Saturday, 16^th August 2025.

Matchday, Leyton Orient v County, League 1.

Two incidents to start the week that, on the face of it, show humans in a poor light but actually give cause for hope. During the opening match of the Premier League season last night, the away team’s striker, Antoine Semenyo, was the subject of a racist insult from the crowd. So far so bad but the hope springs from the fact that he reported it, the referee stopped the game to speak to the teams and the managers and the Police investigated. It appears the culprit was from the wheelchair section of the crowd but physical disability isn’t a defence in this case. Semenyo scored twice in the match, which is the best possible reply to the abuse.

The other incident involves a talented young woman, Skye Stout, who has just signed a professional contract with Kilmarnock WFC. Her appearance prompted a torrent of abuse on social media, all too depressingly familiar, but the redeeming aspect is the number of people who jumped on the offenders and rallied to Skye’s defence. She’s reported as saying “I will let my football do the talking,” which is exactly the right response. She lived up to it too, scoring in her first outing for the team.

The Flyer was due off at eight o’clock this morning, so I was up before the Lark get a spot of coffee and a bowl of Granola down my Gregory before walking a bemused and sleepy Floricel round an otherwise-deserted Great Moor Park.

Janice dropped me off at Lowndes Lane to join the happy band waiting for transport. We were a bit short on numbers but given that the fixture compilers have lumbered us with three of the longest treks in League 1 in our first four away games, perhaps it isn’t too surprising. The benefit of the shortfall is that I was able to get a pair of seats to myself, so I could set my stall out properly.

With no Geordie Hatter’s Awayday Show to pass the time, I believe his debut for the season will be Plymouth (A), I listened to a few tunes and dozed fitfully before we arrived at Rugby Services. This particular oasis is notable for the marathon trek from the coach park to the facilities, perhaps the designer hoped the walk would give punters an appetite. Other football pilgrims present included Burnley, on their way to a 3-0 defeat at Spurs, and Colchester headed for a 2-0 win at Shrewsbury. Everyone seemed to be co-existing nicely.

Motoring on, the M25 and M11 were relatively clear for once and we made good time. I turned to the Premier league for entertainment but instead found Villa and Newcastle staging a giving-the-ball-away competition. Newcastle are really going to struggle if they can’t patch things up with Isak, they looked absolutely toothless.

We parked in Brisbane Road at one thirty and I went straight into the ground to find somewhere to sit. My worries about finding a decent vantage point were ill founded as there was loads of room, we’d only sold just over seven hundred tickets from an allocation of 1,250. Looking around before kick-off, I noticed a County fan with a scarf tied round his wrist! I don’t remember anyone doing that since the 1980s, it quite took me back. Perhaps it’s time to revive the custom.

Here’s how we lined up, a 10/11 for me, as I’d assumed Mothersille would start rather than Camps.

As the teams took the field, I was struck by the size of Orient’s players; with the exception of the stroppy little 10, Aaron Connolly, they all looked about 6’-12”. Once the game started, it seemed like we were in for a thrashing, Orient were quick and strong and we were constantly on the back foot. The loss of Callum Camps on seventeen minutes didn’t look like helping matters, but in the absence of any obvious replacement, DC brought Nathan Lowe on. This choice was more than vindicated when Lowe scored the opener after a lovely build-up involving Diamond, Moxon and O’Keefe.

The goal came during a fifteen-minute spell when referee Ricardo went card mad, issuing four in short succession, including a particularly baffling one for Jack Diamond.

Going behind took the wind out of Orient’s sails for the rest of the half and County got a second on thirty-six minutes when Joseph Olowu scored with a diving header from a Norwood free kick on the right. Despite being second best for most of the half, it looked as though County had found their rhythm at last and there was an air of confidence among the away fans at the break.

This mood was soon dispelled at the start of the second half, however, as the home team were again in the ascendancy. A goal felt inevitable and it came twelve minutes in from the annoying Connolly. A spate of substitutes from both sides ensued but the direction of travel remained very much towards our goal. When the board showed seven minutes of added time I think many of us feared the worst and, sure enough, the equaliser came in the 93^rd minute.

All four games this season so far have seen us pinned back in the second half and we were always going to come unstuck sooner or later. It’s obvious from his post-match interviews that Dave Challinor was incandescent about the second half in particular, he accused the players of going their own way and failing to follow his instructions.

An injury time equaliser always feels like a defeat when you’re on the receiving end and it was a subdued Flyer that set off on the long journey home. We were back at the Fingerpost by ten o’clock and Janice kindly whisked me home to the Singapore Vermicelli she’d bought from the Panda Takeaway.

Today’s tune, in honour of the heroic but ultimately doomed defending we saw from County today, is “Remember The Alamo” by John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/M4WCi7hnugQ?feature=oembed

Sunday, 17^th August 2025.

Matchday: County Ladies v Wythenshawe FC Women, FAWNL Division 1 North.

The goals from yesterday at Orient can be seen here:

https://www.skysports.com/football/live-blog/12040/13390423/sky-bet-league-one-goals-and-highlights-of-every-match?postid=10030347#liveblog-body

Here’s the County Ladies squad and their numbers for the season that starts today:

Manager Steve O’Hara says he’s “Super proud of the squad we have put together for 25/26, a real mix of quality, experience, youth and depth.”

As last season, home games are played at Stockport Sports Village, Woodley, and admission is free for County season ticket holders.

Here’s the team for today:

County Ladies started the season with an impressive 5-0 win, the goals coming from Mollie Newton, Kenedy Owen, Jess Battle, Paige Cole and Em Bradshaw. Player Of The Match honours went to Paige Cole in a brilliant start to the new season.

Today’s tune is by Five, it takes a scoreline of those proportions to get me to play a boy band here, with “Keep On Moving”:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/FbWJVult-9M?feature=oembed

Monday, 18^th August 2025.

I started the day by watching TSBW’s Match Review pod. Jimmy Harmer, Dan Culverwell, Dan Johnson and Steve Bardsley were the men charged with deciding if we were lucky to get a point or we’d thrown two away. My own verdict was “Yes, probably,” here’s what they thought:

• Dave Challinor: The pod opened with a clip of the manager fulminating about the players failing to follow his instructions, particularly in the second half. If he was a character in the Dandy, he’d have been pictured three feet off the ground and farting sparks.
• The team: The same as Wycombe, DC rarely changes a winning team. The lack of midfield specialists on the bench was a worry and maybe displays a lack of confidence in Fiorini and Bailey who were at the ground but not involved in the squad.
• First half: We started poorly and in the early exchanges looked likely to be over-run by Orient’s greater speed, athleticism and ambition. A knock to Owen Dodgson may explain his unusual reluctance to get forward and Ethan Pye wasn’t his usual self, reduced to making last-ditch tackles on a couple of occasions.
• Early sub: When Callum Camps was injured early in the first half, the lack of an obvious replacement on the bench gave DC a problem which he tackled by introducing Nathan Lowe to give Kyle Wootton some support up front. This proved to be a masterstroke, as Lowe was the spearpoint of a superb opening goal which had looked unlikely prior to his introduction.
• Second goal: A superb free kick from Ollie Norwood was headed home by a diving Joseph Olowu, who is starting to show his quality. He might have had a second later in the half but the ball ricocheted off several players before going out for a goal kick. Another good opportunity went begging when Jack Diamond ran through on goal and took a shot himself when passing to Nathan Lowe might have been the better bet.
• Second half: Having fought back from a poor start to the first half, we completely failed to capitalise on our two-goal lead and it’s easy to see why Dave Challinor was so frustrated. Our defence were bamboozled by Orient’s speed of movement for their opener, which was fired home by the skilful but annoying Aaron Connolly. It was all one-way traffic thereafter but an equaliser looked inevitable and finally came deep into injury time. It seems unfair to pick him out from a poor team display, but Brad Hills, a late substitute, might have done better to cut the danger out once he’s regained match fitness.
• Context: Seven points from three difficult opening games is a decent return but perhaps masks some worrying signs, particularly a tendency to get pushed back onto the back foot late in matches. We’ll have to better against Bradford on Tuesday if it isn’t to be seven points from twelve.

See what you think here:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/qG2FNAKbGRI?feature=oembed

The auction of a Bukta shirt from the 1984-85 season by the Supporters’ Co-Operative closed at £425 and will be a valuable boost to the group funds. The kindness of MSV Duisburg fans, Fabian and Katrin, in donating this valuable shirt is very much appreciated by those of us on the Co-Op board.

Talking of the Co-Op board, we held one of our regular meetings tonight. The minutes will be circulated to Co-Op members once they’re finalised, but topics discussed included:

• Calendar Sales.
• Our forthcoming meeting with the newly-appointed Independent Football Regulator.
• A date for the AGM.
• The provision of tickets for cup matches to schools under the Community Foundation umbrella.
• Problems with the new ticketing system.

Here’s my desperate stab at a team for tomorrow. It’s predicated on Dodgson and Mothersille being fit, so I’m not madly confident about its accuracy:

To celebrate our return to EP after two consecutive league games dahn sarf, today’s tune is a bit of Pirate Metal from Alestorm, “Magnetic North.” Warning; viewer discretion required, contains twin drummers and a keytar:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_pG1FbvsCyA?feature=oembed

Tuesday, 19^th August 2025.

Matchday: County v Bradford City, League One.

On the very day that we play Bradford, it’s been confirmed that Nick Powell has left County and signed for tonight’s opponents. It’s amazing to me that another club would touch him given the number of minutes he played for us while he was here, and it makes me wonder exactly how much of that was down to a lack of fitness and how much to a lack of desire on the manager’s part to play him. He’s undoubtedly an incredibly gifted footballer but that’s academic if he’s rarely on the pitch. We’ll have a better idea after a season at Valley Parade and he’s either been an expensive ornament in the treatment room or a world beater in their midfield.

I was looking forward to tonight’s match, on the basis that Chally’s anger at Saturday’s performance was bound to have an effect but this was tempered by the knowledge that Bradford have ex-County stalwarts Antoni Sarcevic, Ibby Touray and Neill Byrne in their squad.

Tonight’s bucket collection was for the local Guide Dogs’ chapter, unlike some of the charities we get they had a card reader with them so I threw them a bone, as it were. They were also selling toy dogs, so of course we had to have one.

DC’s team selection got me a 10/11 on FanHub, I’d picked Joseph Olowu to start but he was on the bench, displayed by Brad Hills.

In the first half, County played some of the best football I’ve ever witnessed at this level. Jack Diamond led Bradford a right dance, Malik Mothersille started to show why we’ve spent so much money on him and the defence looked staunch in the face of the little attacking threat our opponents had to offer.  The applause for Cameron Mullin on twenty-seven minutes was very well observed all around the ground, despite limited advance notice. Although County were only leading by a single Owen Moxon goal at the break, confidence in the stands was high that we’d win the game at a canter.

That confidence diminished as soon as the second half started, Bradford were quicker, pressed harder and looked like a team transformed. They were level within five minutes and threatened constantly while County were stuck on the back foot. The winner came in the seventy-second minute and was scored, inevitably, by Antoni Sarcevic. DC threw Lowe, Andrésson, Olowu, Fevrier and Bailey on in an attempt to get an equaliser but to no avail. Bradford’s ‘keeper, Sam Walker, managed to keep hold of the ball on the goal line to foil our best attempt in injury time and a couple of other chances came and went late on but the score remained 2-1 at full time.

There’s a definite pattern developing over these early games, we’re struggling to adapt to changes made by our opponents and we can’t hold on to a lead. I’m confident Dave Challinor will sort it but it would be nice if he could do it before we play Burton Albion on Saturday.

Today’s tune is for the ex-County contingent at Bradford; it’s Colin James’ version of “Just Came Back”:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/NetqMq8e31k?feature=oembed

Wednesday, 20^th August 2025.

Stu Hope, who runs TSBW’s County Ladies podcast, has created a Facebook page for the pod. With the Lionesses winning the Euros and County’s own team starting very well in the league, this could be a big season for Steve O’Hara’s side and Stu will keep you abreast of all the action.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579526282510&sk=about

I love a graph, me, so I was very pleased to see that PPGProphet is back on Twitter this season with his points progress charts for all ninety-two clubs. Our black line was firmly in the autos area after the first three games but we’ve dipped into the playoffs area after last night. Early days of course, but something to watch as the campaign progresses.

The Scarf Bergara Wore’s weekly pod tonight had Waggie in the driving seat, assisted by Dan Culverwell and Luke Singh. They treated us to an entertaining romp through the County Universe like this:

• Bradford (H): Hostages to fortune were all the rage at half time, with Waggie prophesying a 3-0 win and UT3 singing about being top of the league. Understandable perhaps, after the best half of football County have played for months, the only worry being the lack of a second goal. The second half changed all that, did we drop off or were Bradford just so much better? A pattern seems to be emerging, whether it’s due to a lack of concentration, poor game management or a shorter than usual pre-season. Dave Challinor seemed to be digging out one of two players in particular for the first Bradford goal, although opinion is divided over whether the guilty party was Owen Moxon or Ethan Pye.
• Context: Seven points from twelve isn’t a bad start, beat Burton and things will look a lot better.
• Recruitment: With Lewis Bate out until the new year, “meniscus” rapidly becoming a dirty word at County, do we need a replacement in the Croasdale mould to provide a bit of steely security in the centre?
• Ibby Touray: Sections of the crowd were booing him, part of a championship-winning team in his time here, on Tuesday. We need to better than that. Sarce got a returning hero’s welcome despite scoring the winner, I don’t see why Ibby couldn’t be afforded the same respect.
• Super Thursday: With goalkeeper kits going on sale, the signing of Brad Hills and the granting of planning permission for the stadium expansion, the 14^th of August 2025 was quite a day. The kit launch was a bit of a damp squib after all the hype on the club’s socials, most of the adult sizes sold out within an hour of going on sale. The biggest excitement of the day was the signing of Hills, over a million notes and a five-year contract for a lad who looks to be a cast-iron prospect. The planning permission is a big thing, obviously, but won’t have the same instant impact as a twenty-one-year-old, 6’-2” tall Adonis of a central defender built like a Victorian outhouse.
• Random Shit Of The Week: This week’s challenge was to name an all-time Stockport County five-a-side team. It produced some fascinating suggestions from the panel and others on the socials.

Watch the whole thing here:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/vRmCaSJTZOs?feature=oembed

As mentioned on the pod, last Thursday was quite a day, so here’s the lovely Kirsty MacColl to sing about it and other “Titanic Days”:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/BZE4iDgSE7w?feature=oembed

Thursday, 21^st August 2025.

Accrington Stanley have announced that Paddy Madden, who was at Edgeley Park on Tuesday night, has signed for them on a season-long loan from Chesterfield. He suffered a few injuries last season so I hope he can get some game time at the Crown Ground.

The news that Sebastian Stockbridge is our referee tomorrow hasn’t exactly been greeted with universal enthusiasm. Loves a yellow card (an average of five per game this season) and a penalty (three in the last five games). A card-happy official is just what we need at the moment, I don’t jolly-well think.

The highlights, that’ll be just the first half then, of Tuesday’s defeat are up for anyone who feels they need their mood bringing down a bit:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/zsSe2KflNSg?feature=oembed

Again in response to Sarce scoring the winner on Tuesday, today’s tune is Dr. Feelgood with “Don’t You Just Know It”:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/yhVcGrF9GaU?feature=oembed

Friday 22^nd August 2025.

The Random Shit Of The Week challenge on Wednesday’s pod was to build a County Allstars 5-a-side team. After literally minutes of thought, here’s my attempt:

Regular readers will know not to expect in-depth football analysis from me but I have my reasons for my choices:

Goalkeeper: Alan Ogley was one of my earliest County heroes. His saves against Clyde Best and Trevor Brooking when we beat West Ham in 1972 show he had the right qualities to make saves at the feet of quality strikers.

Defender: Mike Flynn showed time and time again that he would run through walls for the team.

Left midfield: Jack Diamond is the most exciting player we’ve had at EP for a good many years.

Right midfield: Matty Warburton brought County fans to their feet when he ran at the opposition and he scored plenty of vital goals.

Striker: Alun Armstrong had the flair, the skill and the floppy hair that marked him out as the archetypal goal-scoring forward.

Here’s a team for tomorrow. DC was critical of a couple of players after Tuesday’s defeat but he has limited choices in midfield at the moment, so I don’t think this will be a million miles away:

Burton being the centre of the British brewing industry, today’s tune is the Macc Lads with “Barrel’s Round.” Warning: Contains an awful lot of swearing…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/XWftBo42YYw?feature=oembed

See you all at Edgeley Park!

Animo et fide.