got a little bit of stand-up comedy as well. All that for a fiver. Click here to join us.
Finally, today’s edition is sponsored by N.J.D Waste Removals. A big thank you to Jamie. If you need any waste removal or house clearance services this year, give N.J.D a call. Further details below.
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 providers to have a pre-match natter with. Here’s their thoughts and score predictions as County head to Yorkshire attempting to hold on to their League Two play-off spot.
Ian Brown, hedgegrower
Harrogate 0 County 2
County looked like they’d had a rocket up their arse against Tranmere last Saturday. Do you think Challinor had given them a bollocking after a poor January, or did we just need to dust the new year cobwebs off after illness and injuries?
Bit of both really.
I’m sure that Challinor will have underlined to his team the urgent need for them to do better, but then I am equally certain that not one of his players would not have appreciated what was needed before a word was spoken.
What we didn’t need was for there to be too many changes in the starting line-up and in that regard, I feel that Hippolyte for Ryan Johnson got the balance about right. That said, I still need convincing on Camps’ value to the team, and I can see just what Rydel brings to the party so that’s one more change I think would benefit us now.
As for Harrogate, more game time for Tanto might be good going forward - maybe another 30 minutes today for starters.
County’s last 10 meetings with Harrogate
Lost 2-1 (H) 2015-16, National League North
Lost 2-1 (A) 2015-16, National League North
Won 1-0 (A) 2016-17, National League North
Drew 1-1 (H) 2016-17, National League North
Drew 2-2 (H) 2017-18, National League North
Lost 4-1 (A) 2017-18, National League North
Won 4-2 (A) 2018-19, FA Trophy 3rd round
Lost 2-1 (A) 2019-20, National League
Won 1-0 (A) 2022-23, League Cup 1st round
Drew 0-0 (H) 2022-23, League 2
Jonathan Baker aka Geordie Hatter, The County Away Day Show
Harrogate 0 County 2
What five songs would be on your recommended Yorkshire playlist?
1) ‘Sunflower Seeds’ - The Orielles
A serendipitous pleasure of putting the Away Day Show together is when I do a Google search for 'Bands from X away town' and am presented with a sound, or a song, hitherto unknown to me, that just blows me away. That's what happened last season in the build-up to our fixture at The Shay, when I discovered Halifax's The Orielles. I think it's fair to say that's the only positive association I have with that fateful day - but that's another story.
2) ‘Me and the Farmer’ - The Housemartins
I'm including this expressly to provoke controversy between those who argue that Hull is in Humberside, and those who maintain it’s in the East Riding of Yorkshire (whatever the hell a 'Riding' may be when it's at home). Oh, and also because it's not a Housemartins song that you hear very often, but I think it's a cracker, even if I've never been able to divine what particular beef Paul Heaton is attempting to get off his chest vis-à-vis the farming community. Possibly something to do with the European ‘butter mountain’.
3) ‘You’re in a Bad Way’ - Saint Etienne (album version)
Distinctly the album version, as this is the one which starts - magnificently - with a sample from the 1960s British kitchen sink feature film Billy Liar, and therefore qualifies this London-produced masterpiece for our Yorkshire listing. Oh, and the song that follows is just... mesmerically beautiful, like an Ollie Crankshaw dribble. I do miss Ollie Crankshaw, perhaps almost as much as I miss Saint Etienne.
4) ‘Only (A Prawn in Whitby)’ - Cud
Another one which starts with a film-derived sample, and I did used to know what the film was, but that detail seems to have faded from my memory, much as the career of Cud, formed in Leeds back in 1987, seems to have faded from our collective consciousness. I can assure you that for several months back then they were a very big deal indeed. I used to attempt to model my floppy indie-pop fringe on that sported by their lead singer; there's pictures to prove it.
5) ‘Modern Way’ - Kaiser Chiefs
I'm going to have to admit that until this week my knowledge of these boys was limited to 'Ruby', 'I Predict a Riot', and 'Everyday I Love You Less and Less': anthemic and a little shouty for my taste, and on the basis of which I had neglected to explore their wider oeuvre. More fool me; they're actually quite good (but then I guess you knew that). They also got their name from the original club of their favourite Leeds United player, Lucas Radebe. They seem the nicer sort of Leeds fans though, the sort you could invite round your mum's for afternoon tea, and they wouldn't chuck the television out of the window, or start telling you their Billy Bremner drinking stories. I'm so converted to them in fact, that I'm playing them on the show this morning…
As for County’s game today, I'm feeling quite bullish about this one. A 2-0 win, our play-off berth cemented.
Click here for Geordie Hatter’s Yorkshire away day playlist on Spotify.
Jordan Ford, Harrogate Town Independent Supporters Club
Harrogate 2 County 0
Who’s going to come out on top in our first ever Football League meeting at Wetherby Road?
We've really picked up over the last couple of months, and I think we’ve had a great transfer window. County don't seem to have a great record against us either. 2-0 Town.
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Here’s something you should definitely do in February
Buy tickets for The County Comedy Quiz at Bask!
The Scarf My Father Wore editor, Des Junior, absolutely loves a County quiz. He’s alright at compiling County quizzes as well. Rightly or wrongly, he also fancies himself as a bit of a comedian. On that note, The Scarf My Father Wore are delighted to team up with Bask to bring you The Comedy County Quiz. It’s a proper County quiz, with some fantastic prizes on offer, but our aim is to crack you up with some of the questions along the way.
We’ve also got special guest Paul Jones joining us. The former County defender, and Bolton Wanderers legend, will be speaking on the night, as well as handing out the prizes to the winners!
Click here for our full list of things you should definitely do in February!
On this day in 2017
County haven’t played on 11 February for six years. Let’s hope today’s travelling Hatters don’t suffer last minute heartbreak like those who followed Jim Gannon’s men to Alfreton did on this day back in 2017. Josh Amis gave County a first-half lead in Derbyshire but the home side grabbed a point through Liam Hearn in stoppage time at the end of the game.
Never mind Google or Yell.com, we’ve got you covered
STOP! That got your attention, didn’t it? Just a quick one… I’d hazard a guess that at some point in February, all of our readers will use Google or Yell.com at some point looking for a particular product or service. But before you do, please have a quick look at our own directory to see if we have what you’re looking for. A number of great businesses support The Scarf My Father Wore, allowing us to publish fresh content every day, so let’s send a few enquiries their way in return.
Click here to have a look at all the businesses in our directory.
Photo of the day
Liberty Way, Nuneaton
We’d like to wish County fan and The Scarf My Father Wore subscriber John King a very happy birthday! Here he is with the editor’s arm around his neck on that memorable afternoon in Nuneaton back in 2019.