“The news had me waking up my housemate like a kid on Christmas Day and cracking open a can of beer on a school night”

Crawley fan Dan Jones was excited to see Scott Lindsey return to the club in March – and the Red Devils picked up 16 points in their last 9 games – but they’re making an immediate return to League Two

May 07, 2025

Wednesday 7 May 2025

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NEXT HOME GAME: Leyton Orient – Wednesday 14 May, 8pm

NEXT AWAY GAME: Leyton Orient – Saturday 10 May, 12.30pm

Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Crawley supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Wednesday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.

Dan Jones – a Crawley fan currently at university in Leeds – is a sound lad. With County in the same division as Crawley over the last three seasons, Dan’s written loads of great stuff for The Scarf My Father Wore. His 2024-25 season review landed in my inbox yesterday with this extra paragraph: “Thank you for giving me the space to write about my club over the last couple of years. I'll be rooting for you in the play-offs and fingers crossed that one day we'll get our shit together for long enough for our paths to cross again.” It might be a while before our paths do cross once again, but Dan’s leaving us (for now) with another decent piece on the last ten months, covering everything from unknown Nigerian centre-backs to struggling to get a beer in Barnsley.

As you can see from the photos above, I was in the away end at the Broadfield Stadium in September. I was also in the Cheadle End in January as Collar and Macca put us 2-0 up against Crawley before half-time. In fact, for the first time in my life, I’ve been to every single County game this season – all 54 of them! That number will increase to 56 this month with two games against Leyton Orient, and hopefully 57 if we can reach Wembley for the seventh time in our history. I’ve written a book about my adventures this season. If you’d like to support the publication by having your name printed in the book (along with a signed copy and a ticket to the book launch) drop me an email.

Today’s edition is sponsored by That Cat Flap Company. A big thank you to Matthew.

Thanks also to The New Moon who sponsor our Crawley Town content on the website.

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: 253.75 miles

Total steps so far: 418,084

Total raised so far: £2,302

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

Photo credit: Crawley Town FC

Best moment of 2024-25?

The announcement that our heroic play-off winning manager in Scott Lindsey was returning to the club. At this point in the season we felt that relegation was a formality from here – and the old protest banners against our ridiculous ownership were being dragged back out – but in spite of the bizarre choice to make the announcement at 20 past midnight the news had me waking up my housemate like a kid on Christmas Day and cracking open a can of beer on a school night. At the very least I knew that for the final nine games I would get some joy out of watching my football club and that meant everything.

Worst moment of 2024-25?

The aforementioned manager leaving (you can't say we haven't been put through the emotional ringer this season). It was inevitable that it would happen at some point because someone of his quality should not be dealing with the daily lunacy of Crawley Town Football Club, but to lose him to MK Dons after they'd already picked clean the carcass of our play-off winning squad was a real gut punch. We'll never know his reasons for doing it and he has enough goodwill here that he shouldn't have to disclose them, but after months of nervous links to Championship and top-end League One jobs it was massively underwhelming and ultimately killed our season for no real benefit to anyone.

Funniest moment of 2024-25?

Our inexplicable decision to apparently splash a six-figure fee on a Nigerian centre-back playing in the Tanzanian top flight. It was frustrating to watch a man seemingly come to terms with the notion of football in real time as we scrapped for points at the wrong end of the table, but it’s still a great story that our club record signing could very feasibly have come from an email scam.

The Birmingham Boasters and the Wrexham Wazzocks seem to have annoyed a lot of fans in League One this season. Which one are you most glad to see the back of?

I guess it’s not really my place to say because we were never likely to be playing them next season regardless of their promotion, but a club like Crawley getting an away day at Birmingham City was unbelievably special whereas I’m quite sick of abetting Wrexham's bullshit over the last two years.

Reform have been making a lot of noise recently. Based on this season, what’s in most need of reform at Crawley, on or off the pitch?

I hope this season has shown the powers that be in the boardroom that perpetually flogging the entire spine of a squad does not bring perpetual success and I hope that Lindsey coming back means that he's had assurances of this, but I have about as much trust in them as I do in Farage.

Four Four Two had you down to finish 24th, EFL pundit Gabriel Sutton thought you’d finish 24th, while the Opta supercomputer predicted you’d be 21st. You finished 21st. Discuss.

I think Four Four Two and Gabriel came to completely logical conclusions based on a farcical summer in which a promotion-winning squad was ripped apart and we were expected to start again in a league where we were already at an enormous financial disadvantage from nothing. I have no idea what data goes into the Opta supercomputer but I think 21st place and 46 points represents a minor miracle, and if the season were a few games longer we might even have pulled off the unthinkable.

Crawley 1 County 1 in September. County 2 Crawley 0 in January. Thoughts?

The home fixture we probably got away with one. The first half was the Louie Barry show and he could have racked up three or four on his own. We managed to stick around in the game for long enough to nick a point through a penalty, though where no one really stood out bar your number 20.

We got our comeuppance in the reverse fixture, however, as your wing-backs had a field day and Kyle Wootton bullied us to win what I would be shocked to hear wasn't your easiest three points of the season.

Will Collar scored County’s opener against Crawley in January (Photo credit: Mike Petch)

Best and worst away days of 2024-25?

Rotherham 0 Crawley 4 was by some stretch the best. Only two weeks earlier we'd lost by four to another dreary Yorkshire town in Huddersfield. In the interim the prodigal son had returned to the dugout, we played our long-time villain in Steve Evans off the park, and a 12-point gap to safety had suddenly halved to 6. It was exactly the kind of perfect away day we needed to spark a bit of hope.

Shoutout to Shrewsbury on the final day too. An absolute shite-off between two already relegated sides where amongst the misery we still managed to have a lovely day in the sun.

I'm not short of options for worst in terms of on-field performances. I'm going to go with Barnsley though, because on top of a dire 3-0 defeat we were completely unable to find a pub that would let away fans drink. It’s one thing having to watch Crawley Town away but having to do it sober is beyond the pale.

Which Crawley player is most deserving of his couple of weeks on the beach this summer?

I'd say Panutche Camara because not only does he cover an unbelievable amount of ground despite coming into this season having barely played football in years, but he kept his standards up through Ramadan which is frankly superhuman.

Never mind Welcome to Wrexham on Disney+, a TV production company have just made Crawley Town: The Story of 2024-25. Which channel would it be most suited for?

It would be a late night sitcom on Comedy Central that would be canned after one season for being absurdly clichéd.

And finally, apologies for darkening the mood, but you’ve only got 30 seconds to live. Putin’s pressed the red button and we’re all about to die. You can have one last moment of pleasure, watching a single Crawley goal from this season. What you sticking on?

Max Anderson's late winner at Charlton. 700 odd Crawley fans going wild at a club the size of Charlton on a Tuesday night sums up everything that it means to be a football fan for me and I would be happy to have that seared into my irradiated conscience for the rest of time.

➡️ Any Crawley fans joining us today? As stated above, I’ve written a book having watched every County game home and away this season. There’s obviously two big chapters on Crawley included (home and away). Also, as I celebrated my 40th birthday this season, I’ve written about my four decades as a County fan as well, which I’m hoping will be an enjoyable read for anyone who supports a lower league club. There’s memories of beating four Premier League clubs as County reached the Coca-Cola Cup semi-finals in 1996-97, the club’s rise from the National League North to the brink of the Championship over the last few years, and the tale of a trip to Blackpool 20 years ago when me and my mates had a run-in with armed police after a day on the ale…

If you’d like to support the book, click on the link below to become a paid subscriber and I’ll post you a signed copy with your name printed inside once it’s published.

Keep your cat cosy on those chilly mornings

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➡️ Ready to give your pet the purr-fect gift this spring? Call That Cat Flap Company on 07764 442054 or info@thatcatflapcompany.com.

Photo(s) of the day

It’s Leyton Orient in the play-offs for County. Ahead of the first leg at their place on Saturday, I’ll be sharing all the photos from my last trip to Brisbane Road in February, when Kyle Wootton’s early goal gave County all three points in the capital.

The New Moon

Any Crawley fans (or indeed, any County fans living in that neck of the woods) joining us today? If you’re planning on watching any of the big play-off games in the pub this month, head to The New Moon. Cracking atmosphere and six HD TV’s showing all the action.

➡️ Visit newmooncrawley.co.uk for further details.

Chapter 7: Tunnel Vision

Well, I’ve no idea what’s happened to Tyler Marsh and Ollie Jenkins, County’s heroes from the play-off semi-final victory over Crawley, but it seems they’re not even in the squad for Wembley! Don’t worry, though, Hinchliffe, Horsfall, Pye, Touray and Collar are all in the dressing room, along with, erm, Paddy Madden and Ollie Crankshaw. More ChatGPT nonsense for you today, as Dave Challinor’s men gear up for the play-off final.

Wembley Stadium, 1:05 PM

The dressing room was too quiet.

Towels folded with military precision. Water bottles lined up like artillery. Kits hanging in neat rows — blue and white, names and numbers pressed flat against the fabric. The Stockport County players had arrived early, but no one spoke unless they had to.

Dave Challinor stood in the doorway, arms folded, eyes sweeping across the room. Not judging. Not correcting. Just watching. Measuring how his team carried the weight of the moment.

Some sat with heads bowed, boots in their laps. Others wandered the room, pacing lines like caged animals. The air was heavy with the scent of liniment, leather, and nerves.

Paddy Madden laced his boots like it was ritual. One loop, pause. Second loop, pull tight. He’d done it a thousand times. But today, each knot felt like a promise. Or a warning.

Ollie Crankshaw was the opposite — bouncing on the balls of his feet, earbuds in, nodding to something only he could hear. He pulled off his jacket, revealing a shirt with the words “Still Here” scrawled in marker beneath the badge.

Will Collar stood near the whiteboard, tracing movement patterns in his mind — eyes flicking left and right like a chess player mid-match. He’d spent the week watching clips of the opposition’s midfielders, dissecting their weaknesses like a surgeon.

“Look at this place,” murmured Fraser Horsfall, tying his armband. “You wait your whole life for a day like this… then suddenly it’s now.”

“I dreamed about this pitch when I was twelve,” said Ethan Pye. “Except in the dream I had a man bun and scored a bicycle kick.”

Laughter broke the silence.

It helped.

Nearby, Ben Hinchliffe closed his eyes. Breathed deep. Sixteen years in the game. Five hundred matches. But this one felt different. Not because it was Wembley. But because of what it represented — the climb, the fight, the story that refused to end. Their story.

In the physio corner, Ibou Touray sat cross-legged, phone in his hands, watching a video message. His mum, smiling. Telling him to “run like your boots are on fire.” He smiled, nodded, wiped a hand across his face.

A few lockers down, Neill Byrne taped his wrists. He’d written “Dad” on the inside of one. Quiet, no fuss.

Challinor finally stepped in.

He didn’t raise his voice.

“Look at me,” he said. They did.

“You’ve earned today. Every single one of you. This isn’t a fluke. This is built. Day by day. Game by game. Mistake by mistake.”

He paused, tapping the badge on his chest.

“This means something now. To them. The ones who followed us to Eastleigh, who stood by us through admin and relegation and Tuesday nights at Chorley. The ones who believed we were more than just a memory.”

A nod to the door. To the sound rising outside — drums, chants, thousands of voices building to something primal.

“They’re here. All of them. The past. The future. The lot. And they don’t want you to be perfect. They just want you to give everything. To leave that pitch with no regrets.”

He turned to Madden. “Skipper?”

Paddy stood. Cleared his throat. Looked around the room.

“We’ve all come different roads to get here. Some of us through injuries. Some through heartbreak. Some through clubs that gave up on us. But we’re here. Now. And no one — no one — is taking this from us without a war.”

He grabbed his shirt. Kissed the badge.

“Play for each other. Play for County. Play like it’s the last game of your life.”

The players stood, almost as one.

Boots scraped floor tiles.

Shirts were pulled over heads.

One final breath.

Outside, the tunnel waited. So did the noise.

Will Collar slapped the wall as they filed out. “Let’s write the ending they’ve been waiting for.”

The squad walked into the light — twenty-five men, one dream.

Blue shirts. Steady hearts. Focused minds.

And behind them, somewhere in the distance, thousands of voices rising like a wave.

“Come on, County.”

They were ready.

Today in SK

🎬 Cinema

Two films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. The Penguin Lessons (12A) at 6pm, followed by Warfare (15) at 8.30pm. Click here for tickets.

🍺 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.

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 Dog & Partridge (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.