Further down this site you’ll find pieces I’ve written on Stockport County’s most glorious decade, the 1990s. The run to the semi finals of the league cup in 97 and the domination over neighbours Manchester City in the dizzy heights of the second tier of English football.
Well a lot’s happened since then and not much good let me tell you.
Brief success in 2008, winning the League Two (fourth tier) play off final at Wembley was quickly tarnished by over spending and mis-management off the pitch of epic proportions. I won’t go into it, it belongs in the genre of horror of which I don’t wish to dabble.
In summary, County were relegated out of the football league (four divisions of 92 clubs) for the first time in their history in 2011 and sunk even further to the humiliation of part time regional football of the National League North (sixth tier) in 2013. Thats where they stayed for six long years before Jim Gannon, ex player from the successful sides of the 90s and in his third spell as manager of the club (controversially sacked the other two times) restored some much needed pride and led the club to the National North title in 2019. For many County fans, including me, it was the first time we had been alive for an actual title, the last one coming in the 60s.
I didn’t physically witness much during these dark days, mostly due to visiting the UK from the States in the summer time. I did catch one game at a sub zero Altrincham on New Year’s Day in the title season, a scrappy 1-0 win with a lovely goal from Matty Warburton, one of very few popular players of the clubs last decade.
And before anyone gets the hump that they were at Vauxhall Motors on a Tuesday night, yes I appreciate this particular day was in a glorious period compared to the years prior.
Growing up close to Altrincham, “The Robins” were always an inoffensive non league club that I used to take the piss out of a couple of lads at school for supporting. I never imagined my own club would visit Moss Lane in a league fixture multiple times, but here we were.
The following season 2019/20, the COVID pandemic interrupted what was shaping up potentially, to being a glorious return to the football league but the newly invented “points per game” rule saw County denied their position of 7th when the world stopped, replaced in the play offs by Barnet.
Right before these global shenanigans, County announced that local business man Mark Stott was taking over the club and he quickly unveiled a seven year target to get the club back into the Championship. Stott said all the right things and backed it up with subtle enhancements to the ground, a new agreement to train at one of the famous Carrington complexes, used at various times by Man United and Man City and most importantly, a competitive budget to improve the playing squad.
I got home for a game right before lock down. A 1-0 win at home to Bromley which saw a debut goal from new centre half Liam Hogan, previous promotion winner from this league and captain of Salford City.
I met up with my old mate Paul at this game, seen here with his son Matthew. Paul and I used to go home and away together in the 90s and it was great to catch up. Unfortunately they suffered a family tragedy the summer before when Paul’s oldest son Luke passed away. Paul decided to renew Luke’s season ticket shortly afterwards and invite some of his friends to sit in his seat. I was honoured (and emotional) when he asked me to sit there for this game.
The following season was played behind closed doors and the highlight for me was being able to watch the games via paid stream for the first time ever. I had a flag made and organised via internet with the very friendly Ian Brown of the supporters Co-Op, who I’d never met, to display it behind the goal in the Cheadle End with other fans’ flags.
Half way through the season, Jim Gannon was inexplicable sacked for a third time with the team in a strong position in the table with games in hand. “Change of culture” was citied by the club as reason for the departure and in came Simon Rusk, manager of Brighton U23s, hastily installed before you could say “lined up for weeks with nobody else interviewed”.
Rusk lacked a bit of personality but seemed to be a decent enough coach, going on an 18 match unbeaten run. Unfortunately the season ended with a home play off defeat to Hartlepool, managed by former County player Dave Challinor, who then went on to win the final against Torquay.
The new season, 21/22 arrived with much optimism, fans back in the ground and County one of the favourites for promotion.
Rusk struggled, failing to get the best out of an attack minded squad with at times, unwatchable football. He was sacked in October and replaced by none other than Dave Challinor, much to the horror of Hartlepool and their most famous fan, Jeff Stelling of Sky Sports who openly mocked County fans during the process for even daring to suggest Challinor would leave them.
Leave he certainly did and immediately turned a boring looking team into an attacking delight. 5,000 County fans traveled to League One Bolton in the FA Cup to witness a heroic 2-2 draw and the live cameras beamed the thrilling replay into worldwide homes as County ran out 5-3 winners in extra time in one of the most pulsating nights at Edgeley Park in a long long time.
Fast forward a few months and Challinor had transformed County from mid table fodder to table toppers and steam rolling towards the title. Early leaders Chesterfield had fallen off the pace after a season ending injury to star striker Kabongo Tshimanga as well as a sordid scandal involving manager James Rowe who was subsequently sacked.
Wrexham, under the ownership of the Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds and his mate who’s done some TV, were the biggest threat to the title. With a similar sized budget and fan base, the Red Dragons were right on County’s heels waiting for a slip up.
It was around February time that I started plotting a trip back to the UK to capture “the moment”. The long awaited moment, back in the big time for the first time in 11 years. As long as we didn't bottle it, which we weren’t showing any signs of.
At one point it looked like we might clinch it with five or six games to go so I had to be very strategic in when I would go, knowing I couldn't afford to be away from work for more than a week and a half, two weeks maximum.
I booked a flight to arrive on a Friday night with five games to go. Boreham Wood at home the next day, followed by Chesterfield two days later on bank holiday Monday and Wrexham away the following weekend. Wrexham would be tough to get a ticket for but I had enough foot soldiers on the ground to make it happen.
Two brilliant things happened after I booked the flights. One was “An evening with Kevin Francis” County legend and one of my all time heroes being announced for the night I landed, and two was our rearranged home game with Torquay announced as the Tuesday after Wrexham. This meant extending my trip by a day as I was due out Monday but it would be worth it as it would probably mean a promotion party at Edgeley, if we had clinched the title at Chesterfield or Wrexham or even that night. There was no way it was going to the last day of the season. Right? Torquay then got bumped a day to the Wednesday so I paid twice to extend the trip but it was all going to work out.
Fresh off half a day in the sky, I was reunited with Paul and another mate Andy who also used to come to away games with us back in the day, as well as another couple of top lads Craig and Ian. The Edgeley Park hospitality suite was packed to the rafters and the beer was flowing as the warm up act Barry Fry had us in stitches with his typical cockney geezer, dodgy wheeling and dealing stories. Fry signed Kevin Francis from County for Birmingham in the 90s so he was a suitable addition to the evening.
The big man, Super Kev followed and it was absolutely brilliant to sit and listen to him and hear and feel the love he had for our club. Getting to meet the great man at the end of the night was a perfect start to the trip.
The next day was Boreham Wood at home and a late kick off for BT Sport who had moved County to TV for all their remaining games, desperate to capture the moment we won the title. Me too BT, me too.
Prior to this though, County had suffered a bit of a wobble as defeats at Grimsby and Yeovil had opened the door to Wrexham but we were still in control of our own destiny.
A win for Wrexham before we kicked off gave Edgeley Park a slightly nervous feel and I personally thought we might slip up again.
Before the game I had the pleasure of meeting Russ Johnson, Nick Lee and Dave Long from the brilliant Scarf Bergara Wore podcast. This had been a long time coming as we had tried to meet up last time I was back and it didn’t happen. I was a guest on their pod last season, telling my Carlton Palmer story and general international perspective of being a County fan. Top lads who do great work.
I’d heard great things about the pies at County these days and they didn’t disappoint either.
What did disappoint, as predicted in my head was the game itself. We never got going and the title jitters were on full show. A goal in the middle of each half saw Boreham Wood cruise into injury time 2-0 up. A goal from Elliot Newby and a shot off the post from Miles Hippolyte almost snatched a point for us but it wasn’t to be. Off to Chesterfield with the pressure on.
I was a bag of nerves now. Two tough away games to come at two of the best teams in the division was not going to be easy but it had been years, over a decade in fact since I had done a proper away day so I was well up for it.
I got a lift to Chesterfield with Andy and his mate who’s name i cant remember but he was a nice lad. The scenic drive was a calming precursor for a tense afternoon. We parked up at a pub that had been designated for away fans and had some good friendly banter with the staff, locals and even police. We met up with a few others including Paul and his son Matthew who had broken his ankle playing football the day before and was in a wheelchair and crutches. Apparently his first words to his Dad on the pitch when he went down injured was “I’m not missing Chesterfield”. Thats the spirit lad.
Chesterfield fans had seemingly had a meltdown recently online about us being top and potentially winning it at their place (that was no longer possible) and generally displaying some odd behaviour. We didn’t witness any of that and found the ones we came across welcoming but the weirdos could easily have been lurking somewhere else.
I’d bought Andy and his brother Jamie some County 90s themed socks and that went down well, as did the beers as we were in a fairly relaxed mood heading down to the ground.
Chesterfield’s old run down Saltergate ground was the scene of our promotion in 97, a night of memories I’ll take to my grave. This new ground had decent character for a new build. The away end holding over 2,500 including a bit of the side made for a cracking atmosphere with over 9,000 in total attendance, showing off the strength of the National League.
Truth be told we never looked like losing this game. Chesterfield were not up to much and we seemed a lot more in control than we had two days earlier. In the 35th minute Paddy Madden converted a penalty to send the traveling hoards into ecstasy.
And thats how it stayed. I’m not going to claim it wasn’t nail biting because it was but unlike Boreham Wood, for some reason I never had a doubt.
We sung and danced and even better news filtered through towards the end that Wrexham had slipped up. From being nervous and shaky we were now almost home and dry. A win at Wrexham next weekend would see us crowned champions on their turf. A draw or a defeat would mean we would still have work to do but two home games to clinch it.
The next five days were awful quite frankly. Loved ones in hospital didn’t help. I spent most of the time in my sub standard hotel trying to get an internet connection to do some much needed work. Thankfully remote work and advances in telecommunications have made traveling a lot easier while working at the same time but with County still needing points for the title I was on edge. Sunday couldn’t come quick enough.
On the Saturday I decided to do a little North Wales warm up and visit Flint Town United in the Welsh Premier League play offs. Flint was the hometown of my grandparents and my mother and my Nana was once a leader of the supporters club back in the 50s. When Flint got promoted to the top flight a couple of years ago I started to take a keen interest and was even able to catch a couple of live games on YouTube. I ended up sponsoring a player, striker Mark Cadwallader and was keen to take in a game and hopefully meet Mark, who I had chatted to online and he seemed like a top lad.
Flint won on penalties against Penybont with my boy Caddy bagging in the shootout. Unfortunately they lost the next game which would have seen them qualify as guests in next seasons Scottish League Cup. Get your head around that.
I bought Mark a pint after the game, met the chairman and was made very welcome from those at the club. Good luck to the mighty Flint for the coming season.
So the big one was upon us, Wrexham away. Three games left, three points clear and a game in hand. Win and we are champions. Draw or lose and we still have work to do.
Another sell out crowd in the fifth tier of English football and two clubs who most would admit should be in the third or fourth tier at least. Maybe even cheekily higher and with the money both now have, the sky’s the limit.
Five of us packed into a car for this one, me cramped in the back with Paul and Matthew. We parked up outside the away end which was not even open yet. As the local police had ensured nobody would be getting drunk in the town, we mingled around, saw the film crew filming for the much anticipated documentary on Wrexham, directed by their owners, saw some players arriving and stuck some piss-take stickers on the turnstiles.
The away end at Wrexham is on the side, two tiers stretching to the half way line with the more vocal members of the home side support behind the goal to your right. It’s a proper old school ground and we stood around drinking in the concourse (if you can call it that) and discussed all the possible outcomes.
I think most of us would have taken a draw but how special and mental would it be to win it here? Both sets of supporters had been jarring with each other for months online, with an undercurrent of mutual respect.
Ollie Holt the well known journalist and self confessed County fan passed by us, as did former County captain Paul Turnbull who was kind enough to stop for a picture.
The County players who weren’t involved on the day were also mingling around at the front of the stand and I managed to get a picture with Sam Minihan, a proper County legend. At the time of writing it looks like Sam might be moving on to a new club but nobody typifies the relationship between players and fans like Minihan. 100% every week, a double champion and a great servant to the club. He will be sorely missed.
The noise at kick off was electric. Two clubs with massive fan bases for this level, both been out the of the football league for over a decade, desperate to get back where they rightly belong.
For the first half an hour County were dominant. Wrexham didn’t look like scoring and we should have taken advantage more than once. Scott Quigley being the biggest culprit for me, off form at a crucial stage of the season and looked like an out of shape pub player when played through at one point.
With just over ten minutes to go in the first half Wrexham scored against the run of play. A fairly soft goal if I remember from striker Ollie Palmer, signed earlier in the year from Wimbledon. I can’t be bothered watching it back because it’s too painful but I think it came from a Wrexham specialty, a long throw from centre half Ben Tozer.
Wrexham have a few - what I would describe as shithouses. Tozer is one, constantly stealing yards at throw ins and using towels to dry the ball. Palmer is another, throwing his weight around and winding up opposition fans and his strike partner Paul Mullin is another, a rat faced little toad but a very good rat faced little toad. The problem is Palmer and Mullin are both excellent and far too good for this level. In first half injury time Mullin was played through clean on goal and I knew before he hit it that it was in. This was the difference between us and them, their strikers were better. One of ours was off form and we were relying too heavily on the other. The rest of our team was better man for man in my opinion but it the didn’t feel like it on this day. Palmer scored again just after half time and at 3-0 we had no answer. The Racecourse ground was bouncing. A cauldron of noise I’ve rarely seen outside of the Championship. We were off the pace and struggling. They sneaked ahead of us on goal difference and we now needed four points from six to win the league.
On the somber drive home, I convinced myself we had blown it and we didn’t have the bottle to close it out in the next two games, home games against nothing-to-play-for Torquay and one time title challengers Halifax, who still had a chance of third place and a bye in the first round of the play offs.
I was in a rut mentally. My head had gone. The three day wait for the Torquay game with the prospect of nothing to do, a hotel I hated and growing pressure of work back in the US was becoming too much. The thought of sitting through another excruciating 90 minutes and the fact l was now going to miss us winning the league even if we did enough - I wasn’t going to extend my trip for a third time - was horrendous. Being the impulsive soul that I am, I bottled it. I booked a flight back to LA for the next morning via Dublin and was on my way.
As it turned out I underestimated this team, this manager. Maybe that was because I’m not around enough. Maybe it’s because life is hard. Pressures, stresses and anxieties got the best of me. Oh to be in my twenties with nothing to worry about again.
I listened on the radio as we very professionally and effectively overcame a stubborn Torquay 1-0 with a goal from the unbelievable Paddy Madden, and followed it up by comfortably beating Halifax on the last day as Wrexham lost to give us a six point title victory.
I was able to watch it on dodgy stream and jumped around the house like a champion.
My club is finally on the right track, the future is bright and plenty of glorious moments will come and plenty of opportunities for big games at crucial times, in big venues will present themselves. I’ll be back.
More importantly, County are back.