“There’s not much to top the feeling of being at Villa Park and getting through to the League Cup final in 2013”
Mike Harrison, editor of the excellent Bradford fanzine The City Gent, joins us for a festive chat ahead of the final game of the calendar year, which takes place in the UK’s next City of Culture
Wednesday 27 December 2023
NEXT HOME GAME: Mansfield – Monday 1 January, 3pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Bradford – Friday 29 December, 7.45pm
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Well under the circumstances, that certainly feels like a point gained rather than two dropped. Heading into the festive fixtures, I said I’d be happy with seven points. I still stand by that. We’ve picked up four, so we’d need to beat Bradford or Mansfield (preferably Mansfield, obviously). Do that, and we’re guaranteed to be at least a point clear after New Year’s Day. From that position, with at least four players coming in during January, I maintain we’ll go on and win League Two.
County fan Paul Wright and the Bluebirds of Holker Street account on Twitter reflect on yesterday’s 2-2 draw in Cumbria.
The games come thick and fast at this time of year and we’re also joined by Mike Harrison, editor of the Bradford fanzine The City Gent, ahead of County’s trip to Valley Parade on Friday night. If you see Mike or any of his sellers, grab a copy of their Christmas special. Only £2 and something decent to read on the train home, or the rail replacement bus when Northern Rail announce they’ve finished for 2023 at half-time.
You’ve also got part eight of my Great Big Review of 2023 to enjoy today. Actually, “enjoy” isn’t the right word for this one. County were a point off the relegation zone at the end of August. I’ve already typed it up now, though, so you’ll bloody well read it, whether you enjoy it or not. (Spoiler alert: the season starts to get better after August.)
Today’s edition is sponsored by Paws High Peak Dog Training, joining The Scarf My Father Wore family for the first time. A very warm welcome to Neil, and a big thank you.
I know absolutely nothing about dogs, but Neil’s rather good with them (he’s the one on the left I think), with an award-winning business and an abundance of five-star reviews. Neil’s a fully qualified dog trainer and behaviourist with extensive credentials, and brings a wealth of experience to his work. If you think Neil can be of service, give him a call on 07795 195822 or email neil@pawshighpeak.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: 46.68 miles
Total steps so far: 83,302
Total raised so far: £1,037
Total completed streets so far: 24 (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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Best and worst memories following the Bantams?
I’ve been following City all my life and can remember going to a game in 1968, so that’s 55 years of memories to look back on. Following a mainly Fourth Division side you get used to being the underdog and revelling in any cup upset that was against the odds. Norwich away in 1976 springs to mind, Everton away in 1997, but there’s not much to top the feeling of being at Villa Park and getting through to the League Cup final in 2013, or being at Stamford Bridge and giving the Premier League leaders a two-goal start before beating them 4-2 in the FA Cup fourth round in 2015. As for a league game, winning 3-2 at Molineux to get promoted to the Premier League in May 1999, not much can beat that feeling.
As for bad memories, football wise, losing 1-0 at Peterborough in May 1980 and missing out on promotion when we only needed a draw. But of course it’s hard to avoid being at the tragedy of the fire disaster at Valley Parade on 11 May 1985.
What’s your thoughts on Stockport County – A) the club B) the manager C) the fans?
I’ve always had a liking for County, being a similar Fourth Division side to ourselves who had to survive in the shadow of nearby First Division clubs. No doubt the town was, and maybe still is, full of glory hunting Citeh and United fans, so I have to admire and feel a sense of kinship with anyone who chooses the harder life of following County instead. There was also a statistic that out of the 92 Football League clubs, County was City’s most played against opponent. Not sure if this still stands given County’s sojourn in non-league, but happily hostilities have now resumed. Not that I used to enjoy the encounters when Andy Preece and Kevin Francis would wreak havoc at Valley Parade once a season.
As for the manager, he was another pain to play against with his enormous long throws and he’s taken to management extremely well, working his way to County via successful spells at AFC Fylde and Hartlepool. From afar, he seems to be doing a great job as County have progressed well under him and barring a spectacular collapse after Christmas, he seems destined to take County up to League One.
As for the fans, I’m sure that you’ve probably got your share of young idiots like we do, but I see both sets of fans being very similar.
In your last seven games, it’s six wins and a draw. What’s Graham Alexander doing that Mark Hughes wasn’t?
Graham Alexander took a game and a half to get the measure of the players in the bloated playing squad and has found the right combination of players to play 3-5-2 which Mark Hughes tried and failed with. At the start of this season Hughes seemed to be disinterested and had no real enthusiasm for the role anymore. Alexander, having been harshly sacked by MK Dons, has something to prove. He has a good pedigree of success in League Two and he’s a very sensible choice. So far, so good.
Like County, you fought back from 2-0 down on Boxing Day. A point gained or two dropped?
A point gained having gifted Morecambe an early two-goal lead. Plus, given that we had the erratic and inconsistent Darren Drysdale as our referee, we’ll take a point.
What’s Christmas like in Bradford?
Wet and very windy at the moment! The city is by no means perfect and it has plenty of not so good areas, but there’s still plenty to love about the place.
What’s the best curry house in Bradford?
Too many to mention, but the best one closest to Valley Parade is Sweet Centre on Lumb Lane. A good one for travelling fans and not far from the end of the M606 is The International on Sticker Lane.
UK City of Culture 2025. Welcome or not?
Absolutely welcome, especially when you see what a difference it made to previous cities such as Hull. We’re in touch with the organisers and if we get some funding, we’re hoping to have Bradford football culture, especially The City Gent, included in 2025.
How’s the fanzine doing?
The City Gent is still doing remarkably well. 39 years old and into our 40th season of continuous publication as a printed fanzine. I’ve had and still have some health issues due to fatigue from long Covid, but we had a new issue out for Boxing Day and of course the 29th. Though night matches are not usually conducive to good sales, so we’ll see how we get on at the County home game. I still believe that we provide good value at just £2 and now the club no longer produce a matchday programme, then at least fans still have something they can buy at the game. Hopefully a few County fans might seek us out and buy a copy?
How does it feel having Harrogate as a derby rather than Leeds or Huddersfield?
Having Harrogate Town as our local derby instead of L**ds, Huddersfield or even Halifax is a sign of how far we have dropped. I should imagine County fans felt the same when playing Macclesfield after they achieved Football League status. What’s worse for us, is that Harrogate have had the upper hand over us since their elevation to League Two.
Are any of you arsed about Bradford Park Avenue?
There are still some older City fans who hold a grudge and enjoy to see them fail. Most fans probably can’t remember them being a Football League club and I suspect they are just seen as one of the many local non-league sides that are plugging away and playing in front of a set of hardcore fans.
What’s your prediction for Friday night?
A blood and thunder, end-to-end tussle, with a cracking atmosphere generated by two sets of passionate fans. County seem to be coasting at the top of the table and are there to be taken down by any team below them wishing to try and prove that they are just as good as them. I expect that mindset from City; we’ll want to prove that on the day we’re just as good as County. As for the result, a hard-fought draw, hopefully not 0-0 but probably 1-1 or 2-2.
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Barrow 2 County 2
✍️ Yesterday’s match in one word
Bluebirds of Holker Street: Entertaining.
Paul: Decent.
🤔 Pre-match thoughts
Bluebirds of Holker Street: I thought we could win, but didn’t want to lose and would have taken a draw. I felt most County fans would probably say the same.
Paul: A draw would do.
🧐 Post-match thoughts
Bluebirds of Holker Street: I felt that overall it was a fair result. Barrow and County both looked decent, with spells when they dominated. Let’s hope we’re both celebrating promotion in April.
Paul: A draw is good.
🔵 Verdict on Barrow
Bluebirds of Holker Street: Barrow were the better side in the first half and felt good value for the 2-0 lead. We had a good goal disallowed which would have won us the game, but County fans have informed me our first goal was offside (although I haven’t seen it back yet). Overall 2-2 was probably about right.
Paul: Good side.
⚫️ Verdict on County
Bluebirds of Holker Street: You certainly improved when Challinor made the double substitution at the end of the first half. The goal came at the perfect time for you, a great finish from Powell although a little fortunate how the ball rebounded for him in the build-up. Second half you attacked well, especially down the left. Madden made a difference as well with his skill and experience.
Paul: Bipolar.
🐦 Top Bluebird
Bluebirds of Holker Street: Whitfield and Chester.
Paul: Spence played well. Always rated Whitfield too.
🎩 Top Hatter
Bluebirds of Holker Street: Bailey and Madden.
Paul: Hinchliffe. What a save that was.
👂 Atmosphere
Bluebirds of Holker Street: The atmosphere was good again. I hoped County would have sold out, as that would have taken the crowd to about 6,250. As it was, there was still a good atmosphere throughout, with County fans in good voice leading up to and after the equaliser. A competitive but friendly atmosphere. Merry Christmas to County fans and all your readers.
Paul: Crap in that temporary stand.
🙏 Hopes for the rest of the season
Bluebirds of Holker Street: After yesterday, I really feel Barrow and County can go up automatically. Probably Wrexham, too. Though I’d rather they miss out on goal difference and Mansfield go up instead.
Paul: Automatic promotion.
😀 Best part of the day
Bluebirds of Holker Street: Watching and enjoying the game with three generations of my family.
Paul: Not losing.
😡 Worst part of the day
Bluebirds of Holker Street: Worst part of the day, although not that bad, was the equalising goal, closely followed by Ray’s disallowed goal.
Paul: The first 42 minutes.
The British Library receives a copy of every single book published in the UK. In the same fashion, Des Junior believes a detailed record of every County game should be preserved for the history books. So here’s the full story of our 2-2 draw at Barrow on Tuesday 26 December 2023, as told from his County-related WhatsApp groups…
3.02pm: Good start. Well in County.
3.03pm: Whitfield. Obviously.
3.04pm: That was offside. But shite defending.
3.05pm: Go to a place where they love to get ahead and then shut you out. Fall behind in the first minute. Cracking stuff.
3.24pm: Bollocks. That looked offside too. We’ve been crap so far.
3.29pm: Might start on the Paulaner. County look like they’re still pissed, might as well join them.
3.47pm: Plenty of problems here but Powell isn't the answer to any of them.
3.48pm: Saying that, he’s just scored! 2-1.
4.15pm: Akil Wright makes it 2-2!
4.16pm: This has looked a totally different game since we started making subs.
4.43pm: Hinchliffe has just pulled off a stunning save.
4.57pm: FT. A point will do.
5.02pm: Keeps them just beyond touching distance. Looking like three up from four teams at the minute. Obviously don't want to lose on Friday, but Monday is one we need to get maximum points from, whatever happens in Bradford.
Photo of the day
Holker Street, Barrow-in-Furness
Dave Challinor wraps up for an armed robbery at NatWest the bracing Boxing Day weather in Cumbria.
Des Junior’s Great Big Review of 2023: Part 8 – August
Saturday 5: Gillingham (H) 0-1
Tuesday 8: Sheffield Wednesday (A) 1-1
Saturday: 12: Walsall (A) 1-2
Tuesday 15: Bradford (H) 1-1
Saturday 19: Barrow (H) 1-0
Tuesday 22: Man United’s Kids (H) 1-1
Saturday 26: Mansfield (A) 2-3
Another season of football in Stockport, and yet another County defeat on day one. For the sixth time in seven years, the Hatters started the new campaign with a defeat. Substitute Robbie McKenzie scored a late winner for Gillingham, who’d been spending a few dollars over the summer.
It could have been worse. The other two favourites for promotion – Wrexham and Notts County – both conceded five on day one.
Isaac Stronge shared his thoughts with us after the game: “I think it was a well-fought battle between two sides that should be in amongst the battle at the top of the table come the end of the season. It would have been nice to hit the ground running with a win but it could have gone either way on the day and we were just unfortunate, hitting the bar and falling the wrong side of a tight offside call. I think plenty of teams will struggle against the Gills this season.”
Three days later, County came flying out of the traps at Hillsborough, taking the lead against Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup through Paddy Madden’s screamer. The home side equalised in the 97th minute, before winning on penalties. “Unjust,” was the verdict of the Wednesday fan I spoke to. “You deserved to win.”
County had 67% possession at Walsall, and 19 shots, but our only goal was in stoppage time at the end of the game through Ryan Rydel. Unfortunately, Walsall had already scored twice and County were pointless after two games.
Hannah Brown’s ‘Postcard from Walsall’ had very different vibes to her ‘Postcards from Pinatar’.
After a 1-1 draw at home to Bradford on the Tuesday night – Tanto with a late equaliser – our first victory of the season came four days later, as Barrow were beaten 1-0 at Edgeley Park. Louie Barry scored the only goal of the game on 66 minutes.
“Pretty pants in the first 45,” said Bob Carey. “What's the point in dominating possession if we can't create chances? Second half much better. Louie Barry showed some great skills and scored a cracker. Paddy came close a couple of times. Barrow never worried me.”
United’s kids won on penalties at Edgeley Park in the EFL Trophy, before the month ended at Mansfield, a place we could probably sneak an extra eleven players onto the pitch and still lose. County were actually leading on this occasion, twice, through Barry and Horsfall in the first half, but lost 3-2.
“Frustrating,” was how Edward Keane described the defeat. “We had it there to win and didn't put our foot down when on Mansfield's throat. Disappointed we didn't push on when ahead and try and extend the lead. Thought we should have done better with our changes, formation, and style of play after the break.”
“Someone needs to burn this place to the ground,” was your editor’s verdict. A quote first used by Stu to describe Las Vegas in The Hangover, but I reckon it applies to Field Mill as well.
A shitty old start to the season.
Des Junior’s Great Big Review of 2023
January / February / March / April / May / June / July
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