Stock(P)ort County 2 Morecambe 0
Words and photos from another incredibly special day at Edgeley Park, as County secure a return to the third tier of English football for the first time since 2009-10
Monday 15 April 2024
NEXT HOME GAME: Accrington – Saturday 20 April, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Notts County – Tuesday 16 April, 7.45pm
If you’d like to write an article for The Scarf My Father Wore, share a few snippets or photos, or advertise your business, please email thescarfmyfatherwore@substack.com.
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Morecambe supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Monday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore, with the Hatters now officially in League One next season!
Hannah Brown takes us through Saturday’s promotion-clincher, and there’s a load of photos from me as well, from Bergara to Bask.
Sticking with the theme of celebrations, a great big happy 30th birthday to my wonderful sister Lauren, who also happens to be the mother of my two adorable nephews – those cute bundles of squish in the photo.
I’d also like to share a couple of emails sent in by two of our subscribers over the weekend.
Britton Barthold: “No words! What a year, what a season, what an experience. Can’t believe it, what a feeling to see the club get up to League One. Really appreciate the friendship we’ve developed over the past year and a half. I can never thank you and the County fans enough for the hospitality you provided during my visit to EP. I told friends and family a few months ago that if County got to win promotion during a year I got to witness a win at EP, I’d cherish the moment forever. Unforgettable! Enjoy the celebrations, I’ll be happily celebrating from afar!”
Robert McNally: “I’m so grateful for how Dave Challinor has brought County back to the forefront of where we are today. We’d been out of the Football League for over a decade and no other manager had been able to bring us back but Chally successfully succeeded against the odds. Then we had a terrific season last year and given the poor start to the current campaign, followed by all the injuries, he’s performed miracles in taking us up once again, hopefully with the League Two title: Before Challinor was appointed, Edgeley was dropping into decline with shutters coming down on Castle Street. Now the local area and the club are thriving. I'm County through and through and we really should get behind the best manager we have had in years. His success speaks a million words. As County fans we should all stick by him and believe in him. I have a few words to say to Dave Challinor… I believe, and cheers, thank you!”
Today’s edition is sponsored by Bridge Computer Services and CFN School of Motoring. A big thank you to both Mark and Craig.
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: 136.36 miles
Total steps so far: 217,174
Total raised so far: £1,666
Total completed streets so far: 271 (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
✍️ Saturday’s match in one word
Surreal.
🤔 Pre-match thoughts
Interested to see how Morecambe responded to their points deduction midweek which effectively put them out of play-off contention. Although we were pretty much guaranteed promotion after Tuesday it still felt like we needed the win rather than the point to keep momentum up aiming for the title.
🧐 Post-match thoughts
I’m still amazed how, with the exception of Tuesday, which I’ve still not fully recovered from, the games since Crawley have been such pedestrian wins. It felt like there should have been more peril and jeopardy involved after the end of last season and I think I’m still waiting for that to happen. It was so nice to see everyone celebrating after the game, and know that we may have bigger celebrations to come. For now though, League One is enough, and we bloody deserve it.
🔵 Verdict on County
It felt like we didn’t really have to get out of first gear. Tanto and Knoyle will be missed in the last few games if they have short term injuries, but hopefully Barry will be able to step into a more attacking role to cover for Tanto.
⚪️ Verdict on Morecambe
They showed up, but lost their heads after the first goal, and at times it felt like the scoreline would flatter us much more, so defensively they were doing something right. With no shots on target and only one off, they were well contained by us.
🎩 Top Hatter
Horsfall. That man deserves so much credit for his amazingly consistent performances this season and he was perfectly placed for his goal.
🦐 Top Shrimp
Mair, only because of the shots on target he did manage to stop.
👂 Atmosphere
Full credit to the Morecambe fans, they were very vocal throughout and kept going right to the end. Really impressive especially with everything going on off the pitch there. Like we’ve seen often with sell-outs for the last couple of seasons the atmosphere seemed a little muted at times but that was compensated for by the reaction at the final whistle. Slightly odd decision-making to tell people to leave via the exits before saying there would be a presentation on the pitch, which meant a lot of people missed out, and the players didn’t get the reception they so deserved. Maybe we can do it differently if we get a do-over this weekend…
🙏 Hopes for the rest of the season
It feels like the three points for the title are achievable, especially given Accrington’s recent form, but I’d very much like it to be done by Wrexham so we can just enjoy it and avoid any final day drama. Notts County are on a little run of wins but they’re in a position where they’ve got nothing to play for, and we beat them when they were good(!) so hopefully we can do it on Tuesday, but with Saturday as a back-up.
😀 Best part of the day
People watching, both after the game and around the ground and Edgeley afterwards. This means so very much to people and that was so evident on their faces. I did my full-on sobbing on Tuesday night, so Saturday was much calmer, but I loved being able to celebrate with my family.
😡 Worst part of the day
If you’re having a pitch invasion because you’ve got promoted, don’t run straight at the away fans. Morecambe have zero rivalry with us, and it’s not about them, at all. With so much to celebrate it’s a total waste of energy, but it happens every time.
The British Library receives a copy of every single book published in the UK. In the same fashion, Des Junior believes a detailed record of every County game should be preserved for the history books. So here’s the full story of our 2-0 victory at home to Morecambe on Saturday 13 April 2024, as told from his County-related WhatsApp groups…
9.15am: I am so excited I dreamt I offered Dave Challinor a handful of Hula Hoops. Does that in some way signify we become champions today?
10.53am: No, it just confirms you’re a weirdo.
2.43pm: I’m sitting in the Railway End for the first time in my life today. Christ it’s shit.
3.09pm: Get in! Tanto.
3.50pm: The Horse makes it 2-0. That was pathetically easy.
6.19pm: Part 1 done. Two games to put Part 2 to bed before it starts to get silly.
Give Mark a call if your laptop needs a new screen
If your laptop needs a new screen give Mark a call at Bridge Computer Services. One of Mark’s clients had a broken screen recently. The following day the laptop was fitted with a new screen and delivered back to the client.
Based in Romiley, the business also provides computer workshop and callout services to residential and business customers across Stockport. Their callout and workshop engineers are trained to fix computers, laptops and servers on site (where possible) as well as setting up new computers and wireless networks, plus maintaining existing networks and removing viruses.
Visit bridgecomputerservices.co.uk for further details.
Learn to drive this year
If you’re looking to get yourself on the road this year, give Craig a call, who’s been a driving instructor for over 20 years. He offers a full and thorough driver education experience. Driving is a skill for life and must not be under-estimated. Craig provides a training environment to facilitate client centred learning, which will ensure that your driving lessons are tailored to suit your development requirements, helping you to develop at a pace that suits your ability and learning capacity. All of Craig’s customers leave his care as safe, competent and confident drivers!
Visit craignicksonadi.co.uk for further details.
“So now you’re gonna believe us… the County’s goin’ up!”
Photo of the day
A huge congratulations to Fraser Horsfall, who was named in the League Two Team of the Season last night. Thoroughly deserved!
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
Two films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Back To Black (15) at 6pm, followed by Wicked Little Letters (15) at 8.30pm. Click here for tickets.
🎶 Free jukebox
The Nelson Tavern (SK1). From 6.30pm.
Random County fan of the day #96 – Kelly Foster!
One final thing before you go… if you’d like a spring clean for your car, carpets, house, oven or even your windows, get in touch with our brilliant bunch of sponsors!
🎨 Art & Gifts: Kate O’Brien Art
🧱 Builders Merchant: MKM Manchester South
🧽 Car Valeting: Rub A Dubz Detailing Ltd
🧼 Carpet Cleaning: A Star Clean Ltd
🏠 Carpets & Flooring: Kingsway Carpets & Rugs Ltd
🐈 Cat Flaps: That Cat Flap Company Ltd
👶 Child Health: The Sleep Nanny
🏠 Chimney Sweep: Three Shires Chimney Services
🧹 Cleaning: Beespoke Cleaning
🚙 Coatings: Colourtone Ltd
🚘 Driving School: CFN School of Motoring
💷 Financial Services: The Mortgage Mill
🔥 Fire Protection: Radial Fire And Security Limited
👟 Fitness: G Thomas Training
🍏 Greengrocers: Waterhouse’s Quality Food
🛁 Grout Refresh & Recolour: GroutGleam Stockport
💇♀️ Hairdressing: C West Hairstylist
💻 IT Services: Bridge Computer Services
🪚 Joinery: SAW Contracts Ltd
👨🍳 Kitchen Appliances: SW Appliances
🌳 Landscaping: PR Landscapes
🔑 Locksmith: APL Locksmiths Ltd
🧤 Oven Cleaning: That Oven Girl
🖌 Painter & Decorator: BGM Decorators
🚑 Personal Injury: Parkers Solicitors Ltd
📸 Photography: Holly Dwyer Photography
🎹 Piano Tutor: Sophie Grace Piano and Keyboard Tuition
🧱 Plastering: DT Plastering Services and Damp Proofing Specialists
🚰 Plumber: GTG Gary the Gasman
🦶 Podiatry: SK Podiatry
📕 Publishing: Victor Publishing
🤳 Social Media Management: Believe Media
☀️ Solar Panels: Malbern Solar Ltd
👨💼 Solicitors: B.J. McKenna & Co
⚽️ Sports Coaching: UK Sports Coaching Ltd
🪨 Stonemason: LM Stone Creative
🪵 Timber Supplies: Portwood Timber Division of Illingworth Ingham (Manchester) Ltd
☀️ Travel Agent: PTF Travel Ltd
⚖️ Weight Loss: Slimming World Reddish & Bredbury with Shlean
🪟 Window Cleaner: R ‘N’ B Window Cleaning
🧘♀️ Yoga: Greenshoots Yoga