The Wind Off Castle Street

Part 1 of a brand new Stockport-based football drama, written by ChatGPT!

May 01, 2025

Thursday 1 May 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: Play-off semi-final in May

NEXT AWAY GAME: Wycombe Wanderers – Saturday 3 May, 3pm

Yes, I know, this is a rather lazy edition from me today. But with County heading into the play-offs this month, I think it could be fun! I’ve asked ChatGPT to write the first chapter of a football drama set in Stockport, with County aiming to reach Wembley as part of the narrative. I’m going to include a new chapter every day throughout May, and you can choose how the story progresses by casting your vote below!

Today’s edition is sponsored by B.J. McKenna & Co Solicitors. A big thank you to Adam. Their sub division, Two Wheel Claims, specialises in assisting clients who have been injured whilst riding their motorbike, bicycle or scooter. If you’ve had an accident on the road, scroll down for further details.

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

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The wind always bit harder in Stockport on a matchday.

It didn’t matter if it was August or February — come three o’clock, that wind came charging down Castle Street like it had a vendetta. Today was no different. Flags slapped against bricks. Empty crisp packets danced around the feet of arriving fans. And Edgeley Park — old, cracked, proud Edgeley Park — stood like a monument to hope that refused to die.

Danny Hartley zipped up his coat and tightened the scarf around his neck. Navy and white. The colours ran through him like blood. He’d been going since he was six, when his dad first sat him on a concrete step in the Railway End and told him to remember what pride felt like — because there’d be long years when it’d be the only thing keeping him coming back.

Now he was 42, and still coming back.

“Come on, Lucy,” he called, glancing behind him.

His daughter, sixteen and stubborn in that way only teenagers could be, was lagging. She was wearing her mum’s old County shirt from the ’97 promotion season — still too big, sleeves flapping in the breeze like flags of her own.

“They better win today,” she muttered, catching up. “We’re not making Wembley losing to sodding Crawley Town.”

Danny smirked. That was Lucy — full of fire, no patience for the long game. She didn’t remember the relegations, the financial collapses, the non-league wilderness. She hadn’t watched the soul of the club slowly erode in the 2010s, season by miserable season. She was part of this new wave — the hopeful, the defiant. The ones who didn’t carry the scars. Yet.

He didn’t know whether to envy her or protect her.

Edgeley Park loomed ahead, the floodlights already beginning to hum against the grey. A slow stream of fans made their way up Hardcastle Road, chatting, laughing, swearing — the soundtrack of the lower leagues. Danny spotted the usual faces: Big Mick, the retired bus driver who always brought sweets for the stewards; the lads from the King’s Head pub, already chanting half-cut; and old Sylvia, who hadn’t missed a home game since 1974 and still knitted scarves for the youth team.

It wasn’t just a football club. It was Stockport.

“Oi, Danny!” A voice called across the street. It was Andy Reynolds, former County midfielder, now assistant coach. He looked windswept and tired, but his grin was real.

“Big game,” Andy said, clapping him on the back. “If we win today, it’s on. Wembley’s on.”

Danny nodded, heart thudding. “You think they’ve got it?”

Andy looked toward the stadium. “They’ve got something. But it’s thin. One bad bounce, one red card, it all goes.”

He jogged off, coat flapping behind him, disappearing into the staff entrance. Danny turned to Lucy.

“Still want to be a footballer?” he teased.

“I want to be County’s manager,” she replied flatly. “Get us to the Championship. Sign Haaland.”

Danny laughed. “Right. Just make sure you win today first.”

They scanned their tickets and stepped into the ground.

The familiar scent hit immediately — hot dogs, stale beer, damp concrete. The past. The present. All wrapped in blue and white. Around them, the buzz was different. Louder. Charged. The kind of nervous energy that made you believe something big was coming.

Maybe this really was the year.

Wembley.

The word hung in the air like a prayer.

➡️ Part 2 will be appearing on The Scarf My Father Wore tomorrow. Click on one of the options below to decide how the story should develop!

Have you had an accident on your bike?

Two Wheel Claims – part of B.J. McKenna & Co Solicitors based in Heaton Moor and Heaton Chapel – specialises in assisting clients who have been injured whilst riding their motorbike, bicycle or scooter.

If you have been injured, it can affect many aspects of your life. Their dedicated team will provide the support and guidance you and your family need to ensure that you are able to get back on your two wheels as quickly as possible.

As specialist personal injury lawyers, Two Wheel Claims are committed to providing excellent service whilst maximising compensation, which is not limited to damages for injuries, but can include repairs, loss of earnings and any rehabilitation needs that you may have. They can act in hit and run claims, pothole claims or straight forward hit off your bike by a car.

Two Wheel Claims are there to support you and can act on a no win no fee basis in most cases.

➡️ For further details, please call 0161 348 7586 or email accident@twowheelclaim.co.uk.

Photo of the day

Somewhere in Wythenshawe

Following persistent standing inside Edgeley Park this season, Stockport County have hired the country’s leading security expert to get a grip of the situation.

(Not really. I’ve been doing some filming for the new series of ITV drama After The Flood this week. I’ll let you know when it’s on the telly!)

Today in SK

🎟️ Events

Paint & Sip at The Steelworks (SK6). Tap into your artistic side and release your inner Van Gogh by personalising a plant pot or a pint pot just in time for Father’s Day. 7pm. Tickets £10.

🍺 Food and drink

Happy Hour at Covent Garden Café (SK1) between 1.30pm and 2.30pm. If you spend £20 or more you get to roll the dice, and if you roll a 6 your bill is half price!

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! 12pm - 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 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

#40 - County v Norwich, 12 September 2000

September 2000 kicked off with some mither at Prenton Park on a Friday night.

I missed about 20 minutes of play after Tranmere stewards and police invaded our area to recover the drum. The actions of these people transformed a well behaved crowd enjoying their football into something approaching an angry mob. This could have triggered a serious incident and almost did as one gentleman, who appeared to fall under pressure from the officer carrying the drum, hit his head against the steps. Luckily he only required some on the spot treatment.

Fortunately most fans present managed to contain themselves and only a couple were escorted from the ground for what must have been minor offences. They, and the drum, were outside the ground after the game.

We lost the backing of the drum and the actions of Tranmere Rovers FC ruined our enjoyment of the second half. You may be wondering just why the drum was given the red card after it was allowed into the ground. Allegedly the football club received a complaint about the noise from a neighbour. “Ooh, I’ve got a bit of a headache, could you ask the crowd to keep the noise down?” Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous?