Northampton v County

A Tuesday night trip to the Cobblers, with third place up for grabs if County win and Wrexham don’t

Mar 04, 2025

Tuesday 4 March 2025

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NEXT HOME GAME: Charlton Athletic – Saturday 8 March, 12.30pm

NEXT AWAY GAME: Northampton Town – Tonight, 7.45pm

Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Northampton supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Tuesday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.

I’m currently standing at Crewe train station, sticking my middle finger up at the sign on the platform. If you don’t believe me, here I am! (Photo taken by an Avanti West Coast employee who was more than happy to help as he’s a Stoke fan.)

Don’t worry, I am allowed to do this. Crewe battered us 3-1 the last time they visited Edgeley Park AND smashed up the seats and the toilets on the Pop Side.

I’ve just popped into WHSmith to pick up the new issue of When Saturday Comes for my journey down to Northampton. For any other County fans currently in cars or on coaches, also off to Sixfields tonight, here’s some excellent reading material for you courtesy of Ian Brown, Jonathan Baker, Nick Lee and Dan Culverwell.

Today’s edition is sponsored by The Mortgage Mill. A big thank you to James.

Thanks also to Hawk Drainage & Groundworks who sponsor our Northampton Town content on the website.

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: 216.74 miles

Total steps so far: 353,516

Total raised so far: £2,270

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

County’s last trip to Sixfields in September 2022 ended in a 2-1 defeat (Photo courtesy of Mike Petch)

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 look halt a run of four consecutive defeats at Sixfields.

Ian Brown, All Things Stockport County

Northampton 0 County 2

Our final midweek trip of the season is upon us. When you’re sat on the Fingerpost Flyer on the M6 at midnight, do you ever contemplate your life and ponder how much better/easier it would have been had you not been a County fan? Or are you just asleep/eating snacks from the services?

Return journeys on the Flyer, for me, are mainly spent writing the hedgegrower match reports, and on the long journeys adding photos (a few of mine but mainly from valued colleague @MachinSports).

Eating snacks… nah. Sleep… you must be joking. Although you mention the M6 at midnight and that would very likely mean the Flyer was locating junction 19, then the M56, then home, so sleep by that time will be beckoning but resisted.

On the subject of being a County supporter, there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that life would have been easier had I not started watching the Lilywhites in the mid 1950s. But better? Definitely not!

I would have missed the glory days, and there have been a good few over the years in amongst a whole lot of disappointment and gloom, but, in a perverse way, I miss these dips in our upward climb. They brought with them some wonderful memories: being tonked 6-0 at Preston yet County fans still singing at the end; being saluted by Norwich fans having travelled down to Carrow Road in great numbers to see County lose knowing we were already relegated in 2002; and some excellent banter with Wimbledon fans the same season. Memories you cannot put a price on.

➡️ Ian follows County home and away, producing detailed match reports every week, along with lots of other great content. Head over to hedgegrower.blogspot.com.

Jonathan Baker, The County Away Day Show

Northampton 1 County 2

As we’re playing the Cobblers tonight, what’s your favourite type of shoes?

I must say I’ve got form for developing quite inordinately outsized passions for certain forms of footwear, as may be contemporarily evidenced by the battered pair of Converse trainers that I purchased in Marks & Spencer 20 years ago, and still insist on wearing for my Monday night Tai Chi class, even though the sole has worn away to a film-like sliver and there is a gaping mouth-like hole that opens up in the front when you walk in them, making you look like you’re attempting to practice an ancient martial art while sporting on your feet a pair of hungry haddocks. Which apart from anything else would be disrespectful to the tradition, so I should really probably consider splashing out for some new ones. (I won’t.)

In further proof that style will win any battle for my shoegazing affections over practicality, I once set off for a long weekend’s hiking tour around the Lake District with nothing more sturdy than a pair of Adidas Gazelles in my backpack, which I will simply confirm did not end well, in particular for the trainers themselves, and I should probably be thankful the aggregate collateral damage extended only to a sprained ankle, and not to the actual summoning of the Windermere Division of the Mountain Rescue Corps (although it was a close-run matter up there).

I will also plead guilty, on my far-off honeymoon, to acquiring within the backstreets of Napoli a cut-price pair of Vans originals in a fetching livery of lime green and orange, which I continued to sport for the rest of the holiday even though they were clearly built for your daintier-footed domestic market, measuring in at a good size-and-a-half too small. I don’t recall feeling any pain, which I can only put down to the scientifically proven analgesic effects of newly-wedded bliss. Try it again now 20 years down the line, and I’d probably end up in with a severe case of the corns.

Stepping up a weight from the flimsily-manufactured examples of the foot-fashioning industry thus far portrayed, I’ve got a soft spot for a pair of brogues, not so much because I know what they are or have ever (to my knowledge) owned any, but more because I do very much like the sound of the word. Brogues. And those two-toned spats (are they really called ‘spats’, because if they are, that’s another word I can categorically do business with) that you rent out down the bowling alley have an agreeably New York 1920s mobster chic about them, which you could argue is not entirely fitting with a Friday evening’s leisure-laning down Parrs Wood, although at merely £12.50 for a half-an-hour’s hire, who are any of us to complain, and anyway, they’re obligatory by order of the management, it says up there on the sign behind the till.

You were enquiring however what was my ultimate favourite form of footwear, and here, on the day of the Hatters’ trip to the Cobblers, there can surely be no competition. It’s your timeless classic the Doc Marten shoe that fits this auspicious occasion, and since you’re asking, I’ll take that pair on the top shelf there in the cherry red, with the visible yellow stitching around the top-rim of it’s cushioned Air-Wear sole, and aren’t they lovely? I may just wear them for the rest of the season.

Talking of which, with the automatic promotion spots suddenly in plain view and County fresh off a spring-heeled comeback that knocked the unsuspecting Tangerines out of their flashy but ultimately flattering first-half stride, I’m taking us to come away from Sixfields with another three-point haul, 2-1 the winning margin. Best foot forward Hatters, and away!

➡️ 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.

Nick Lee, SK3 TV

Northampton 0 County 2

You look like a man who enjoys a thunderclap from time to time. What's your thoughts on the one that went round Edgeley Park on Saturday?

I'm still fully on the fence about it. Don't get me wrong, it's cool and it's a nice novelty for now, but if he carries on scoring it's going to get very tiresome very quickly for some.

➡️ Nick’s one of the co-hosts of SK3 TV, a new podcast for the 2024-25 season, with live episodes every Monday at 8pm. Click here for links.

Dan Culverwell, The Scarf Bergara Wore

Northampton 0 County 2

After his two goals on Saturday, would you stick our Icelandic wonderkid into the starting XI tonight, or should we stop getting carried away?

I definitely think that some players like Wootton could do with a rest, perhaps with Cosgrove coming in to start. Tonight could be another physical game like Cambridge a couple of weeks ago so starting Breki might be a bit too much, but I’d like to see him come off the bench at some point.

➡️ Dan is part of The Scarf Bergara Wore team, hosting live County podcasts every Wednesday at 8pm. Click here for links.

Tonight’s other prediction

Hatters Matters: Northampton 0 County 2

5 questions with James from The Mortgage Mill

What was the best moment with your business in February?

I’ve had some interesting cases come through that have been quite good. Two of my clients have bought their houses they rent from their landlords, without paying any cash deposit themselves. This can be done if you have a good relationship with your landlord and agree a good price.

What’s your plans for the business this month?

March will be busy with the changes in stamp duty so trying to get everything done in time is going to be the trickiest aspect. There will be some people who miss out I’m sure.

What would you like to promote to our readers in March?

If you want to own your own home but you’re certain you can’t afford to, or don’t think you’ll get a mortgage, talk to a mortgage adviser. You will be surprised. It’s only a daunting task if you try to do it yourself. If you pay someone to do it for you it’s much easier. There is a mortgage out there for almost everyone. Seriously.

County are off to Northampton tonight, who are also known as the Cobblers. What’s your favourite type of shoes?

Easy. Flip flops. I wear flip flops every day.

I’m launching my first ever ‘Desmond’s Comedy Club’ night at the Fingerpost at the end of this month. (A handful of tickets remaining for anyone interested.) Who’s your favourite comedian of all time?

All time probably Tommy Cooper, although Peter Kay would be close behind, especially when you consider his body of work: Phoenix Nights, Max & Paddy’s Road to Nowhere, Car Share. Does anyone still say Garlic Bread without sounding like Brian Potter?

➡️ Visit themortgagemill.co.uk for further details.

Photo of the day

Edgeley Park, Stockport

I took this photo back in October. Approximately five seconds later, Louie Barry scored from the penalty spot to give County an 87th minute lead over Northampton.

The Cobblers equalised three minutes into stoppage time from a free header.

Experiencing a blocked drain?

If there’s any Northampton fans joining us today (or indeed, any of our other readers from that neck of the woods), if you’re experiencing any problems with your drains, don’t wait for them to become worse. Contact Hawk Drainage & Groundworks to fix the issue promptly and professionally. Their expert team are ready to help.

➡️ Visit hawkdrainage.co.uk for further details.

Today in SK

🎬 Cinema

One film at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy (15) at 5.15pm.

➡️ 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.

Enjoy a coffee and a cake for just £6 at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). The perfect excuse for a catch-up! 12pm - 4pm.

Bitter £2.30 a pint all day at The Cross Keys (SK8). Plus, discounts on certain lagers between 12pm and 6pm.

A number of venues are featured on The Scarf My Father Wore such as The Crown (SK2), The Alexandra (SK3), The Crown Inn (SK6), The Three Tunnes (SK7) and The Ram’s Head (SK12). Support them this month by popping in for a few drinks or a bite to eat.

⁉️ Quiz night

The Steelworks (SK6). 7.30pm. £1 per person.

Random snippets from old County programmes

#9 - County v Walsall, 30 October 1999

With tickets for Wrexham away going on sale yesterday, there’s been loads of debate recently on how best to cater for such high demand when supply is so low for some of the big games with small allocations. It’s not a new debate, it’s a discussion that’s been going on for years. Back in October 1999, ahead of County’s trip to Maine Road, one supporter wrote a letter to the club’s agony aunt Gladys (‘an old biddy well worth writing to!’) expressing his views on the matter. Gladys was rather succinct with her reply…

Dear Gladys

As a County supporter who attends every home match I am disappointed at the ticket situation for the away match at City. Even though I will have the ticket stubs from the three games including today’s, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that the chance of me getting a ticket is remote. The club have about 2,500 season ticket holders from what I can gather and they can all buy their ticket first. As we have only been allocated 2,200 from City, the chances of me getting a ticket are virtually nil. I have watched the club home and away (when possible) for the last 26 years, following the club through good times and bad, yet I can’t be guaranteed a ticket for such an important fixture. Surely there are many others like me who will miss out. Something should be done to give us priority for our loyalty.

Mr T Marsden, South Reddish

Gladys

There is already a scheme in place - it’s called ‘Buying a Season Ticket’.