Wrexham v (C)ounty
Our memorable title-winning season comes to an end with a dead rubber at the Racecourse (unless you’re Ollie Palmer…)
Saturday 27 April 2024 – CHAMPIONS FORTNIGHT!
NEXT GAME: Wrexham A – Today, 3pm
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Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Wrexham 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. We’ve got three champions with us today, as Ian Brown, Andrew Barlow and Jonathan Baker join us for the final time this season.
Today’s edition is sponsored by BGM Decorators. A big thank you to Ben. If you’re thinking of having any decorating work done over the coming weeks or months, please see below 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: 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
Des Junior loves writing about County. But he can never be arsed doing match previews. They’re a bit dull, aren’t they? Paddy Madden’s out for two games with an ingrown toenail…blah blah blah…tomorrow’s referee has handed out more cards than Moonpig…blah blah blah…County haven’t won at Birmingham since 1672.
Fortunately, he has a number of fellow County content creators to call upon. Here’s their thoughts, general chit-chat and score predictions, as County’s title-winning season comes to an end.
Ian Brown, hedgegrower
Wrexham 1 County 5
Now there’s nothing riding on the game, are you tempted to stick your golden Wrexham ticket on eBay?
No way! Like every other County supporter, I want to be in the Principality to watch the boys complete the job, and until today’s game is over, it isn’t. I find it incomprehensible to even think that there’s nothing to play for against Wrexham.
For starters, there’s the points, and three more takes us to 95 for the season – a handsome tally!
Then there’s goals scored, and another five sees us reach 100. What an end to the season that would be, very fitting and not 100% out of the question either. We went nap at Edgeley Park against the same opponents earlier in the season and can certainly do it again based on our current form and the clear gap in quality twixt the two teams.
For me there are but two caveats to this, the first being Mr Mullin’s propensity for unduly influencing referees with his tumbling skills. Officials at this level have proved to be every bit as susceptible to these vaudevillian offerings as those in the National League were.
It remains to be seen how today’s referee Mr Stephen Martin responds when faced with over 10,000 Welsh voices baying loudly in his ears! Mr Martin is the second caveat then – how will he perform?
Well, he last reffed a County game way back in 2011, midst the dark days of Didi Hamann’s managership. We drew 1-1 away at Lincoln and Mr Martin refused us a clear penalty, booking County’s O’Donnell, no doubt for verbals in the aftermath. But whilst I recall countless numbers of saves by County keeper Matt Glennon that kept us in the game, that incident is the only time Mr Martin had any significant impact on the game. That’s exactly how we want it to pan out today!
So, with a season of consistently abysmal forecasts behind me and fearing nothing, I give you Wrexham 1 County 5.
Andrew Barlow, Hatters Matters
Wrexham 6 County 0
Do you think any County players will be making their final appearance for the club today?
Yeah, it’s inevitable isn’t it. We saw the same once we’d won promotion from the National League at the end of the 2021-22 season and I’m sure Dave Challinor and the rest of the management team have had to make some difficult decisions in terms of who the club intends to keep on next season, and who they want to release / put up for sale.
We’ve all got our own views on who we perceive to be good enough to play in League One, and once the retained list is published it will be interesting to mull things over and digest if the management team have the same opinions. Whilst not naming names, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were at least two players not offered a new deal by the club, who have been with us since the National League days.
Whatever happens, any player released this summer, or any that choose to reject the offer of a new contract at Edgeley Park, will always be fondly remembered as having played a positive part in our history.
As for my prediction, I’m fully expecting Wrexham to annihilate us this weekend as their players are seemingly fired up and keen to make up for Dave Challinor singing some naughty words about them a couple of years ago. Not sure why they weren’t fired up for the league game at Edgeley Park but hey ho, we had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon in SK3. I’m predicting a 6-0 win for Wrexham which will make amends for the 5-0 defeat that they suffered earlier on in the season.
Jonathan Baker aka Geordie Hatter, The County Away Day Show
Wrexham 3 County 1
What’s your favourite thing about Wales?
My favourite thing about Wales? Certainly not Wrexham AFC, although I will say straight away that this has nothing to do with the recently-established rivalry with County, and harks back entirely to the club’s FA Cup run of 1977-78.
Arfon Griffiths’ then up-and-coming Third Division outfit reached the quarter-finals, knocking out both Newcastle United and Blyth Spartans along the way – the latter victory coming in round five in a replay staged at St James’ Park in front of a sell-out crowd, including my 10-year-old self bedecked in a newly-bought green-and-white scarf. Like many who were frankly old enough to know better in the even-back-then success-starved North East, I had become convinced that the plucky Northumberland cup fighters were on their way to Wembley, and that school night defeat doled out a portion of footballing heartbreak from which I’m not sure I’ve ever recovered. Damn you, Mickey Thomas.
So, back to your question, what do I like about Wales? Well I’m as big a fan of a plate full of leeks as the next man, and my admiration for the broadcasting talents of The One Show presenter Alex Jones knows no bounds. But if I’m pushed, I’m going to go for the country’s output of pop music, which I’d rate as pretty wide-ranging and impressive for a nation whose population only narrowly exceeds that of Greater Manchester. A very quick check back through Away Day Show playlists reveals a host of stellar acts emanating from the Principality, ranging from the globally and anthemically famous (Tom Jones; Manic Street Preachers) to the perhaps more obscure but just as playfully wonderful (Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci; the Darling Buds; the Poohsticks). All of these and more feature on today’s hastily-assembled Top 10 Playlist – presented below for your pre-match delecation and delight!
Score prediction? With our players presumably in a deserved state of demob-happy delirium, and the home side surely intent on signing off their campaign by avenging their heavy September stuffing in SK3, I’m foreseeing a rare defeat for our open-top-bus-bound champions. 3-1 the scoreline, but will it dampen our spirits? Will it heckers like! See you at the parade tomorrow!
Click here to listen to Geordie Hatter’s Made in Wales playlist!
Today’s sponsor: BGM Decorators
Don’t be like this random stranger Des Junior found on the internet. He thought he could decorate his living room himself. But now look at him, sat forlorn on his floor covered in a tin of Dulux. His wife’s left him, and his evenings are now occupied by microwave meals and old repeats of The Sweeney. You know what he should have done, don’t you? He should have called BGM Decorators.
BGM Decorators is a family business that has been in the trade since 1988. They’ve been built on hard work, honesty, and a high quality service that has consistently enhanced their reputation. They provide a painting and decorating service on a domestic and commercial basis across Stockport, Greater Manchester and Cheshire, as well as offering tenant turnover services and working alongside estate agencies and private landlords.
Give Ben a call on 07816 589989 or email bgm.decorators@yahoo.co.uk.
Photo of the day
Liberty Way, Nuneaton
Kingy, Des Junior, Fletch and The Hair on the pitch at Nuneaton on the final day of the 2018-19 season, celebrating County’s first league title for 52 years.
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
Three films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Kung Fu Panda 4 (PG) at 12.45pm, Civil War (15) at 3pm and 8.15pm, and Monkey Man (18) at 5.30pm. 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.
DJ Brinner at The Crown (SK6). 9pm.
🍺 Food and drink
If you’re in Stockport today, pop into The Petersgate Tap (SK1) for a pint or two.
Pie Meal Deal at The Friary (SK3). Any pie or pudding and chips with peas, curry or gravy. Plus tea or coffee. £7.95. (Greenhalgh’s Pies £1 extra.)
🎤 Karaoke
The Nelson Tavern (SK1) with Lee. From 8pm.
🎸 Live music
Northern Lights at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). 8.30pm.
The Nightcreatures at The Rectory (SK8). 8.30pm.
100 random grounds that County have played at
#2 – Liberty Way, Nuneaton
Last visit: Exactly five years ago today. A 3-0 win (Palmer, Warburton, Thomas) on the final day of the season clinched the National League North title in front of 3,450 travelling Hatters. One of the most important days in County’s history, with some of the most emotional post-match scenes I’ve ever seen.
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