Wrexham v County
Back across the border once more for another reunion with old friends
Saturday 22 March 2025
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NEXT HOME GAME: Burton Albion – Saturday 29 March, 12.30pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Wrexham – Today, 3pm
Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Wrexham supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Saturday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.
County meet Wrexham for the 129th time this afternoon. We’ve played them in the fifth, fourth and third tiers, but never the second. Both teams, however, could be plying their trade in the Championship next season. For Dave Challinor’s men to win promotion automatically, we absolutely can’t afford to lose today, and might need all three points if we are to make a grab for second place. We’ve not won in North Wales since April 2021, but there’s an abundance of belief at The Scarf My Father Wore HQ this morning, with Dan Culverwell, Andrew Barlow, Jonathan Baker and Nick Lee all predicting an away win. It’s amazing what a Tanto worldie at the Toughshit can do for confidence!
Today’s edition is sponsored by Lynx Taxis. A big thank you to Ehsan.
Thanks also to Rough Hands Tap who sponsor our Wrexham 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: 240.07 miles
Total steps so far: 392,922
Total raised so far: £2,287
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
Des Junior loves writing about County. But he can never be arsed doing match previews. They’re a bit dull, aren’t they? Will Collar’s out for a month with diarrhoea… blah blah blah…tomorrow’s referee has handed out more cards than Moonpig…blah blah blah…County haven’t won at Birmingham for a thousand years.
Fortunately, he has a number of fellow County content creators to call upon. Here’s their thoughts, general chit-chat and score predictions, with County aiming to end the day just three points off the automatic promotion places.
Dan Culverwell, The Scarf Bergara Wore
Wrexham 0 County 1
We’ve lost our last three at Wrexham. How do we end that run this afternoon?
Good question. I always feel that under Challinor we learn from our mistakes or shortcomings. The coaching team are acute in changing tack during a game to highlight a strength or to capitalise on an opponent’s weakness. Today’s game isn’t going to be pretty and much like Wigan and Bolton I feel the game will be won in the last 20 minutes with an influence in the winning goal coming from the bench for County.
➡️ Dan is part of The Scarf Bergara Wore team, hosting live County podcasts every Wednesday at 8pm. Click here for links.
Nick Lee, SK3 TV
Wrexham 0 County 1
Is this a dress rehearsal for the play-offs?
Why are you doing this to me Des? Even as the sort of high-functioning sociopath who gets off on the jeopardy, that might be a bridge too far.
It's happening though, innit. Nailed on. Got this lingering feeling that we'll beat Wrexham in the semi before losing to Bolton at Wembley. So thanks for bringing that up, I really appreciate it.
➡️ Nick’s one of the co-hosts of SK3 TV, a new podcast for the 2024-25 season, with live episodes every Monday at 8pm. Click here for links.
Andrew Barlow, Hatters Matters
Wrexham 0 County 2
You’re two points clear in the prediction league as we enter the run-in. Have you got what it takes to go all the way?
To be honest I am surprised that I’m currently top of the pile, as last season I was pretty useless at guessing our results. If I’m still there at the end of the season then it may be one of my greatest achievements in 2025. Long way to go though, and I’m taking it one game at a time. It’s certainly a marathon and not a sprint, so I hope I haven’t peaked too early. The league table doesn’t lie though!
I have to admit that I’ll be travelling to the Racecourse with some trepidation based on our last three results there. We should however take some comfort from the fact that they have won just once at home in their last five league matches. Will we finally break the current unwritten rule that sees County win at Edgeley Park with Wrexham winning the corresponding fixture at their place? I think we can!
Apart from a spell towards the end of last week’s game where we were put under a bit of pressure by Bolton, I thought we put in a decent performance which followed on from a solid showing against fellow promotion hopefuls Charlton in the 0-0 draw at EP. We’re certainly going to have to match those two performances if we are going to come away from North Wales with three points.
I’m going to go for a 2-0 win for the mighty County… who “always win away”.
➡️ Andrew runs Hatters Matters, a comprehensive guide to the history of Stockport County with more facts and figures than you can shake a stick at. Visit hattersmatters.co.uk to have a butcher’s.
Jonathan Baker, The County Away Day Show
Wrexham 1 County 2
Go on then, how was last weekend…
I thought you’d never ask, Des! Actually, you may have to enquire again in a few weeks because I’m not sure I yet have the words; I’m not sure I ever will. What I will say is this: that moment after the final whistle when my son Frankie called me on Facetime and together we got to watch the team joyously lifting the trophy - him in France, me in Stockport, both of us on the edge of tears - is a moment I will never forget, not for as long as I live. It’s a day that I never thought would come, and I’m just so thankful it has happened in my lifetime, and that we got to experience it together.
Talk of momentous occasions brings us to this afternoon at the Racecourse, where I foresee another typically eventful encounter in the history of this cross-border fixture. With the hosts slightly struggling for home consistency and County on a roll following that Tanto-inspired victory on the road last week, I’m feeling quietly confident we’ll come away with a result - possibly even one that can close the gap on those still tantalisingly-reachable auto spots. I’d take a draw - but actually fancy us to shade it.
➡️ Jonathan, aka Geordie Hatter, hosts The County Away Day Show on selected Saturday mornings during the season, when the Hatters are on the road. All episodes can be found at the-geordie-hatter.mixlr.com.
Today’s other prediction
County Supporters Co-operative: Wrexham 2 County 1
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Photo of the day
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
County lost 2-1 on their last visit to Wrexham - on the final day of last season - but having already clinched the League Two title, the 1,127 travelling fans in the sold-out away end were in fine voice. I’m sure another raucous Racecourse atmosphere awaits this afternoon…
Pop into Rough Hands Tap for a pint this weekend
Any Wrexham fans (or indeed any of our other readers from North Wales) joining us today? Enjoy a pint or two at Rough Hands Tap this weekend, Wrexham’s newest craft beer bar.
Located at Chapter Court on Queens Street, everyone’s welcome for good chat and cracking craft beer or bangin' coffee.
➡️ Visit roughhands.co.uk for further details.
Photo credit: Crawley Town FC
Bits and bobs
🔴 LINDSEY’S BACK AT CRAWLEY
Scott Lindsey - who led Crawley to promotion last season before leaving to join MK Dons - has returned to the Broadfield Stadium for a second spell. Here’s the thoughts of our Crawley correspondent, Dan Jones.
In terms of quietening the unrest amongst the fans, this was the only logical appointment. The ownership have been engaged in open warfare with the fans in recent months and any other choice would have been greeted by calls for our Lindsey back.
It's also a good sign that Lindsey was willing to come back at this point in the season - both in demonstrating that our owners are capable of working with someone without pissing them off entirely and that Scott holds the club in high enough regard to take a relegation on his CV just to bring some much needed immediate good vibes back into the club.
I think it's also important not to judge this spell by the standards of last season. That success was made possible by the overperformance of two players in particular - Danilo Orsi and Corey Addai - and two members of coaching staff who worked intensively with them. Carl Laraman was the forwards coach who turned Orsi into a prolific EFL striker for the first time in his career and he may resign here after leaving MK with Lindsey; the goalkeeping coach in Steve Hale however remains contracted in Buckinghamshire. All we know for sure about the make up of the back room staff at time of writing is that Neil Smith has come in as assistant from Cray Wanderers.
Ultimately all I want from this stint is our incredible memories from last year not to be tainted, but if I trust anyone to add to those it's Scott fucking Lindsey.
👣 A LONG WALK TO WREXHAM
Leon Ryder - who raised over £1,000 for Mentell by cycling to Wrexham last season - is walking to the Racecourse Ground this weekend. He set off from Edgeley Park at lunchtime yesterday, and is currently putting in the final miles this morning.
➡️ Click here to make a donation.
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
Three films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. The Brutalist (18) at 1.15pm, Captain America: Brave New World (12A) at 5.30pm, and Mickey 17 (15) at 8.30pm.
🍺 Food and drink
Enjoy a hearty breakfast at Covent Garden Café (SK1) to set you up for the weekend. 9am - 2pm.
All pints £2.50 at The Cross Keys (SK8) from 6pm till 9pm.
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 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.
🎤 Karaoke
The Nelson Tavern (SK1) with Lee. From 8pm.
🎶 Live music
Sean Mack at The Steelworks (SK6). 8pm. You might even get a slice of cake as well, as they’re celebrating their 1st birthday all weekend!
Northside Bro’s of Soul at The Crown Inn (SK6). 9pm.
Random snippets from old County programmes
#26 - County v Bournemouth, 22 November 2003
County fans had to wait until November to see the first home victory of the 2003-04 season. That was against today’s opponents, Wrexham. The Hatters Independent Supporters Club gave their thoughts on the LDV Vans Trophy nine-goal thriller.
Well where do I start? Wrexham in the LDV Vans, 5-4, what a game. At 4-2 down, all I was thinking was “well that’s us out for another year” but the longer the game went on, the more inspired I felt and eventually I knew we could win it - and we did. The first win at Edgeley Park this season. Duck broken. Curse gone… hopefully!
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