Stockport County - Edgeley Park

Stockport County. A club with a, well, interesting history. They have had their highs but sadly they have had their inevitable lows.

Not so long ago, County were plying their trade in League One (and higher) after an impressive Wembley win against neighbours Rochdale. Now however, they find themselves playing teams such as Vauxhall Motors and Harrogate Town.

No disrespect to clubs like Vauxhall and Harrogate, I think the work that they and similar clubs do is fantastic. But from League One to the newly named Skrill North any County fan or neutral has to ask the question, where did it all go so horribly wrong?

County of course also stared in their own TV show, well sort of. ITV’s Great Night Out was set in the area of County named Edgley (hence the name Edgley Park). I for one loved Great Night Out and can’t wait for the new series, if there is one!

Originally, I was going to do my tannoy duties at Atherton Collieries vs Cheadle Town however manager Steve Pilling’s wife sadly passed away on the Thursday evening leading up to the game and as a mark of respect the game was rightly postponed – my thoughts and prayers are with Steve and his family during this tough time.

I now had a Saturday to fill. It was a good opportunity to go and tick off one of the grounds on my very long list to visit.

Earlier in the week fellow ground hopper Rob messaged me asking if I fancied a trip to Stockport, thinking Colls game against Cheadle was going to go ahead as planned I rejected his offer, but when the sad news of Steve’s wife death came through along with the news that the game was postponed as a mark of respect I contacted Rob informing him of the sad news and telling him I could now go to Stockport.

Edgeley Park has been a ground I have been planning and wanting to visit ever since County’s football league days, now a distant memory and with tickets for 11-17 being only £3 (BARGIN ALERT!!) how could I refuse?

Joining me and Rob on the trip down to Stockport would be friend Tom.

So, onto Saturday’s football feast, it began (as always) at Bromley Cross train station with Tom, where else? Of course, I was getting the 11:52 Northern Rail service to Bolton.

After Bolton, our next train was the 12:08 service to Manchester Airport, we got off at Piccadilly.

Piccadilly would be our final change. Just the one train Stockport.

Whilst on our final train I realised, it was one of Northern Rails new or refurbished electric (I think) trains. I was impressed. Normally Northern Rail services consist of an old bone shaker that vibrates your whole body for the whole journey, whilst also having a spring up your arse. This train, well it was the opposite, I only realised we set off at least thirty seconds after we did. It was silent! No springs up your arse! No broken bones! More of the same please Northern Rail!!

Tom and I arrived at the impassive Stockport Train Station meeting Rob at the very strange Platform 0, what’s that all about?

Three o’clock was the time the game kicked off, it was one o’clock – we had two hours to kill off. Stockport Train Station is relative close to Edgeley Park, however, we all wanted a bit of lunch and Rob wanted and needed to take some photos for his photography coursework, or something like that.

Two turned corners later and we found a Subway (the kind you can eat in, silly!). I felt like a chippy but I thought this was our best option for food, how wrong I was. Thinking it was, we entered Subway.

The Sub as superb, nothing wrong with it and certainly no complaints from me! Although, I do think a Steak Pie, Chips and Gravy would have gone down better.

Rob ventured into Stockport own centre (me and Tom followed) taking several of random objects along the way. “What is it you actually have to do?” I asked Rob. “Take pictures of retro colourful stuff, I need one of those midlife crisis shops.” Air enough!

Five. We passed FIVE OPEN Fish and Chip shops!! I was devastated.

After drowning in my sorrows and Rob done taking pictures we stated to meander towards our temporary home today – Edgeley Park.

This is when bizarre event number one (out of three) happened. I was standing inosentley at the corner of Greek Street waiting for Rob to cross the road, when all of a sudden a cyclist comes from behind me out of know where, I don’t notice him, he swerves to avoid me, hitting a temporary orange barricade. I though, here we go, he’s going to have a go at me. Instead he stands up, smiles and cycles off as if nothing happened. Only in Stockport!

Anyway, we continued on our pursuit of Edgeley Park avoiding cyclists coming out of nowhere from behind us, luckily no one was hurt. Edgeley Parkis around a fifteen minute walk from the

main stretch in Stockport, and as soon as you turn onto Greek Street the tall, historic, proud floodlights stand for you to see and guided you to the ground, almost like that start out of the Nativity!

Following the floodlights was an easy task and we soon found ourselves facing the  historic ‘Stockport County FC’ sign on the back of the Main Stand. I swore this was the street were they filmed Great Night Out – whether they did or not, that’s another thing.

The usual stroll around the ground came next and it was then I realised how nice of a ground Edgeley Park is and this is coming from a Burnley Fan! We took some photos of Edgley Park’s exterior along the way round and it was at this point bizarre event number two happened.

Like any normal ground hopper, I was taking pictures of the exterior of the Main Stand. Somehow, I caught a little steward in the bottom corner of it. He noticed it. Reported it, and low and behold we got stopped five minutes later just before entering the club shop. “Stop lads.” I heard a shout from behind us. “Can I just take your photos please, one of the stewards said you took a picture of him”. He made me get out my camera and go through every photo deleting just one, ONE, which had the stewards face in the bottom corner. “Cheers, it’s just in case” the man said. Absolutely ridiculous. Marks down for this!!

Anyway, the club shop made interesting viewing. You could buy a Great Night Out retro t-shirt. I didn’t. Instead I purchased our paper tickets for today’s game. The Cheadle End jumped out at all three of us and that is where we went.

As for Stockport County, well they were founded in 1883 under the name Heaton Norris Rovers adopting there current name in 1890. County joined the Football League in 1900 and just two years later found their new home in Edgeley Park, where they still play today. County continuously played in the Football league from 1905 to 2011 competing in mostly the lower divisions but in the 1990s the club found they competing in the first division and did so for five seasons on the trot. At the end of the 2010-11 seasons County dropped out of the Football League after a total of 110 years in the completion. Things got from bad to worse for County as at the end of the 2012-13 season they were relegated yet again this time to the Skrill North. Just 11 years ago they were competing in the second division of English Football.

I purchased a good looking programme for £3.00. The programme was alright, I have seen well. The content was poor and I expected more for £3.00 if I am honest.

So, we went through the turnstiles and took our seats.

As for Edgley Park, we sat in the Cheadle End which is like the Kop. It created a great atmosphere. The Cheadle End is the largest and most modern of all four in the ground. The new Cheadle End was constructed in 1995. It was in this stand were bizarre moment number three happened (find out later).

Opposite the Cheadle End was the Railway End. In 2001 it was converted to seating but however remained uncovered. Normally, this were the away fans are housed but today however, this side of the ground was closed.

To the right of us was The Popular Side it currently can offer seating to 2,411 people however their view would be restricted by several supporting columns. I was tempted to sit here if I am honest. One half of this stand was opened to away supporters.

To the left of us was the Main Stand or The Danny Bergara Stand. When this stand was first built it held around 500 seats but after a fire in 1935 the stand was destroyed. A year later it was replaced by the current stand today, it’s got a very traditional feel to the stand. However, like the popular side, the view can be restricted by three large supporting columns. The stand gets its name from late County manager Danny Bergara.

Onto the game, both County and Worcester have had poor starts to the season but since the re instalment of Alan Lord as caretaker boss (appointed full time boss after the game) County’s fortunes have changed.

The first attempt, and goal, came just on the ten minute mark. County’s Ian Howard quickly threw his throw to Kyle Jacobs who took no time to control and lobbed the ball over well-known Worcester City keeper Jose Veiga.

County doubled their lead just before the half hour mark. Rober Lofthouse’s diagonal through ball found Rhys Turner, who controlled before prodding in past Veiga for County’s second.

Just before Half Time County squeezed in their third. A County corner in was easily defended by Worcester but the ball fell invitingly to Iain Howard whom fired the ball as hard and fast as possible, taking a deflection off Phil Jevons before hitting the back of the net.

Worcester were extremely disappointing in the first half hardly threatening the County goal.

At half time, bizarre event number three happened. I went down to the concourse to get something to eat, obviously, and there right in front of me, the concourse was carpeted. Normally, concourses are just plain concrete, in any division, this gives the ground a soulless, and builders’ yard type feel, but the carpet gave it a homely feel. Maybe that’s were football is going wrong? Every club needs carpet on their concourse.

Second half, Worcester were much better after a double substitution and Nelson-Addy very nearly pulled a goal back but this was well before County added there fourth and final goal on eighty-two minutes. Phil Jevons grabbing his second after finishing a superb county move – well deserved!!

 

Worcester nearly had a chance to go home with a consolation goal when they were awarded a penalty in the eight-sixth minute. Danny Glover stepped up and fired wide.

It just wasn’t Worcester’s day at all, however, County were superb and if they continue to play the way they do then they’ll be out of trouble very soon!

Anyway, a stroll back to Stockport Train Station and goodbye to Rob was followed.

I and Tom got the train back to Bolton then Bromley Cross. Routine really.

A superb day out at County and really worth the visit. Credit to County to try and get more young fans through the Turnstiles and the atmosphere inside the ground was electric. Good luck to their new boss Alan Lord and to County n the future.

Ground: - 10/10 -  Loved the ground. Great atmosphere.

Programme: - 4/10 (Quality for money) – Poor content. Seen Non-League programmes better.

Food: - ?/10 (Chocolate Bar) – Your average Chocolate Bar (No rating required)

Match: - 7/10 – Good win for County.