The A-Z Groundhopper goes to… Warrington Town!
Des Junior heads to Cantilever Park to see Bohan Dixon & Co reach the Cheshire Cup semi-finals
Thursday 20 March 2025
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.
NEXT HOME GAME: Burton Albion – Saturday 29 March, 12.30pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Wrexham – Saturday 22 March, 3pm
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Warrington supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Thursday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.
I was at a loose end on Tuesday night so I thought I’d tick off another ground under my guise of The A-Z Groundhopper. My destination was Cantilever Park, home of National League North outfit Warrington Town, who beat County 1-0 in the last round of the Cheshire Cup. The Yellows progressed via the same scoreline a couple of days ago, knocking out Crewe to book a semi-final date with Stalybridge next week.
Today’s edition is sponsored by Pate & Lever Roofing. A big thank you to Barry.
Thanks also to Tom at Electriko for sponsoring our Warrington Town content on the website. If there’s any electrical work you need doing, you’ll get a 10% discount by quoting The Scarf My Father Wore. Call 01925 670481 or email warrington.cheshire@electriko.co.uk.
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: 240.07 miles
Total steps so far: 392,922
Total raised so far: £2,287
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
Warrington Town 1 Crewe Alexandra 0
Cheshire Senior Cup quarter-final
Tuesday 18 March 2025
AWAY FAN CHAT
Couldn’t find any Crewe fans to have a chat with on Tuesday night. I thought I’d stand near the Crewe dugout for a bit to see if I could overhear anything interesting. I didn’t. Just took a picture of this bloke instead, who was frantically tapping his keyboard repeatedly every time a Crewe player was in possession.
BANTER
Spotted in the snack bar. (Could do with an apostrophe, though.)
CLUB SHOP
A couple of former County players in the Warrington Town club shop, in coaster form. Both from our National League North days. Bohan Dixon made 31 appearances (5 goals) in 2017-18. Josh Amis was at Edgeley Park the season before, scoring 5 goals in 38 appearances, including his late effort at Bradford Park Avenue in April which sparked wild scenes amongst the travelling County fans, with the play-offs still a possibility. (Scroll to the end of the video for a cracking pitch invasion in West Yorkshire!)
DRINKS
I needed warming up in the second half so I opted for a £1.50 hot chocolate from the snack bar. It ended up costing me £2, as the young girl behind the counter successfully sold me the dream of some squirty cream on top. Get her on The Apprentice.
EUPHORIA
I don’t think anyone can experience true euphoria in Warrington on a Tuesday night, can they? But I’m always a little bit excited seeing a former County player in the flesh. It wasn’t a euphoric moment for Bohan Dixon, however. He was subbed off in the second half.
FIRST HALF
“Get him on the bus on Saturday,” shouted one Warrington fan as Will Adams fired the home side in front with a neat finish after just six minutes, on his first senior start for the club. The assist came from the lively Ben Hatton, on loan from Rotherham. Couple of chances for Matty McDonald after that but the score remained 1-0 at the break.
GROUND
Tidy enough ground. Capacity of around 3,000. Fairly basic, but this is only Warrington’s second season at this level. Very smart clubhouse. Everyone at the club nice and friendly.
HOME FAN CHAT
Popped into the clubhouse after the game while I waited for my taxi (£7.60 to get back to Warrington Bank Quay). Enjoyed a quick chat with Dave.
Thoughts on the game tonight?
Decent effort. We missed a few chances in the first half but that’s been symptomatic of the season; poor finishing, not having an out and out goalscorer. I thought the young Crewe team knocked the ball about well, kept possession. It was a good contest. Pleased we’re through.
Stalybridge in the semi-final next week. Winnable?
I’d like to think so. We’ve not lost the last few times we’ve played them.
You’re six points from safety in the National League North. Can you stay up?
It’s nine now, Oxford City got a last-minute winner tonight! The effort’s still there. The players haven’t quit, they keep going. But it’s going to be a tough ask. We’d have to win at Oxford this Saturday to stand any chance I think.
And finally, what’s your plans for the rest of the night?
Ha ha. I’m off home shortly for some steak and oyster sauce.
INTERVAL
Gerry Cinnamon playing over the tannoy during the break. Nowt else going on.
JOURNEY
Piece of piss from Chester, just over 20 minutes to Warrington Bank Quay. Had a read of my programme on the way back - 24 pages for £2.
KIOSK
A proper northern tea hut.
LOCAL AREA
Didn’t really see much of Warrington itself, with the walk from the train station to the ground taking me away from the town centre. In my search for a cash machine, I did quickly bob down Bridge Street at the bottom end of town. If you ever want a coffee, a vape or a Subway sandwich, you’re all sorted. Not many places for a pint, though. The Lion, PJs, Deadeyes Cocktail Bar, Eivissa, Rain and Cromwells were all either closed or boarded up. If you’re ever up for a big one in Warrington, Reef (“extending bedtimes since 2006”) has a sign advertising the fact it’s now open until 6am at the weekend. A few years ago I’d have instantly been on the blower to my mates. Couldn’t think of anything worse these days.
MOOCH
Substack isn’t letting me upload a video for some reason. I’ll try and fix it!
NUMBERS
Warrington’s last three attendances in the league: 817, 806 and 928. Didn’t catch the attendance, but I’d say there were at least two or three hundred at the game on Tuesday. A decent percentage of their regular gate.
OUTSIDE THE GROUND
There’s a quaint little black-and-white chippy opposite the ground. Very popular apparently. Loads of people in the ground were eating fish and chips from there.
PUB CHAT
Bridges (£1.50 for a pint of Theakston Mild) was about the only place open at the bottom end of town. I’ll usually strike up a conversation with the locals, but sometimes I’ll happily sit back and earwig when I overhear a line such as this one: “You’ve got lovely ears haven’t you, have you had them pinned back?” Two women and a lad in his 30s sat drinking shots at the bar thoroughly entertained me while I was having my orange juice. Not very often you hear people talking about Brookside these days. “I tell you what, that Lindsey Corkhill is lovely in real life.”
QUEUES
Jackie’s Baps followed by a mobile number used to be something you’d see in the classifieds at the back of the Manchester Evening News. But this queue of people at Cantilever Park on Tuesday night were patiently waiting for burgers rather than boobs. (I think.)
RANDOM
I thought Fiona Bruce would be coining it in presenting Question Time on BBC One, but perhaps she’s not earning as much as I thought if she’s needing to take out advertising space at a sixth-tier football ground.
SECOND HALF
No goals in the second half. Crewe came into the game a little bit more but couldn’t find an equaliser. Warrington deservedly into the semis.
TICKET
I can’t show you my ticket as I bought mine online as it was a couple of quid cheaper (although £12 is still pretty pricey for a Cheshire Cup game). So here’s a picture of the turnstiles instead.
URINALS
Probably only room for a couple of blokes (three at a push) in the Warrington Town toilets, but very clean and tidy, and a pleasant enough smell with a generous helping of urinal cakes.
VEGGIE
Burgers seemed to be the main fayre on offer at Jackie’s Baps, but at the very bottom of the menu I spotted a cheeky little jacket potato with cheese and beans. A monster of a potato, with a decent portion of beans, but it could have done with a little bit more cheese. Tasty, though.
WEATHER
It’s a good 30-minute walk from the train station, but with the sun setting I had a pleasant stroll.
X-RATED TOILETS
Not too bad at all to be fair. A faint trace of some skid marks, but a clean seat, a full roll of toilet paper, and some Tesco magnolia handwash for afterwards.
YELLOW
Warrington’s nickname is the Yellows, so plenty of photo opportunities for this one. I went with the stanchion posts behind the goal.
ZZZZZ
This is a very boring thing to say, but you should really put the lid back on the milk once you’ve used it.
Do you need a new roof?
Pate & Lever Roofing is a distinguished company specialising in complete re-roofs, serving residential clients with exceptional roofing solutions. With a commitment to quality craftsmanship and customer satisfaction, Pate & Lever Roofing has built a robust reputation in the roofing industry. Their team of skilled professionals is adept at handling a variety of roofing materials, ensuring that each project is tailored to meet the specific needs and preferences of their clients.
One of the hallmarks of Pate & Lever Roofing is their meticulous attention to detail in every project they undertake. From the initial inspection to the final installation, the company emphasises thoroughness and precision, ensuring that each re-roof is performed to the highest standards. This dedication to excellence not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the properties they work on but also ensures the longevity and durability of the new roofs. By using top quality materials and state-of-the-art techniques, Pate & Lever Roofing delivers results that stand the test of time, providing clients with peace of mind and protection from the elements.
➡️ For a free no-obligation quote give Barry a call on 07977 559136 or email info@pateandleverroofing.co.uk.
Photo of the day
Cantilever Park, Warrington
An extra photo from Tuesday night, in honour of the County fan who whacked a cheeky little sticker on the snack bar sign at Cantilever Park, presumably when we played Warrington in January.
5 Questions with Tom from Electriko
What’s been the best moment with your business so far?
When Electriko became MCS NICEIC certified as expert solar and renewable energy installers, we were then able to sponsor a boys football team. It was lovely to help them to continue and see them run out with our name proudly across their shirts.
What’s your plans for the business in the future?
We’re going from strength to strength installing not just solar systems but infrared heating systems in domestic and commercial businesses, including a huge contract with the Church of England to install it in hundreds of churches.
What would you like to promote to The Scarf My Father Wore readers?
If any readers are looking for expert electrical work, especially solar or infrared, we would be happy to give a 10% discount by mentioning The Scarf My Father Wore.
What’s your favourite thing in the world that uses electricity?
My personal favourite thing would have to be a fan in my bedroom at night. Couldn't sleep without it!
What’s the best thing about living in Warrington?
The fantastic people, the family atmosphere, and the sense of belonging to one of the best towns in the UK. It’s a beautiful place to live and work.
➡️ Visit electriko.co.uk for further details.
Photo credit: Mike Petch
Bits and bobs
⚽️ County’s game at Bolton last weekend was our final North West derby of the campaign. It’s fair to say Dave Challinor’s men are the kings of the region this season. How’s this for a record:
Played 6 • Won 5 • Drawn 1 • Lost 0
Scored 13 • Conceded 1
🚌 Wrexham coach information:
Edgeley Con Club: Full.
Fingerpost Flyer: 1pm. £20 adults, £16 juniors. Email hedgegrower@gmail.com to book.
SK6 County Coaches: Full.
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
One film at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. The Last Showgirl (15) at 4.15pm.
🍻 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! Served till 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 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.
Random snippets from old County programmes
#24 - County v Torquay, 7 March 1986
It’s not just County’s modern-day media department prone to a mistake or two. We also had some classics back in the 80s!
The County Crossword in Monday’s programme against Southend was unfortunately printed with no numbers on it. To allow you a chance to complete this crossword, it has been printed again in tonight’s programme, complete with numbers. So get solving the clues and find the missing team.
If you’re in need of any of the following this month, please use our sponsors as your first port of call
🪟 Blinds & Shutters: Bauhaus Blinds and Shutters
👷♂️ Builder: C E Building Services Ltd
🧱 Builders Merchant: MKM Manchester South
🧽 Car Valeting: Rub A Dubz Detailing Ltd
🏠 Carpets & Flooring: Kingsway Carpets & Rugs Ltd
🐈 Cat Flaps: That Cat Flap Company Ltd
🧹 Cleaning: Beespoke Cleaning
🚙 Coatings: Colourtone Ltd
🐶 Dog Trainer: Forever Home Dog Training
🚘 Driving School: CFN School of Motoring
🏠 Estate Agent: The Agency UK
💷 Financial Services: The Mortgage Mill
💐 Florist: The Flower House
🪚 Joinery: SAW Contracts Ltd
🔌 Kitchen Appliances: SW Appliances
🔑 Locksmith: APL Locksmiths Ltd
💪 Male Weight Loss: MAN v FAT
🖌 Painter & Decorator: BGM Decorators
🧱 Plastering: DT Plastering Services and Damp Proofing Specialists
🛖 Roofing: Pate & Lever Roofing Ltd
👨💼 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