Thermal underwear, a £107 Uber, and having to call out the AA… it’s Notts County away!
A trio of tales from the night (C)ounty were crowned champions of League Two
Monday 22 April 2024 – CHAMPIONS FORTNIGHT!
NEXT GAME: Wrexham A – Saturday 27 April, 3pm
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Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Notts County supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to CHAMPIONS FORTNIGHT on The Scarf My Father Wore.
It’s not every day Stockport County win a Football League title – in fact, the last time it happened was 57 years ago – so we’re shouting our success from the rooftops, with 14 champion-flavoured articles over 14 days. For today’s edition, we’re rewinding to last Tuesday, the night County were crowned League Two champions with a stunning 5-2 win at Notts County. John K Bilsbury, Barmy Blue Army and Hannah Brown were all at Meadow Lane to witness yet more history being made by Dave Challinor’s men.
Today’s edition is sponsored by Not Just Travel. A big thank you to Paul and Tracy.
Also, a big thank you to Crafty Crow, who sponsor our Notts County content on the website. I’ve actually been in there before. It’s a cracking city centre bar right opposite Nottingham Castle. If any of our readers are in Nottingham this week, pop in for a pint or two!
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: 136.36 miles
Total steps so far: 217,174
Total raised so far: £1,666
Total completed streets so far: 271 (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
🎶 “We go to all the away matches, by bus, by train, by car….. And we get so pissed before the game, we don’t know where we are!” 🎶
A lyric from a classic County song gave Des Junior a little bit of inspiration for this regular feature – why have one away day review when you can have three! So when County are playing away from home, The Scarf My Father Wore will be sending three intrepid reporters out into the unknown to share their tales from motorways and train stations across the country.
John K Bilsbury was on the Fingerpost Flyer for his final away game of the season, Barmy Blue Army caught the train from Manchester after work, whilst Hannah Brown drove to Nottingham, before doing the return journey in an AA truck…
⏰ Up
John: 6.30am, which is late for me.
Barmy Blue Army: 6.30am. Early start at work so I could sneak off early.
Hannah: I’ve been waking up stupidly early over the last couple of weeks, but didn’t get up until 8.30am for my normal chaotic approach to the school run.
🍳 Breakfast
John: Two cups of stupidly strong coffee and a bowl of granola with yoghurt.
Barmy Blue Army: The Breakfast of Champions! Seriously, I can't remember. Probably something from the Greggs or Pret outside work with a coffee.
Hannah: The first thing I ate was at 11pm. Not big or clever, but that’s nerves for you!
⬅️ Before
John: A nice late start for once so after I’d walked the dog, Janice and I enjoyed a romantic trip to Adswood tip and Morrisons.
Barmy Blue Army: Work… although I was watching the clock for most of the afternoon.
Hannah: Normal working day with plenty of meetings and not much productivity. American colleague asked me how the Stockport were doing. I’m converting them one by one…
👕 Clobber
John: Thermal underwear (yes, I am nesh, since you asked), elastic-waisted black jogging bottoms (gym closure during Covid put an end to normal trousers), Over The County Culture “Before Gannon I Was Never Happy” T-shirt, a blue County hoodie and a black Temu jacket. I’ll spare you the other details.
Barmy Blue Army: Work gear – we're "smart casual" (whatever that means) nowadays – plus a coat and County scarf.
Hannah: The same bloody outfit I’ve worn for every game since Crawley, and I’m very excited to wear something different this weekend. 2021-22 match worn pink third kit, Varley quarter zip sweater (the softest thing ever), wide leg jeans and County blue gazelles. Oh, and I am a #DryRobeWanker but I won’t hear a thing said against it.
🛫 Outbound
John: The Fingerpost Flyer was rammed so I wasn’t able to get the customary pair of seats to myself. Due to the driver being momentarily distracted by a passenger, we ended up heading north on the M1 when we should have been heading south, which prolonged things a bit. The traffic in Nottingham was absolutely hellish but we arrived in plenty of time.
Barmy Blue Army: Pretty seamless. The 4.40pm train from Manchester was, surprisingly, on time. Finished a work call then sat listening to two lads doing their FanHub predictions and resisted the urge to say that Croasdale was never starting and Touray was injured.
Hannah: It was all fine (albeit slow traffic) until near the Motorpoint Arena when the clutch gave way at the traffic lights. My brother managed to push the car mostly off the road but I am really sorry for causing delays to anyone’s journey by the eventual arrival of the AA van which entirely blocked a lane.
🍺 Pre-match
John: I’d like to be able to report that I went to Hooters and drank 9,000 pints but as I’m not a lecherous teenager and don’t touch alcohol, I just went into the ground, bought a pie and a bottle of pop and found my seat.
Barmy Blue Army: Boring. Walked to the ground via Hooters (I didn't go in). Went straight from work so got in just before 6.45pm, checked the line-up (no surprises, but Tanto was a big miss against their back line) and guessed we'd match them as a back three. Good news that they had a couple out too. Grabbed some "food" (see below).
Hannah: AA arrived at 7.15pm and managed to get us off the main road, and I desperately tried to find ways to get us home if we had to abandon the car – massive thanks to Cam Toman and John Edgerton who both offered to get us home. AA man Phil suggested we went to the game and organised delayed recovery, and then only bloody took us there and dropped us off at the away gates. Managed to nip to the loo and got into the ground just as we kicked off.
🏙 Destination
John: The traffic is bloody awful and the railway station looked interesting but other than that I didn’t see enough of it to form an opinion.
Barmy Blue Army: It would be unfair to judge but perfectly pleasant and it's nice to have another ground within walking distance of a train station.
Hannah: Really enjoyed the late night backstreet delights, and that’s all I can comment on really. Phil is an absolute hero, though.
🏟 Visitors
John: The stewards were a mixed bag, some were proper jobsworths, some were very helpful on the quiet. The pies were very poor compared to County’s offering. The atmos was pretty good as you’d expect given what was at stake.
Barmy Blue Army: I had high hopes after seeing the sign that they won the prestigious EFL League Two away experience award in 2018. I was disappointed. The cheeseburgers weren't ready yet, despite it being 30 minutes before kick-off. Then I reluctantly went for a Pukka sausage roll but the bottom was burnt and rock hard. My coffee went flying five minutes later as a steward headed across our row and, predictably, booted it down to the row below. No complaints with the stand or stadium though.
Hannah: Plenty of women’s toilets which was nice. Bonkers to be crammed into our allocated blocks when they had so much space available – really frustrating. Atmosphere was great, a real sense of expectation and excitement and the first half was a thing of beauty.
1️⃣ First
John: Enjoyed County’s absolute dominance over the home team, joined in the singing and applause.
Barmy Blue Army: Watched with intrigue and posted some updates and "armchair analysis" on YellowBoard, which is now second nature. I thought it was one of the best defensive displays I've seen from County under pressure. We were so organised, pressed well and at the right times, and if anything made it through, Horsfall was there. Then we were clinical at the other end and could even have had a couple more.
Hannah: Tried to download the AA app to try and work out how on earth we were going to get home, whilst also wondering if I was dreaming. I don’t watch penalties. It worked.
🍿 Interval
John: Nothing dramatic, unless you count a trip to the gents.
Barmy Blue Army: Pinch myself. 3-0 and a first half hat-trick by the Irishman?! I thought the first 10-15 minutes of the second half would be key though as Notts this season are the sort of side that can score three or four in a half.
Hannah: Joined the @LowerLeagueLook Twitter space but they really struggled to hear me over the world’s loudest PA system.
2️⃣ Second
John: It all got a bit jittery when the home team got those two goals so I gnawed my nails down to the first knuckle until we got the fifth which put things beyond doubt.
Barmy Blue Army: Admired Sarcevic's fourth, turning Baldwin inside-out. Then it was party time, though I did think the ironic cheers for their first were too much. A little bit of panic at 4-2 as another goal was clearly coming for one side. They couldn't handle Barry, even half fit, and he deservedly played a big part in our fifth. Party time, again. Decided I wasn't leaving early to get the 9.55pm last train. No chance.
Hannah: Veered between being totally unsurprised that the peril that’s been largely absent over the last few games was looming in the form of Maynard’s tactical change, and working out how many goals they had to score in the remaining 15 minutes and whether that was statistically likely. Didn’t watch another penalty. Less successful approach, but by this point I’d got to know the people behind me well.
🔵 Us
John: First class, as ever. After the season we’ve had, it would be surprising if they were otherwise.
Barmy Blue Army: Immense. One that will stick with me forever. 2,000 of us rocking before kick-off. Chaos and hugging randomers for Paddy's first. The excitement and almost disbelief building to 4-0, the "surely not?" and nerves of a quickfire 4-2, then Pye's first County goal (hopefully of many) to top it all off. The scenes afterwards were something else too.
Hannah: I think it was nerves again because it’s been like that for the last few but at times we were really subdued. When Sir Phil dropped us off outside Meadow Lane our fans were the only ones you could hear though.
⚫️ Them
John: Quiet until they got those two goals in quick succession. Fair play to those who stayed to applaud our players after the final whistle. I don’t think I’d have been so generous if the boot had been on the other foot.
Barmy Blue Army: Quiet on the whole, but what can you expect with nothing to play for and very questionable form under the new manager? Another defensive mistake for our first, followed by another pen, seemed to hit them hard but they rallied and were in good voice at 4-2.
Hannah: The booing of Wootton was ridiculous. You can sense their frustration with their defensive play, but their forward press is insane and they really got behind the team when they were pushing in the second half.
🍻 Post-match
John: I was determined not to make the same mistake I made at Colchester by legging it back to the coach at the final whistle, so I stayed in the ground to drink in the celebrations. Once back outside, it was some time before we could set off for home because the road was thronged with celebrating County fans. Quite right too.
Barmy Blue Army: Joined in the post-match celebrations, of course. Incredible scenes with the players arm in arm, Challinor taking George Thompson's flag, then the dancing in front of 2,000 singing fans. I did get worried we'd lose two or three to the knee slides though! Then Ben's fist pumps to crown it off: "In the middle of our goal, Hinchliffe!" And finally joining in with the celebrations outside the coaches: "Champions again, olé olé!”
Hannah: Took in all the celebrations. It was a little surreal being away from home but amazing nonetheless. I was feeling quite detached until Chally brought George’s flag out and then I sobbed. We then failed magnificently trying to get an Uber near the ground, booked an Uber from the other side of Nottingham, and then eventually got an Uber from where we were to go back to the car. By this point the AA app was saying they’d be with us by 2.20am so I did what any normal person would do and ordered Popeyes (THE best US chicken chain) at 11pm and it was delivered by a man on a bike to the car. AA turned up at 1am with a massive truck.
🛬 Inbound
John: We seemed to go round in circles in Nottingham for ages before gaining escape velocity but once we got away it was pretty straightforward. Arrival back at the Fingerpost, where Janice was waiting to collect me, was shortly after midnight.
Barmy Blue Army: So, the last train back to Manchester was long gone by now. My options were stay over in Nottingham, get a train to Sheffield or similar and work it out from there, or an Uber. I went for the last one. £107. Worth every penny. Grin on my face and reading about County's exploits all the way home.
Hannah: Unconventional. The DryRobe makes an excellent blanket because the driver did that slightly worrying thing where they drive with the window open and you assume it’s to stay awake. I basically slept for most of it and woke up in Whaley Bridge.
➡️ After
John: I enjoyed watching all the clips of the celebrations on social media and watched the first half of Southampton v Preston that I’d recorded in the hope that County would get a mention. We did, albeit briefly.
Barmy Blue Army: Got home about quarter past midnight, so quicker than the last train would have been!
Hannah: Read through Twitter and Facebook and enjoyed all the videos everyone had posted.
🛏 Bed
John: It was getting on for 2am before I felt remotely drowsy but I decided I really ought to get some beauty sleep.
Barmy Blue Army: Probably about 1-1.30am. I was knackered but too much was spinning around in my head and I grabbed some leftovers to make up for the half-eaten sausage roll.
Hannah: 4am. A mega can of Red Bull got me through the following day.
💷 Cost
John: Lift to Lowndes Lane and back afterwards by Janice: Priceless. Coach: £22. Ticket: £16. Pie and bottle of pop: £7. Total: £45.
Barmy Blue Army: Probably the best part of £200 with a ticket for my partner too (who decided it was too far for a work night – hope she regrets that!), a half-used return train ticket, food and drink at the ground, and the Uber.
Hannah: Match ticket was about £21 wasn’t it? I can’t remember it was bought so long ago! Travel… erm, is a new clutch about a grand? Popeyes was an expensive but totally worth it £13. On the plus side I did save a fiver on parking at the ground.
🏅 Rating
John: 10/10. How could it be any less given that it was the night we won the championship? The minor annoyances pale into insignificance compared to the joy of watching fans, players and staff celebrate together.
Barmy Blue Army: Silly question. 10/10.
Hannah: It was only ever going to be a 10 wasn’t it?!
So there you have it folks, three tales from Notts County away, and on the night County clinch the title, it’s 10/10 across the board for THE BUS, THE TRAIN AND THE CAR!
Are you one of the lucky 1,000 or so who managed to get a Wrexham ticket? If you’d be happy to answer a few questions about your away day, please email thescarfmyfatherwore@substack.com.
If you’re looking to book your summer holiday get in touch with Paul and Tracy Franklin
As a team, Paul and Tracy Franklin are dedicated to delivering for their customers. They recognise that holidays are often the biggest outlay for people and so their top priority is finding them the perfect getaway. Whether you know exactly what you want or are looking for some ideas and inspiration, they can help!
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Photo of the day
Colwyn Bay
10 years ago (yesterday) County drew 0-0 at Colwyn Bay in the Skrill North. Our 14th consecutive game without a win. Our 7th consecutive game without even scoring a goal. We finished 14th, two points behind Leamington, and just ahead of Worcester on goal difference.
Some journey since then, eh?
Today in SK
🎶 Free jukebox
The Nelson Tavern (SK1). From 6.30pm.
Random County fan of the day #102 – Dave Plant!
One final thing before you go… if you’d like a spring clean for your car, carpets, house, oven or even your windows, get in touch with our brilliant bunch of sponsors!
🎨 Art & Gifts: Kate O’Brien Art
🧱 Builders Merchant: MKM Manchester South
🧽 Car Valeting: Rub A Dubz Detailing Ltd
🧼 Carpet Cleaning: A Star Clean Ltd
🏠 Carpets & Flooring: Kingsway Carpets & Rugs Ltd
🐈 Cat Flaps: That Cat Flap Company Ltd
👶 Child Health: The Sleep Nanny
🏠 Chimney Sweep: Three Shires Chimney Services
🧹 Cleaning: Beespoke Cleaning
🚙 Coatings: Colourtone Ltd
🚘 Driving School: CFN School of Motoring
💷 Financial Services: The Mortgage Mill
🔥 Fire Protection: Radial Fire And Security Limited
👟 Fitness: G Thomas Training
🍏 Greengrocers: Waterhouse’s Quality Food
🛁 Grout Refresh & Recolour: GroutGleam Stockport
💇♀️ Hairdressing: C West Hairstylist
💻 IT Services: Bridge Computer Services
🪚 Joinery: SAW Contracts Ltd
👨🍳 Kitchen Appliances: SW Appliances
🌳 Landscaping: PR Landscapes
🔑 Locksmith: APL Locksmiths Ltd
🧤 Oven Cleaning: That Oven Girl
🖌 Painter & Decorator: BGM Decorators
🚑 Personal Injury: Parkers Solicitors Ltd
📸 Photography: Holly Dwyer Photography
🎹 Piano Tutor: Sophie Grace Piano and Keyboard Tuition
🧱 Plastering: DT Plastering Services and Damp Proofing Specialists
🚰 Plumber: GTG Gary the Gasman
🦶 Podiatry: SK Podiatry
📕 Publishing: Victor Publishing
🤳 Social Media Management: Believe Media
☀️ Solar Panels: Malbern Solar Ltd
👨💼 Solicitors: B.J. McKenna & Co
⚽️ Sports Coaching: UK Sports Coaching Ltd
🪨 Stonemason: LM Stone Creative
🪵 Timber Supplies: Portwood Timber Division of Illingworth Ingham (Manchester) Ltd
☀️ Travel Agent: PTF Travel Ltd
⚖️ Weight Loss: Slimming World Reddish & Bredbury with Shlean
🪟 Window Cleaner: R ‘N’ B Window Cleaning
🧘♀️ Yoga: Greenshoots Yoga