Leyton Orient v County
Plus! Aynsley Taylor from The Leyton Orientear guides us through Orient’s up and down campaign, from the relegation zone in November to the play-offs in May
Saturday 10 May 2025
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NEXT HOME GAME: Leyton Orient – Wednesday 14 May, 8pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Leyton Orient – Today, 12.30pm
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Leyton Orient supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Saturday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore, as the League One play-offs get underway this afternoon!
Andrew Barlow, Dan Culverwell and Jonathan Baker join us this morning to provide the County view ahead of the semi-final first leg. Aynsley Taylor from The Leyton Orientear offers the perspective from our opponents, following a “crazy, streaky, volatile, intense, exhausting and wonderful” season down at Brisbane Road. And this whole thing has been put together and edited by a bloke drinking a bottle of Mockingbird on his way to London. (You need plenty of vitamins to get you through a play-off campaign.)
Today’s edition is sponsored by SW Appliances. A big thank you to Steve.
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: £2,302
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
Kyle Wootton scored the only goal of the game at Brisbane Road in February
Des Junior loves writing about County. But he can never be arsed doing match previews. They’re a bit dull, aren’t they? Will Collar’s out for a month with diarrhoea… blah blah blah…tomorrow’s referee has handed out more cards than Moonpig…blah blah blah…County haven’t won at Birmingham for a thousand years.
Fortunately, he has a number of fellow County content creators to call upon. Here’s their thoughts, general chit-chat and score predictions, as County go into their first play-off campaign since 2022-23.
Andrew Barlow, Hatters Matters
Leyton Orient 1 County 1
Leyton Orient lost their first four games of the season. Then they stormed into the play-offs. Then they lost five on the bounce to drop to 9th. Then they won their last six to clinch a play-off spot on the final day. How on earth do we prepare for this one?
With caution and confidence in equal measure. Leyton Orient enter the play-offs in fantastic form and will rightly fancy their chances of progressing through to the final at Wembley by beating County over two legs. But in equal measure we are officially the third best team in League One this season and actually have the same record as the O’s over our last 10 matches (won 8, drawn 1 and lost 1), so we should also have nothing to fear ahead of the two ties.
Manager Dave Challinor is also well experienced in play-off football having been involved in them with each of the four clubs he’s managed (Colwyn Bay, AFC Fylde, Hartlepool and County). He’s witnessed the highs and lows that the play-offs can bring, so I’d like to think that he knows what he’s doing by now and has put everything in place to give the players the best possible chance of getting a result at Brisbane Road to put us on the path to the final at Wembley. Then it’s down to the players and possible fine margins on the pitch where heroes and villains can be made…
I think it will be tight this afternoon and I’m hoping that we perform well enough to put ourselves in a good position to finish things off at Edgeley Park on Wednesday night.
➡️ Andrew runs Hatters Matters, a comprehensive guide to the history of Stockport County with more facts and figures than you can shake a stick at. Visit hattersmatters.co.uk to have a butcher’s.
Dan Culverwell, The Scarf Bergara Wore
Leyton Orient 2 County 2
How do you think Dave Challinor will set up tactically for the first leg?
The play offs (a bit like the FA Cup) seem to bring out all those football clichés, so I make no apologies from this point onwards.
First legs always seem to be cagey affairs and there are no easy games in the play-offs. I expect both teams to give 110%.
I think Leyton Orient have a very good attacking three – very much like Peterborough – who will look to get in behind our defensive line. I think this first leg is all about who wins the midfield battle, who looks after the ball better in the centre of the pitch, and who wins those second balls in that area. That’s why I think we’ll be in a 3-5-2 formation with the game set up for Owen Moxon to put in a performance like he did for Carlisle at Wembley against us two years ago.
The tie can’t be won after the first leg, but it can be lost. I think at the halfway point in the tie it’ll be 2-2 going into Wednesday’s match at EP.
➡️ Dan is part of The Scarf Bergara Wore team, hosting live County podcasts every Wednesday at 8pm. Click here for links.
Jonathan Baker, The County Away Day Show
Leyton Orient 2 County 1
What’s been your favourite Away Day Show this season?
I’ve really enjoyed the hell out of making every Away Day Show during 2024-25. The guests have been as fantastic as ever, and the opportunity to build up to Saturday away games by playing a few tracks and enjoying the company of the County Nation is one that I absolutely treasure.
If I did have to pick just one edition as my favourite though, it would have to be last week’s end of season special when I was honoured to be joined by Oshor Williams. During our interview Oshor was so generous with his time and thoughts – recalling great moments and games from his seasons in a County shirt, reminiscing on teammates such as Micky Quinn and Tommy Sword, and reflecting on his vital ongoing work seeking true diversity across our game. Oh… and his choice of “Babylon is Burning” by South London’s The Ruts for his Edgeley Island Roundabout Disc was also quite a cracker!
Complementing Oshor’s choice, we had a more than decent line-up of tracks across the show, old and new, with tuneage from Los Angeles’ Go-Gos, Sunderland’s Frankie and the Heartstrings and Falkirk’s Brogeal (you need to hear the acoustic version of their latest single “Friday On My Mind” by the way – the sound of the summer for me!).
As for today, semi-finals are customarily tight and low-scoring affairs, and with the two teams coming into the clash in such similar form I see no variation from the norm this lunchtime, with a narrow home victory leaving plenty to play for under the clear blue skies of SK3 on Wednesday evening.
➡️ Jonathan, aka Geordie Hatter, hosts The County Away Day Show on selected Saturday mornings during the season, when the Hatters are on the road. All episodes can be found at the-geordie-hatter.mixlr.com.
Today’s other predictions
All Things Stockport County: Leyton Orient 0 County 3
County Supporters Co-operative: Leyton Orient 1 County 2
SK3 TV: Leyton Orient 1 County 1
The SW Appliances sale is still on
I don’t want to be accused of slander by a man with significantly more money than me, but I reckon Jeff Bezos has never set foot inside Edgeley Park. On that basis alone, don’t buy your kitchen appliances on Amazon. Get them from SW Appliances instead, a business owned by County fan Steve Gibbons.
Whether you visit Steve’s showroom on Castle Street, or purchase online, SW Appliances have hundreds of products in stock. You won’t get a personal service from Bezos if you buy a kettle off him, but you will if you do business with Steve. He’s the appliance version of a train spotter and what he doesn’t know about appliances simply isn’t worth knowing. (That’s not an insult by the way, it’s on his website.)
And now’s the time to order that new appliance you need, as Steve’s offering some great discounts in his latest sale.
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The showroom is open from 9am till 5pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am till 4pm on a Saturday (closing at 2pm if the Hatters are at home).
➡️ Visit swappliances.co.uk for further details.
Leyton Orient won 4-1 at Huddersfield on the final day of the season to clinch their play-off place (Photo credit: Leyton Orient FC)
A chat with Aynsley Taylor from The Leyton Orientear
Sum up your season so far.
Crazy, streaky, volatile, intense, exhausting and wonderful. We've broken all kinds of club records – including having our first ever divisional top scorer in over a century of league football. The two goals of the season were both scored by goalkeepers, neither of whom are Orient players. We've had our best cup runs in over a decade, been bought, and stand on the verge of something we've not known in over 40 years. We've won five in a row, lost five in a row, and won six in a row (the first four from losing positions). And all this plus much more despite being (briefly) in the relegation zone in November.
What’s your prediction for the first leg?
Always reluctant to answer this type of question, as football usually confounds expectations. But let's say 1-1. Playing at home first is seen to be a disadvantage as there's some pressure for the home side to win the game. But we agree with Richie: we know we can get a result at your place and nothing will be settled on Saturday.
How do you think you’ll set up tactically today?
We're no tactics nerds here, there's plenty of people out there already with little knowledge and strong opinions. And if we knew anything we wouldn't tell you anyway. But the biggest decision we’ll face is whether to restore Jack Currie to our back four or to keep the back three that has done so well in the past couple of matches.
How the fuck do we get to Brisbane Road with the Central Line out of service this afternoon?
If you're coming through Euston (as most of you will be) you can still get a train from Liverpool Street to Stratford and then walk, taxi, or bus (69, 97 or 158) it from there. It's just a touch over a mile, and if it wasn't another stupid early kick-off you'd be able to enjoy some of the half decent pubs thereabouts.
Alternatively you could get the Victoria Line to Walthamstow and then get the same buses (69, 97) in the other direction. Or if you're being really funky you could change at Blackhorse Road and get the Suffragette Line to Leyton Midland Road and then walk the last bit.
When do you think you’ll be playing your new neighbours West Ham in a league game?
Optimistically – the season after next. They're due another relegation quite soon. Moving stadiums has not really improved their station in life, and their fanbase has had to sacrifice a lot for that move. We've got a lot to learn from them about how not to do it.
One of my mates used to have a friend who had one of those apartments at the ground. He’s asked if you know anyone else with a balcony he can use?
Yeah, but unsurprisingly they're all either claimed already or likely to price-gouge away fans. You know how ruthlessly capitalist people are down here. There was one on AirBnB for a while, but that seems to have been taken too.
When I visited Brisbane Road in February, I saw a bloke selling half and half Orient/Man City scarves. Do you think you deserve your place in the play-offs after that?
Look, we're not going to lie – this is the most shameful stain on an otherwise joyful campaign. It was one thing for some chancer to try it on, another entirely for the club to take "inspiration" from this and embarrass us all for the sake of a few hundred quid. If we don't make it to Wembley then we all know why.
What is the accepted punishment for referring to you as Leyton?
Depends. If you're American with lots of money then you might get forgiven if you offer to fund the club. Otherwise, expect lots of impotent chuntering and derision on social media.
What’s your thoughts on Stockport County – A) the club B) the manager C) the fans?
We think fondly back to the period in the late 90s when you were Manchester's second club, and the journey you've been on since is really quite incredible. We're probably pretty similar in many respects, having to compete with some much bigger clubs nearby, and most Orient fans are pretty well disposed towards County.
Challinor has also come a long way from being a long throw merchant and working for that Brexit knobhead at Fylde. His teams have always seemed pretty "muscular" and he's obviously got a method that works pretty well in the lower divisions.
Your fanbase also has some similarities to our own: a small element of gobby herberts, the usual minority of flag-waving red-hand no-surrender loyalists, but largely it's pretty chill and decent. Presumably most of the local cretins follow City.
If you make the final, would you rather face Charlton or Wycombe?
Interesting one. We’re spoiling for revenge against Charlton because of how they mugged us in March: two very late, identical goals followed by some of the most ludicrous over-celebrating we've ever seen at Brisbane Road. That result really seemed like a tipping point in both club's fortunes, and it's testament to the resilience of our squad that we recovered from it.
On the other hand, the air has been coming out of Wycombe's balloon ever since Bloomfield upped sticks, and we'd fancy turning them over – but if they do overcome Charlton then presumably they'll have put a stop to that deflation.
Would you be ready for the Championship, on and off the pitch?
Basically no, save for one thing: Richard Paul Wellens, the best pound-for-pound manager in League One, who is destined to manage at the highest level. Our new owner has promised a bit of extra bunce for the playing squad next season, so if we did manage to go up, our view is he'd be able to get us to fourth bottom at least in our first season. What happens thereafter would likely be more of a challenge, as he’s going on to bigger things sooner or later, and it's hard to see the club keeping pace with him without us getting a new stadium, which is still some years away.
What’s your travel plans for the second leg?
There's no trains back to London after the match, so the club has put on five free coaches. A few will be staying over in Manc, and some of our editorial team have hired a car. It's all a bit of a ballache, but you couldn't miss this one, could you?
Photo(s) of the day
Throughout this week on The Scarf My Father Wore, I’ve been sharing all the photos from my last trip to Brisbane Road in February, when Kyle Wootton’s early goal gave County all three points in the capital. Here’s the last batch.
Pete Maclaine and the Clan
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
Two films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. The Amateur (12A) at 5.45pm, followed by Sinners (15) at 8.30pm. Click here for tickets.
🍺 Food and drink
All pints £2.50 at The Cross Keys (SK8) from 6pm till 9pm.
A number of venues are featured on The Scarf My Father Wore such as The Crown (SK2), The Alexandra (SK3), 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.
🎤 Karaoke
The Nelson Tavern (SK1) with Lee. From 8pm.
🎸 Live music
Pete Maclaine and the Clan at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). 8.30pm.
Chapter 10: The First Half
We’re at Wembley, folks! It’s County v MK Dons in the play-off final. Here’s Chat GPT’s take on the first half.
The whistle blew, and Wembley erupted. A wave of sound rolled through the stands, shaking the bones, rattling the heart. Danny felt it vibrate through the soles of his boots. For a moment, he couldn’t even see the ball, only the rush — shirts darting, limbs pumping, noise bouncing off the arch above like thunder in a bottle.
County, in blue. MK Dons, in white and gold. A clash of styles, of stories, of fortunes.
The opening minutes were frantic. County pressed high, hungry. Tanto Olaofe buzzed across the Dons’ back line like a wasp in a bottle, chasing everything. Collar snapped into tackles like he was setting a tone. Croasdale hovered, steady as a metronome, sweeping up the loose bits. Danny could barely sit — not that he wanted to. Nobody was sitting.
Lucy had her scarf bunched in her fists, knuckles white. “We’re all over them!”
Danny didn’t speak. He didn’t want to break the spell. County were all over them. Every second ball. Every loose pass. Every chance to remind MK Dons that they weren’t just here for the sunshine.
In the 9th minute, the first big chance. A deep cross from Knoyle, curling like a question mark. Tanto rose, glanced it — just wide. The County end groaned, then cheered. Encouragement. Belief.
“We’re close,” Danny murmured.
MK Dons responded. Slick, sharp passes. That academy shine. But County were a wall — and behind it, Hinchliffe. Always Hinchliffe. He palmed away a daisy-cutter from Eisa, then sprang to his feet, barking orders like a man possessed. Danny raised a fist at him. “Still number one.”
The sun crept higher. The heat pressed down. Tempers flared.
On 21 minutes, a loose pass from Pye gave MK Dons a sniff. They broke — three on two. Danny swore. “Get back!” But just as it opened up, Horsfall slid in, a perfect tackle, and the roar that went up was primal. Like a goal. Like a release.
“Bloody hell,” Lucy whispered, eyes wide. “I thought we were gone then.”
Danny ruffled her hair. “That’s County. Heart attack football.”
Half an hour gone. The pace slowed, slightly. But County stayed on it. Out wide, Whitfield found room, twisted inside, played a one-two with Collar, then whipped in a low cross. Deflected — corner. From behind, someone shouted, “Come on, lads!”
The corner came short, then quick. Sarcevic peeled away, shot on the spin — blocked. The ball ricocheted, looped into the air. For a half-second, it hung in slow motion.
Then, bang.
Header. Tanto.
Back of the net.
Wembley exploded.
Danny didn’t think — he just grabbed Lucy and lifted her off the ground. She screamed in delight, her scarf flying. Around them, strangers hugged like long-lost family. Beers flew, voices cracked, hearts leapt.
“One-nil to the County!”
The scoreboard confirmed it.
STOCKPORT COUNTY 1
MK DONS 0
Danny’s throat burned from shouting, but he didn’t care. He just looked at Lucy, her eyes shining, cheeks flushed, and felt something shift — a moment etched forever.
“Remember this,” he said.
She nodded fiercely. “I will.”
MK Dons tried to claw it back. They surged forward, quick, clinical. One chance — parried. Another — skied. Their manager shouted instructions in clipped, urgent tones, but County were everywhere now. Every tackle roared like a goal. Every clearance met with fists raised to the sky.
As the half edged towards its end, County dropped a touch deeper. Managed it. Controlled it.
Three minutes added.
A late free-kick for MK Dons, just outside the box. Nervous murmurs spread like wildfire.
Danny held his breath.
The taker stepped up. Curled it…
Over.
And the cheer that followed was half-relief, half-triumph.
The referee blew for half-time.
County 1. MK Dons 0.
The stadium buzzed like an electric wire. Danny sat down for the first time in 45 minutes. His legs were shaking. Lucy took a swig of water, then passed the bottle to him.
“Still think it’s just about fighting?” she asked.
Danny grinned, breathless. “It always is.”
And in the soft hum of the break, with Wembley baking under a blazing May sun, County were halfway there.
A huge thank you to the following businesses supporting The Scarf My Father Wore in May
🪟 Blinds & Shutters: Bauhaus Blinds and Shutters
♨️ Boiler Repair & Servicing: Gas Care UK (NW)
🫧 Carpet Cleaning: Freshio
🏠 Carpets & Flooring: Kingsway Carpets & Rugs Ltd
🐈 Cat Flaps: That Cat Flap Company Ltd
🚙 Coatings: Colourtone Ltd
🚘 Driving School: CFN School of Motoring
🔌 Electrician: Hey Electrics
🏠 Estate Agent: The Agency UK
🫧 Exterior Cleaning: Impact Pro Clean
💷 Financial Services: The Mortgage Mill
💐 Florist: The Flower House
🪚 Joinery: SAW Contracts Ltd
🔌 Kitchen Appliances: SW Appliances
🪴 Landscaping: Impact Gardens & Driveways
📮 Leaflet Distribution: Wolf Distribution
🔑 Locksmith: APL Locksmiths Ltd
💪 Male Weight Loss: MAN v FAT
🖌 Painter & Decorator: BGM Decorators
📸 Photographer: Adam Edwards Photography
🥧 Pies: Eric Twigg Foods
🧱 Plastering: DT Plastering Services and Damp Proofing Specialists
👨💼 Solicitors: B.J. McKenna & Co / Parkers Solicitors Ltd
🍹 Spirits: Guerrilla Chicken Spirits
🪨 Stonemason: LM Stone Creative
🚕 Taxi Hire: Lynx Taxis
☀️ Travel Agent: PTF Travel Ltd
📺 TV Aerials: SDS Aerials
🧰 Vehicle Repairs: C J Motors Stockport