The king has had his coronation, now let’s have the County summation…
Will the Vita pound be strong enough against the Wrexham and Gillingham dollars this season, or might we rue missing out on promotion from what seemed to be a fairly mediocre League Two in 22-23
Saturday 1 July 2023
NEXT HOME GAME: Huddersfield - Saturday 22 July, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Lincoln (in Spain!) - Friday 7 July, 4pm (Click here for our away day guide)
Now then, this feels a little odd. I don’t usually like to do post-season stuff once we’re into July. June for a look back at the previous season, then July looking ahead to the new one. Although to be fair, we’d have comfortably finished all of our 2022-23 reviews by now had we not been to Wembley, so I can’t complain too much. There’s only two more articles to go anyway. County today, Donny Rovers tomorrow, and then we can start to look ahead to the new season, kicking off with a trip to Spain! (I’m not going, but one of our excellent writers has already got her pen and paper at the ready for her Spanish diary, which will be on the website later this month!)
First, it’s time to reflect on our Football League return with Dave Philbin. If we just focus on the context of our first season back in League Two after 11 years away, I’m in agreement with Dave when he says losing the play-off final wasn’t the end of the world. However, as we start to look at the bigger picture, with a number of clubs flexing some big financial muscles this summer, I just hope we don’t come to regret not getting out of League Two last season, when it was possibly weaker than it will be this time around. Only time will tell.
Today’s edition of The Scarf My Father Wore is sponsored by Radial Fire and Security. A big thank you to Dan. See below for further details.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Des Junior
Had King Charles invited you to his coronation celebrations, and insisted you brought him the best food you’d experienced inside a League Two ground this season, what would you have treated him to?
It’s a shame you said League Two ground because the sausage roll I had at Charlton would have been the first thing on the king’s plate. He’s not having the terrible cheeseburger from Stevenage or hot dog from Tranmere. I think I’d have to get him a Babs Burger from Salford.
Charles is now king of the UK. But who would you choose to be crowned king of Edgeley Park, and who would be locked up in the tower? You can pick anybody who’s had some sort of connection with the club this season.
Choosing a king of Edgeley Park, I’m torn between John Fitzpatrick and Steve Bellis. Fitzy set up Help the Hatters back in the day who did – and continue to do – loads for the club. Bellis is a big reason why we’re still a football club today, never mind a Football League club. To do what he did with the trophy every weekend for what seemed like weeks, you just don’t get things like that at other clubs and we’re so lucky to have him.
Chris Beaumont’s son Olly is getting locked in the tower because he can’t keep his clothes on!
Best moment of 2022-23?
There were plenty of great moments throughout our first season back in the Football League: winning at Bradford, Hippo’s last-minute equaliser at The Valley, the opening of the County Courtyard, Danny’s statue. But I don’t think I can look past winning on penalties to get to Wembley. It was a wonderful moment where old fans and new came together and realised we’re back! On a personal level, back in 2008 I thought I was too cool to sit with my brother and dad at Wembley and sat with my mates instead, so to be able to put that right this year and make great memories is a big highlight.
Worst moment of 2022-23?
The obvious one would be losing at Wembley but let’s go right back to the first game of the season. To have had the summer we did, signing all the great players and just the excitement of being back in the Football League taking over the town, it never crossed any fan’s mind that we could lose. So being 3-0 down at 3.33pm on 30 July was crazy. I just remember laughing thinking it was the most County thing ever.
Funniest moment of 2022-23?
On the pitch, Bradford’s left-back losing sight of the ball near the corner, before miskicking it and falling over.
Off the pitch, there were plenty of goings-on, mainly arses being put in the face of a sleeping Pete Mellor. I also fell asleep stood up in the toilet on the coach back from Leyton Orient with my pants around my ankles, so everyone got a pretty sight when they forced the door open.
Four Four Two said we’d finish 2nd. When Saturday Comes said we’d finish 5th. We finished 4th. Discuss.
Weren’t far off were they? We’d have taken 2nd or 5th before the season started, and bitten their hand off after 10 games. On reflection, losing in the play-off final wasn’t the end of the world. We’ve got a core squad that doesn’t need many additions now and I fully expect us to push on once more and get one of those automatic places.
Best and worst away days of 2022-23?
Bradford was a great away day. The minibus stopped off in Hebden Bridge, it was a nice sunny day, and lots of beer was consumed. It was the first “proper” ground we’d been to that wasn’t empty (Doncaster was fairly empty) and we got the win that set us off on a great run to turn the season around.
Worst? Has to be Barrow. I went to bigger shitholes in the National League North. Arse end of nowhere, landfill on the other side of the road, a terrible result and even worse performance. We’ve got them on Boxing Day this year which I reckon is the worst Boxing Day fixture in the history of the club.
After decades travelling around the world, Sir David Attenborough’s most recent BBC documentary covered Great Britain. Let’s imagine David and his crew have been filming County fans throughout the 2022-23 season. In that famous voice of his, how would he describe them?
“Here, we can see a congregation of Hatters who travel in packs of at least 500 everywhere they go, with their mating call of ‘we always win away’ being sung whenever they arrive at stadiums. Some of them like to force rivalries with teams in different divisions, whereas others just turn up for the boys in blue. A strange species, but one that will do anything for their own in times of need.”
With Wrexham up and MK Dons down, there’s a couple of teams coming into League Two who generally cause quite a lot of debate wherever they go. You’re on Moonpig.com buying a welcome card for both of them. What messages are going inside?
MK Dons: “Hope you go down again you plastic twats!”
Wrexham: “Good to see you, old friends…”
Click on the links below to read the previous 2022-23 reviews we’ve published so far.
Barrow / Bradford / Carlisle / Colchester / Crawley / Crewe / Gillingham / Grimsby / Harrogate / Hartlepool / Leyton Orient / Mansfield / Newport / Northampton / Rochdale / Salford / Stevenage / Sutton / Swindon / Tranmere / Walsall / Wimbledon
Get in touch with Radial Fire and Security
As you know, we like to have a laugh and a joke at The Scarf My Father Wore, but something like fire protection is a serious matter, so we’ll get straight down to business. Radial Fire and Security are a leading commercial fire safety company with over 20 years’ experience, operating throughout the UK, specialising in the supply and service of a variety of different ranges of fire protection equipment. If you’re looking for cover, or simply to obtain some further information, give Dan a call today.
Visit radialfire.co.uk for further details.
Photo of the day
Somewhere in Wilmslow
Former County keeper Andy Dibble, pictured with Tyson Fury who he bumped into in Wilmslow yesterday.
Today in SK
🥂 Food and drink 🥂
Head down to Petersgate Tap (SK1) for a refreshing pint of Newton Court Cider.
Bottomless Saturday at TRUNK (SK7). Bottomless lunch £35 per person (includes 3 tapas dishes) from 12pm till 4pm. T&Cs apply and 90 minutes of selected bottomless drinks.
🎤 Karaoke 🎤
Lee at the Nelson Tavern (SK1). 8pm - 1am.
🎶 Live music 🎶
Jordan Phillips from The Voice is at The Alexandra (SK3). 4pm.
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