“Rip it up and start again for me, with 10,000 less seats”

Mudhutter editor Martin Tarbuck loves Wigan Athletic, but he’s not entirely enamoured with the DW – we might get a decent pie on Wednesday night but the atmosphere ain’t gonna be tasty

Monday 4 December 2023

NEXT HOME GAME: Sutton – Saturday 16 December, 3pm

NEXT AWAY GAME: Wigan – Wednesday 6 December, 7pm

Dear County fans, Stopfordians, and any Wigan supporters joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Monday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.

Before we get into today’s edition, please allow me to share a link with our readers which will take you to a page raising money for Lisa Braithwaite’s funeral. Lisa tragically passed away on Thursday, and Les is currently raising money towards funeral costs to help give her the send-off she deserves. Click here to make a donation.

Mudhutter editor Martin Tarbuck joined us for a brief chat on the day of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy draw ten days ago (click here to read the article). Once the draw handed us a trip to Wigan, I thought I’d have a more in-depth chat with him. We’ve not played them for over 20 years after all…

Today’s edition is sponsored by BGM Decorators. A big thank you to Ben. If you’re thinking of having any decorating work done over the coming weeks or months, please see below for further details.

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: 46.68 miles

Total steps so far: 83,302

Total raised so far: £1,027

Total completed streets so far: 24 (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

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A Wednesday night round of 32 Car Cup game in a 25,000 seater stadium. This is going to be a shit atmosphere isn't it?

It always is. The old “your ground’s too big for you” chant was made for us sadly. Not sure what we can do, it was over-ambitious in the extreme, with all the challenges we face getting Wiganers to come and watch us. Don’t believe the rugby town myth, they all support a football team too, it’s just not the one on their doorstep, because they might have to physically leave the pub or their armchair then. Rip it up and start again for me, with 10,000 less seats. I know that’s unrealistic and ungrateful but I guess we’re stuck with it for the foreseeable.

Any memories of winning the Football League Trophy in 1985 and 1999?

I was too young to recall much about 1985, just it was a scorching hot day, and what a team we had then! Newell, Lowe, Langley, Walsh, Aspinall, Jewell. All subsequently flogged for buttons.

For 1999, I obviously remember Paul Rogers’ winner and someone pulling his pants down as he held the trophy. We went down in a minibus ran by the football team I played for and got stuck at the front of some lights, just as about 5,000 of Millwall’s finest crossed the road. If looks could kill, we’d have been dead in seconds, sat there with stifled grins, as if trying to hold a fart in. Or possibly something more solid, given the scenario.

Best and worst moments as a Wigan fan?

The best is fairly mandatory and self explanatory, so we have a rule where we’re not allowed to mention it. Getting promoted to the Premier League was pretty special too. But I get emotional every game now, just watching young lads playing their heart out for the club we nearly lost (twice).

And there’s your worst moment. I know County have been through the same, and I wouldn’t wish admin on anyone. It is a very dark place, where facts are absent and rumours are rife. I was waking up every morning with a knot in my stomach for seven months, wondering whether today would be the day that we were finished for good.

Do you think you’ll ever make it back to the Premier League?

You know what, I think we might. There’s something good happening here. It might take five or ten years but we’ve got a really talented academy, many of whom are way too good for this division. If the manager gets time, and the owners don’t listen to the constant fucking moaning after every draw, let alone defeat, then I do believe we can build something very special again. In a much different way to last time. The real question has got to be, do we want to go back to the Premier League? Because its ten times the circus it was, even compared to ten years ago when we were last in it!

What’s your memories of Wigan’s “Three Amigos”?

Well. The first thing the club did after signing them was to plonk three sombreros on them, which would probably be deemed cultural appropriation these days. That awkward bit aside, it was probably the catalyst of the club starting to go places. Jesus Seba came as the star, but never really settled. Issy Diaz was a teensy little winger but very speedy and could score some spectacular goals. And as for Roberto, well, he adapted superbly. A really cultured player, great on the ball and has an amazing affinity to Wigan Athletic which exists to this day. And now we have one of his proteges in charge in Shaun Maloney.

Oh, and there’s the whole winning the FA Cup, beating all the Big Four, getting us into Europe (though Owen Coyle managed us in Europe, and what a balls up he made of it, in fact mentioning his name, I’ve just done a bit of sick in my mouth). He also convinced Whelan to set up an academy (Martinez not O*** F****** C****) which has also saved our skin on more than one occasion.

This one’s from a City mate: ask him what time their winning goal was in the FA Cup final?

I don’t know why but I always have it down as being the 89th minute but the board was up for injury time, so maybe it was the 90th. I just remember after we scored, my mate had brought his 82-year-old grandad, Cliff, who was repeatedly grabbing and physically shaking him and asking: “How long’s left?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, bloody find out will you!”

What’s your favourite pie filling?

If it’s Wigan, it’s got to be meat and potato. I’ve written a book about pies you know? It’s called Life of Pies and you can get a copy from lifeofpies.co.uk for just £4.99 plus P&P cos I’m selling them off. Sorry, advert over!

I’m a big fan of Lord of the Pies and Ate Days a Week from round your way too.

Wigan Pier or Wigan Casino?

I’m too young to have ever visited Wigan Casino, so I’d have to say Wigan Pier. By that I mean the nightclub, not the fictional jetty. Wednesday nights were indie night, weekends were dance music, though it got a bit giddy for me during its latter years. I don’t mind a bit of Northern Soul though, it’s always played at parties, on jukeboxes down the pub and even on matchdays, so it is engrained in the town to this day.

What’s your thoughts on Stockport County - A) the club B) the manager C) the fans?

A very similar club to ours historically, in fact I remember your halcyon days in the Championship when you were a league above us. It feels like all the clubs around the perimeter of Greater Manchester have great resolve, but also end up going tits up and hit financial difficulties over time. Mainly because the two in the middle hoover up so much in terms of fans, money, resources etc.

We had quite the rivalry in the late 80s / early 90s but it seemed to be more related to big shenanigans off the pitch rather than on it. Just don’t ask me or any Wiganer for our thoughts on Kevin “leg-breaker” Francis. He ended a decent pro’s career in the Autoglass that night, and apparently never showed an ounce of remorse.

On balance though, it’s good to see you back in the Football League. The National League is turning into a bit of a graveyard for ex-League clubs from the north-west, sadly.

I had to Google to check your manager was still the same bloke, the fella with the long throw. I know when you first came up last year, Challinor struggled massively, at least looking at results from afar, and I thought he was going to get potted but I’m glad you stuck with him through a sticky patch, and I’m sure you are too now. Maloney lost five on the bounce earlier this season, and fans were calling for his head. It’s as if we learn nothing from prematurely sacking managers, every time we cock it up. The Kolo Toure “experiment” we had this time last year was one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever witnessed. Sorry, I’ve gone off track.

You’ve always had decent support, including the aforementioned, slightly violent element, and you’ve been through tough times. I suppose the rise back up has galvanised you. I’ve seen those vids of your young ultras pounding drums through the streets. It would be relatively easy for me and many others to take the piss out of this, but dare I say, it’s something we’re sadly lacking at our ridiculously oversized stadium, a bit of fan culture. If people put their efforts into stuff like that, instead of spouting off on Twitter, then we’d be in a much better place. At this point, if this was someone else, moaning to me then I’d normally say: “Well, so what are YOU going to do about it?” But I turned 50 earlier this year, so I’m hardly going to paint my face blue and white and spend all night weaving together a 50-foot flag and start chucking flares at kids and pensioners. Sorry, where was I again? No, fair play to you. I think Stockport is a much bigger, sprawling conurbation than Wigan, so you’ve got that latent support, and Sale Sharks have buggered off, so it’s not a rugby town any more, hee hee. I know you’ve got the same challenges we have with regard to bigger clubs, but you’ve still got a great support and it seems quite rejuvenated after some horrible years. Doing a number on Bolton in the cup a year or two back was also quite amusing too.

What’s your prediction for Wednesday night?

We seem to be drawing a lot of these, so let’s say a 1-1 draw with penalties, which we seem to also be winning too somehow. I take it the knockout games go straight to pens too? If they announce extra time, I’m going home to get warm instead.

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Today’s sponsor: BGM Decorators

Don’t be like this random stranger Des Junior found on the internet. He thought he could decorate his living room himself. But now look at him, sat forlorn on his floor covered in a tin of Dulux. His wife’s left him, and his evenings are now occupied by microwave meals and old repeats of The Sweeney. You know what he should have done, don’t you? He should have called BGM Decorators.

BGM Decorators is a family business that has been in the trade since 1988. They’ve been built on hard work, honesty, and a high quality service that has consistently enhanced their reputation. They provide a painting and decorating service on a domestic and commercial basis across Stockport, Greater Manchester and Cheshire, as well as offering tenant turnover services and working alongside estate agencies and private landlords.

Click here for contact details.

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Bunch of fives

5️⃣ “high” things

1) West Brom’s ground

2) School

3) Jump

4) Kevin Francis

5) 92% of people in Piccadilly Gardens

County’s last 5️⃣ trips to The Hawthorns

1) 1997-98, lost 3-2

2) 1998-99, lost 3-1

3) 1999-00, lost 2-0

4) 2000-01, drew 1-1 (Cooper screamer!)

5) 2001-02, lost 4-0

5️⃣ bin colours

1) Black

2) Green

3) Blue

4) Red

5) Yellow

5️⃣ things you can do in Bask

1) Eat

2) Drink

3) Sing

4) Dance

5) Poo

5️⃣ memories from County FA Cup replays

1) Will Collar’s hat-trick against Charlton

2) Alun Armstrong smashing an equaliser past Neville Southall at the Cheadle End

3) Staines beating us on penalties

4) That Bolton night

5) Missing out on Villa by losing to Gillingham

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Photo of the day

Huish Park, Yeovil

County fans celebrate in Somerset, as Jim Gannon’s National League North heroes dump League Two side Yeovil Town out of the FA Cup in 2018-19.

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La Cueva

Today in SK

🍔 Food and drink

Lunch deal at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). One course for £7 or two courses for £11. 12pm - 2pm.

Med Monday at TRUNK (SK7) between 12pm and 9pm. Enjoy three tapas dishes for £15. T&Cs apply. Call 0161 222 9260 to book a table, and mention “The Scarf My Father Wore” to receive a 15% discount off the normal tapas menu.

Start your week in style by enjoying some delicious tapas dishes (with a cheeky cocktail or two!) at La Cueva (SK8).

🎤 Live music

Acoustica at Bask (SK1). Free entry.

❓Quiz night

The George & Dragon (SK7). 7.30pm.

The Scarf My Father Wore works closely with venues on a daily basis to bring you the most comprehensive guide to all of the best offers and events taking place across the whole SK region. Click on the links below for full details of everything taking place in your area over the next few weeks.

SK1 / SK2 / SK3 / SK4 / SK5 / SK6 / SK7 / SK8 / SK9 / SK10 / SK11 / SK12 / SK13 / SK14 / SK15 / SK16 / SK17 / SK22 / SK23

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DJ Des

County could be making an appearance at the highest football ground (out of the 92) in the country in January. With that in mind, we’ll have this Lighthouse Family classic today.

Would you like DJ Des to play a song for your favourite County player, or a friend or family member? Email thescarfmyfatherwore@substack.com with your requests/shoutouts!

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