I ranked all 10 of County’s Goal of the Season contenders

See if you agree or disagree with my selections!

Apr 09, 2025

Wednesday 9 April 2025

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NEXT HOME GAME: Rotherham United – Saturday 12 April, 3pm

NEXT AWAY GAME: Peterborough United – Friday 18 April, 3pm

Before we get into today’s edition of The Scarf My Father Wore, I’m going to ask you to spend the next three and a half minutes of your life watching the following video.

There’s some belters in that lot, eh?! Now you’ve watched the 10 contenders for Stockport County’s Goal of the Season yourself, see if you agree or disagree with my verdict below.

Today’s edition is sponsored by Parkers Solicitors Ltd. A big thank you to Adam and all the team. If you’ve been injured in an accident and would like to discuss the matter further, call 0161 477 9451 or email info@parkers-solicitors.co.uk

If you’re not doing anything on Friday 25 April, the night before County’s final home game of the season, come along to Desmond’s Comedy Club at The Fingerpost! We’ve got the fantastic Tony Burgess headlining the show, a previous winner of City Life Comedian of the Year (also won by Peter Kay and John Bishop). Tickets are £15. Show starts at 7.30pm. Drop me a message and I’ll get you booked in.

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: £2,292

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

Tanto celebrates his worldie at the Toughshit (Photo credit: Mike Petch)

10) Fraser Horsfall v Forest Green (H)

It’s quite rare to see your centre-half lurking in the opponent’s box unmarked. It’s even rarer to see that same player then chest the ball down before volleying it across the goal into the far corner. A moment of magic for sure, but, as punishment for later pissing about at the back and gifting Forest Green an equaliser, meaning we all had to endure another half an hour against our non-league opponents, he’s going in at number ten. Sorry, Fraser.

9) Odin Bailey v Bolton (H)

Five months on, my brain still can’t work out how a football team can go from losing 5-0 to winning 5-0 in the space of five days. But Wycombe were very good and Bolton were very shit. Hey, I think I’ve cracked the code!

Odin Bailey scored County’s fifth against the Trotters, exquisitely spinning away from his marker before carrying the ball forward and finding the corner of the Cheadle End goal from outside the box with his left foot. This effort might have been slightly higher up the list had Bolton not been playing their under-11s at Edgeley Park that afternoon.

A couple of County fans with unusually large hands celebrate the battering of Bolton

8) Louie Barry v Bristol Rovers (H)

The first of five Louie Barry crackers in this list. He conjured up three of them on the opening three Saturdays of the season, the third of which came just before half-time against Bristol Rovers. A pinpoint volley from the edge of the area only makes number eight in my list. Wait until you see what else he had in his locker this season…

7) Louie Barry v Rotherham (A)

Not got too much to say about this one. I was sat on the front row of the away end at the New York Stadium, so I didn’t have the greatest view of the goal at the other end, where Louie Barry scored early on in front of the Sky Sports cameras. I’ll be lazy for this one, and let the dulcet tones of Jon Keighren describe the goal. “It’s opened up for Louie Barry, from 18 yards, and he finds the bottom corner. Stockport County have the lead, 12 minutes gone, and he’s done it again.”

County fans celebrate Beno’s late equaliser at Sixfields

6) Benoný Andrésson v Northampton (A)

You might not expect to see a header in front of a couple of Louie Barry screamers, but it’s my list and I love the Iceman so I’ll do what I want. To be fair, technically, this was a superb goal. I was right in line with Beno’s header and it was executed with perfection, looping over a helpless Lee Burge in the Cobblers goal. A shoutout to Ryan Rydel for the assist too, with a stunning cross from the left wing.

5) Louie Barry v Wrexham (H)

Welcome to Stockport. A fourth consecutive home win against our friends from North Wales, courtesy of Louie Barry’s 24th-minute belter at the Railway End. Ollie Norwood’s powerful half-volley was blocked, with Barry quickest to the rebound. One touch… two touch… BANG! Stick that one in your documentary.

4) Ollie Norwood v Shrewsbury (H)

Ollie Norwood narrowly misses out on a place on the podium. If this was a David Beckham free-kick from the 90s, it would be on a constant loop on the telly. The game wasn’t the best, on a cold Tuesday night in January, but the only goal of the game was worth the entrance fee alone, as they say. Norwood gave Jamal Blackman absolutely no chance with a curling 20-yard free-kick that rocketed in off the post. One for the purists.

Loads of happy faces on the Pop Side before County’s first game back in League One

3) Louie Barry v Cambridge (H)

I took the photo above moments before kick-off on the opening day of the season at a sunny Edgeley Park. There was already a huge buzz around the ground, before Louie Barry took the roof off just four minutes into the new campaign. Not many players would even contemplate lobbing the goalkeeper first time from 30 yards out, let alone have the audacity to actually do it. A true genius at work.

2) Tanto Olaofe v Bolton (A)

County only ever won once at Burnden Park, and that was all the way back in 1904. Since the Trotters moved to the ~~Reebok~~ ~~Macron~~ ~~University of Bolton~~ Toughshit Stadium, however, County fans have enjoyed a bloody brilliant time in Horwich. I don’t know what it is about that away end, but we’ve seen a number of County crackers end up in the back of that net: Woodthorpe, Dinning, Kuqi, and now Tanto. He’s in at number two on my list, but I’ve no doubt lots of other fans will have him in first place. A tense encounter at the Toughshit last month was settled by an outrageous Olaofe winner in the 71st minute. The striker picked up the ball on the left wing, cheekily beat his man, before dribbling forward, cutting inside and firing the ball into the bottom corner past the keeper. A huge goal in the play-off race.

1) Louie Barry v Blackpool (A)

We’ve enjoyed some fantastic away days on our return to League One this season. Dave Challinor’s men have won all three trips to their North West rivals – Blackpool, Wigan and Bolton – without conceding a goal. Burton, Reading and Leyton Orient were all decent days out. And the rousing rendition of “Stockport-in-the-Sun” being belted out from the away end at Exeter on Saturday indicates just how much the 813 travelling Hatters enjoyed their trip to sunny Devon.

If I was forced to choose my favourite away day of 2024-25 I’d have to go with that memorable August trip to Blackpool, which is also the location for my Goal of the Season. County were comfortable 3-0 winners in the end, but up until the 67th minute the game had been fairly close. The deadlock was broken with a goal of real quality from start to finish.

Your editor thoroughly enjoyed his trip to Blackpool in August

Ibby Touray played a delicious one-two with Lewis Bate before finding Louie Barry on the left touchline. Two Blackpool players quickly doubled up on our Aston Villa loanee, but he impishly skipped through the middle of them, then beat another couple of Seasiders, before smashing the ball past Dan Grimshaw. I could (and have) watch that goal again and again and again. Memories of a wonderful weekend on the Lancashire coast come flooding back, with Barry’s stunning effort a worthy Goal of the Season for me.

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Photo(s) of the day

New York Stadium, Rotherham

Rotherham come to town this Saturday. Here’s a few snaps from our trip to their place back in December.

Today in SK

🎬 Cinema

Two films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy (15) at 5.45pm, followed by The Alto Knights (15) 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 day 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 Alexandra (SK3), The Crown Inn (SK6), The Steelworks (SK6), The Three Tunnes (SK7), Flute & Firkin (SK12) and The Ram’s Head (SK12). Support them this month by popping in for a few drinks and a bite to eat.