The national battle between red and blue may be over, but there’s another tasty one to watch in League One
Not one, but two season previews today, with both Wrexham and Shrewsbury joining us (don’t worry, we’ve drafted in extra security to keep them apart)
Friday 5 July 2024
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Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Wrexham and Shrewsbury supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Friday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore, on this first day of our new Labour government.
With the news dominated by the battle between red and blue in recent weeks, I thought I’d go with a similar flavour today, which is why I’ve chucked Wrexham and Shrewsbury in together, even though they’ll hate me for doing so. To be fair, that’s also in keeping with the Oasis-themed titles we’ve been putting on all of our season previews so far. Liam and Noel can’t stand each other; neither can the Red Dragons and the Shrews.
Whoever you support, we’ve got not one, but two decent pieces for you to enjoy today, courtesy of Gaz from Chips for a Quid and Jack from Shrews Analysis.
EURO 2024 – DAY 22
5pm: Spain v Germany 🇪🇸🇩🇪
8pm: Portugal v France 🇵🇹🇫🇷
Here’s a list of the best places to watch today’s games…
Bask (SK1). All the action on two 75” screens.
Crown (SK2). Buy a pint of Helles today and you’ll be in with a chance of winning 52 free pints! There’s also a special menu throughout the Euros.
Armoury (SK3).
Reddish Working Men’s Club (SK5). There’s four screens in the games room, a new projector in the lower games room, and a screen in the middle room where families and children can enjoy the match. Check out the Special Offer Wheel which will be offering a variety of great deals before, during and after each game.
Railway (SK6).
Marple Tavern (SK6). Food served at half-time such as burgers, hot dogs, pizza and chips.
Steelworks (SK6). Games shown downstairs (sound off) and upstairs (sound on).
Shady Oak (SK7). Food served during the games from the matchday menu. Pick up a loyalty card to receive a discount on certain drinks.
Three Tunnes (SK7). Buy a pint of Helles today and you’ll be in with a chance of winning 52 free pints! There’s also a special menu throughout the Euros.
Cross Keys (SK8). Bitter £2.30 a pint all day. Discounts on certain lagers 12pm - 6pm.
Railway (SK9). TVs in every room, and outside. Discounted doubles on spirits and 10% off four pint jugs.
Flute & Firkin (SK12). Call 01625 879181 to book a table, and quote “The Scarf My Father Wore” to receive 10% off your first round of drinks. (Not applicable for walk-ins.)
Friendship Inn (SK13). Five big screen TVs with surround sound, including one outside in the beer garden.
Today’s edition is sponsored by A Star Clean. A big thank you to Patrick.
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: 158.42 miles
Total steps so far: 254,782
Total raised so far: £1,909
Total completed streets so far: 347 (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
Wrexham Preview
Last win at our place: Saturday 23 September 2023, League Two, 5-0
Last win at their place: Saturday 10 April 2021, National League, 3-0
Today’s Sky Bet title/promotion odds: Us – 18-1 11/2 Them – 11/1 7/2
Top story in the local news today: “Your voices have been heard” says new Labour MP for Wrexham
It’s the day after the general election. What’s happened in Wrexham? And which person at your football club do you think would make the best prime minister?
Despite being a safe Labour seat since the 1940s, Wrexham turned blue for the first time in the 2019 general election. Our representative from that day forward has been one of the most conceited and insufferable MPs of all time in Chester-born Sarah Atherton. She's tried to claim credit for everything good that has happened to the town as a result of the takeover – but she couldn't even call our club by its correct name in parliament. I'm glad her time is up.
Not sure who we have here at Wrexham who could lead the country... but James McClean would make an interesting PM wouldn't he?! Not that he'd want the job...
Nigel Farage has had cement and a milkshake chucked over him recently. If he was to do a lap of the Racecourse Ground on a Saturday afternoon, what would Wrexham fans be most likely to throw at him?
Depends which part of the ground he was patrolling. I'm guessing the Paddock would launch pies, the Fourth Wall would throw their spare pairs of gloves (which are necessities in that freezing, open air part of the stadium), the Mold Road would hurl bottles of Wrexham Lager, and the Tech End would hit him with vapes.
If you had to compare the ownership and daily operations of your club to a political party, which would it be?
Our owners won the Racecourse seat with a landslide victory in 2021 and things have been brilliant ever since.
Maybe Labour will be able to relate to the RR McReynolds Party with their massive majority – but whether they can guide the UK to quite the same levels of prosperity as we've seen at Y Cae Ras however remains to be seen. They probably won't have as much money to throw around...
On and off the pitch, what do you think your club’s manifesto should say for the next 12 months?
Now that we've got Wrexit done (leaving non-league), I think this year's manifesto is all about Building The Momentum. We've got a good thing going here. Can it get even better? Who knows. This season will be tougher that's for sure.
Right, that’s enough political stuff. Next question. “We’re all from Stockport, who the fuck are you…?”
We know who you are. You keep hiring planes to fly over North Wales to remind us!
Which team do you most want to beat this season?
Birmingham, just because they're the biggest side in the division. That would be a real benchmark win to show how far we've come.
Shrewsbury will be seeking revenge after we knocked them out of the cup last year; it'd be good to beat them on their “Big Day Out” again.
Which Wrexham player is most likely to end up in League One’s team of the season?
Paul Mullin is always going to be a contender – but it'll be interesting to see how he fares in League One. Some people say Wales missed a trick by not calling him up, whereas others doubt he would have any impact at international level. This season will give a better indication of who might be right.
Also, getting goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo in permanently is massive. He's still young but he has insane potential.
County haven’t been to Wrexham in the league since April 2024. In just one paragraph, sum up everything that’s happened at your place since then.
A party in Vegas. A very weird TST Tournament. Two signings so far: Okonkwo and Lewis Brunt. And now we're prepping to head out on the Wrex Coast Tour. We've got a new CEO too who used to be on the board at Inter Milan. Hopefully we'll see some big signings in the coming weeks.
Wrexham away. I think of locals who hate the English, Disney film crews everywhere, and lots of road signs with no vowels. Do I need to educate myself further, or is that fairly accurate?
Nah, you know your stuff. That's about right. There's also a lot of bakeries and betting shops.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Stockport County?
Noise. Every time we play one another it's always a proper atmosphere and County fans know how to generate a racket. Can't wait for our ties again this year.
I’ve been watching Football Cops on Channel 4 recently, featuring Sunderland fans kicking down barriers after the game at Coventry, and loads of little Crewe rapscallions playing up at home to Walsall. On a scale of 1 to 10, how naughty are Wrexham fans these days, and how safe will our lot be when we make the trip to North Wales this season?
We're not always the most troublesome fanbase in the world, but it's true that the Wrexham Frontline have had some big scraps in recent years – even since the takeover. There was fighting on the streets of Oldham a couple of seasons ago which saw a few bans being handed out, and I remember when I was leaving Edgeley Park in 2021, Wrexham and County fans were tumbling over a roundabout smacking seven shades out of one another whilst cars tried to drive around them. The only pub that would let us in after that was The Nelson Tavern who seemed to like having us there and there was no trouble inside. There seems to have been more police at Wrexham-County since then.
You can pretty much guarantee there'll be trouble before, during and/or after the Shrewsbury game.
Who or what needs to be top of Wrexham’s shopping list before the new season starts in August?
I would have said a new goalie, but Arthur has ticked that box! Big signing for us that.
Four defenders were released in the summer so we’ll need to strengthen at the back that's for sure. [Des: Nooooo…. bring back Ben Tozer!]
Also our captains have gone – Tozer and Luke Young – so we need a new leader. It could easily be Mullin or McLean who takes that role, but there are definitely some big gaps to fill.
What’s your early predictions in terms of the promotion and relegation places?
Really tough to call until the squads have taken shape… but surely Birmingham will be right up there. If we finish mid-table or above, I'll be delighted frankly.
Click on the links below to read the other 2024-25 season previews we’ve published so far.
Birmingham / Blackpool / Bolton / Charlton / Crawley / Exeter / Huddersfield / Leyton Orient/ Lincoln / Rotherham / Wigan / Wycombe
Give those carpets of yours a clean
If you’re a County fan who voted Labour last night, you may have spilled red wine all over your carpet in celebration. Or if you voted Conservative, you might have vomited all over your carpet upon seeing Keir Starmer on your TV screen. Whatever your political persuasion, if your carpet’s in a state, give Patrick at A Star Clean a call.
Patrick offers professional carpet cleaning for £35 a room, or three rooms for £90, with sofa cleaning starting at £50. Rugs can also be cleaned for £15-£25 depending on the size.
Give Patrick a call on 07395 642066 or email patglee78@icloud.com.
Shrewsbury Preview
Last win at our place: Tuesday 18 October 2022, Papa John’s Trophy group stage, 1-0
Last win at their place: Saturday 23 September 1995, Division Two, 2-1
Today’s Sky Bet title/promotion odds: Us – 20/1 11/2 Them – 150/1 33/1
Top story in the local news today: Shropshire headquartered Field Studies Council calls for ambitious skills for nature plan
It’s the day after the general election. What’s happened in Shrewsbury? And which person at your football club do you think would make the best prime minister?
Shrewsbury has been Conservative since 2005, but it’s turned red this time.
Paul Hurst would be the best prime minister. He’d say it how it is and be brutally honest.
Nigel Farage has had cement and a milkshake chucked over him recently. If he was to do a lap of the New Meadow on a Saturday afternoon, what would Shrewsbury fans be most likely to throw at him?
It wouldn’t be anything exciting or original. I’ll go for a steak pie.
If you had to compare the ownership and daily operations of your club to a political party, which would it be?
The Conservatives. Been in power a long time and the vocal majority are rallying against them for a desperately-needed change.
On and off the pitch, what do you think your club’s manifesto should say for the next 12 months?
Build a squad capable of staying up. Sort out the finances. New, fresh leadership at the top.
Right, that’s enough political stuff. Next question. “We’re all from Stockport, who the fuck are you…?”
We’re a team desperately trying to fight to compete with clubs that were once of the same stature, that are now moving away from us at pace. Or, if you’re after a reply likely to be heard from the terraces: “Welsh Cup champions, you’ll never sing that.”
Which team do you most want to beat this season?
Wrexham. We hated them before everybody else did as well.
Which Shrewsbury player is most likely to end up in League One’s team of the season?
The possibilities here, as things stand, are minuscule. I’ll go for Jordan Shipley. One of the few players we currently own who’s proven at League One level.
County haven’t been to Shrewsbury in the league since April 2011. In just one paragraph, sum up everything that’s happened at your place since then.
Up. Down. Up. Narrowly staved off relegation twice. Almost got into the Championship. Narrowly staved off relegation four times. Spent more money than we had to be safe by February. Now in trouble for spending more money than we had.
Shrewsbury away. I think of a castle, a prison, and a beautiful old terraced ground replaced by a shit out-of-town flatpack. Do I need to educate myself further, or is that fairly accurate?
Very accurate. The only thing you’ve missed is the Lidl we now have next to the ground.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Stockport County?
The 4-0 victory I witnessed at Edgeley Park in 2010-11 against our recently-sacked manager Paul Simpson. Narrowly followed by Andy Cooke’s two hat-tricks against you in 2006-07.
Rotherham play at the New York Stadium. NFL star Tom Brady is involved at Birmingham. Wrexham are plastered all over Netflix or Nickelodeon or whatever it is. League One has a bit of an American flavour this season. What’s the most American thing about Shrewsbury?
Hickory’s Smokehouse in the town centre.
I’ve been watching Football Cops on Channel 4 recently, featuring Sunderland fans kicking down barriers after the game at Coventry, and loads of little Crewe rapscallions playing up at home to Walsall. On a scale of 1 to 10, how naughty are Shrewsbury fans these days, and how safe will our lot be when we make the trip to Shropshire this season?
You might get the odd teenager in Stone Island thinking they’re the big’un from 100 yards away, but that’s it. You’d be safe to bring your grandma down, put it that way.
Who or what needs to be top of Shrewsbury’s shopping list before the new season starts in August?
Players. We currently have 12 first-team players, with the only position we have secured being left-back. Reinforcements required all over.
What’s your early predictions in terms of the promotion and relegation places?
No points for originality on this one, but I can’t look past Birmingham and Rotherham for the automatics.
At the other end, I think ourselves, Crawley, Cambridge and Northampton could be in trouble, as things stand.
Photo of the day
Edgeley Park, Stockport
County’s mascot leads out the teams before the Fourth Division game with Port Vale in April 1986.
Today in SK
👀 Bingo
Music Bingo with DJ Lee at Reddish Working Men’s Club (SK5), plus karaoke. 8pm.
🎬 Cinema
One film at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 (15) at 4pm. Click here for tickets.
💿 DJs
Stockport’s biggest party at the weekend is at Bask (SK1), with DJ Gareth Brooks playing till 3am. Last entry 1.30am.
The Nelson Tavern (SK1) have their resident DJ playing on a Friday night, with Dicko (Ian Dickinson) on from 8pm till 1am.
🍺 Food and drink
Bitter £2.30 a pint all day at The Cross Keys (SK8). Plus, discounts on certain lagers between 12pm and 6pm.
If you’re simply in the mood for a couple of pints today, pop along to one of our featured venues such as AMP (SK1), The Petersgate Tap (SK1), Thread (SK1), The Crown (SK2), The Armoury (SK3), The Railway (SK6), The Steelworks (SK6), The Shady Oak (SK7), The Three Tunnes (SK7), The Railway (SK9), Flute & Firkin (SK12) or The Friendship (SK13).
🎤 Karaoke
Karaoke and DJ at The Marple Tavern (SK6). 7pm.
🎸 Live music
Rewired at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). 8pm.
Twisted Etiquette at The Crown Inn (SK6). 9pm.
100 random grounds that County have played at
#56 – New Meadow, Shrewsbury
Last visit: We’ve only been to Shrewsbury’s horrible out-of-town Lego ground on two occasions, losing both times. Our last visit was in April 2011, a fortnight before our relegation to the Conference was confirmed. A 2-0 defeat.
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