Saturday, 27^th December 2025.

TSBW’s review of the Lincoln game was with us first thing this morning. The four wise men were Jimmy Harmer, Steve Bardsley, Nick Reid and Dan Culverwell. Here’s a summary of what they thought about it:

• Home is where the problem is: It’s now nine weeks since we won at EP and we lie nineteenth in the home form table. Our away form is incredible by comparison and it’s the only thing keeping us in the playoff places.
• Ch-ch-changes: DC brought Dodgson, Olowu and Lowe in at the expense Fevrier, Mothersille and Bailey. The idea seemed to be that Wootton would be the spearhead with Diamond and Lowe playing a dual 10s. This doesn’t seem to be the ideal spot for Nathan Lowe; having done well to get him in on loan, we don’t seem to be getting anything like the best out of him.
• Midfield maestros: This was the first outing for Norwood and Osborn together in midfield. They spent a lot of defending, perhaps because they were playing deeper than DC wanted.
• Injuries: It looks like Onyango and Olowu have suffered hamstring injuries and may be out for some weeks.
• Lincoln’s goal: I assumed Hinchliffe must have been deceived by a deflection, but the general consensus seems to be that he just failed to save the shot.
• Intensity: Or lack thereof. This season, we were apparently planning to aim for a high intensity game with plenty of crosses into the box for Wootton and Lowe. For whatever reason, lack of ability or injury, it’s just not happened. In this match, we didn’t manage a single shot on target until the fiftieth minute.
• He’s a keeper: With Addai looking increasingly disaffected and Hinchliffe approaching the end of his career, there’s a growing feeling that we need a new No.1. Lincoln’s Wickens did well yesterday, saved a free kick and a penalty from Norwood and generally looked imposing and organised. Quite why he would want to come to us when he may well get promoted with Lincoln is beyond me, though.
• Our goal: The keeper did well to parry the initial penalty, but Fevrier was quick to force the ball home. We looked the more likely to score again for ten minutes or so but the storm blew itself out in the end.
• Late subs: Mothersille, Edun and Hunt came on in the seventy-eighth minute to replace Lowe, Dodgson and Olowu. There’s a suggestion that Mothersille was booed on, which must have boosted his confidence no end. He obviously needs to improve to justify his transfer fee, but a reception like that isn’t going to help. I thought he did better in his few minutes, and there are signs that he’s gradually finding his feet. He has the pace we lack elsewhere in the team, if he can provide accuracy as well, we could be on to a winner.
• Their winner: I couldn’t see why the penalty was awarded but it sounds like Hunt was judged to have tripped a Lincoln player. It was a real kick in the teeth, I would have been happy with a draw, but Lincoln were the better team overall and football wasn’t invented to make me happy.
• Recruitment: The transfer window opens on Thursday, who should we sign? We ned some pace up front, we perhaps need a ‘keeper, the wingback situation needs addressing and with Olowu and Onyango seemingly out for some weeks, we’re going to be short of options at the back. None of these things are going to be easy to fix mid-season and we’ll need to move people on to make room in the squad. Loans won’t be easy either, we’re already up to the hilt with them.

Plenty of food for thought, I’d give it a watch if I were you:

Here’s the league table, goodness knows how we’re still sixth, it must speak volumes about the inconsistency of the league as a whole:

The erratic shape of our line on PPG Prophet’s graph tells its own story, you can easily point to the away games (we’re up at the top of the away form table) and the home games (we’re nineteenth in the home form table).

Today’s tune feels appropriate after another home defeat; Pilgrims’ Way’s version of “Rout Of The Blues”:

Sunday, 28^th December 2025.

It was our traditional family outing to the pantomime at the Plaza today. With the addition of our latest great-grandchild, the beautiful Matilda, we were seventeen in number this time. Oh yes we were. Edgeley Park aside, the Plaza is the absolute jewel of Stockport; those who restored it and who volunteer to run it deserve massive credit.

Picking a team for tomorrow is even more difficult than usual because of the reported injuries to Joe Olowu and Tyler Onyango. Here’s my stab at it, without any great confidence in its accuracy; we may see Owen Dodgson and/or Che Gardner on the left, for instance.

A reliable source tells me of an event organised by County yesterday where they invited players released from other local academies.  Four scratch squads, each in a different County kit, played matches against each other. My spy tells me there was some impressive talent on display, and plenty of scouts taking notes. An excellent idea, it seems to me.

Today’s tune, on a theme of redemption, is “Demons” by Imagine Dragons:

Monday, 29^th December 2025.

Matchday, County v Doncaster Rovers, League 1.

I took a flask of Bovril to the match tonight; they ran out of hot water on the concourse on Boxing Day, Janice tells me there were signs being held up saying “No hot drinks.” Makes a change from “Ollie Norwood, can I have your shirt?” I suppose, although that was probably Lewis Fiorini rather than a member of the catering staff.

With the transfer window opening on Thursday, thoughts are turning to potential targets and who might be leaving. Before Christmas, rumours were rife that we might sign Louie Barry, but now the general consensus seems to be that it won’t be happening because he’s injured. Obviously it would be embarrassing to introduce a marquee signing wearing a surgical boot, but depending on the type of injury and the prognosis, does it definitely mean he’s not coming? I’m not totally convinced that we should be signing him, by the way, especially in view of his injury record, but it’s not up to me.

The big surprise tonight, and a pleasant one for once, was the inclusion of Joe Olowu in the starting lineup. He limped off in the defeat by Lincoln and it was said he had a hamstring injury. I’d picked Jack Hunt instead and Nathan Lowe instead of Jayden Fevrier, so it was a 9/11 for me. On the subject of Lowe, it sounds like he’s got a bad injury and, according to Sam Byrne, he may have played his last for us. There was a change among the coaching staff as well; Dave Challinor was under the weather so he sat in the stand, with Andy Mangan, while Clint Hill worked the dugout.

Tonight’s game was designated the club’s Remembrance Game, a chance to remember and pay tribute to those of the County family we have lost over the last 12 months. It was brilliantly done, Club president Steve Bellis started the ball rolling by explaining what was going to happen and continued with a poem he’d written to mark the occasion. The use of the scoreboard to show photos of those who’ve passed away and the advertising boards to show the names was a masterpiece of organisation. The club really do this sort of thing very well indeed.

Steve’s Poem of Remembrance is reproduced here with his permission:

“We gather here tonight full of optimism for next Year,

But in our hearts we remember all those who won’t be here,

We think of all our family and friends who have sadly passed away,

We think of how special it would be if they were here today,

So we will celebrate their lives before tonight’s game starts,

Knowing that while they can’t be here they are always in our hearts.”

A bucket collection was made for Mentell, the UK charity that provides groups for males aged 18+ to talk in a safe and confidential space, free from advice and judgement. Meetings take place at Edgeley Park every Monday from 7 – 9 PM, details are available at https://www.mentell.org.uk/ or new attendees can register on the spot.

At this point, some football broke out. County had the better of the early exchanges, Jack Diamond and Malik Mothersille driving into the Rovers’ defence but their weak shots were meat and drink to the opposition ‘keeper. Doncaster belied their lowly status by working and spurning a couple of opportunities and went one better by scoring in the 25^th minute. A long diagonal ball to our left was our undoing again, teams have definitely sussed that we have a weakness to those and they all try to exploit it. Some in the Bergara Stand reckoned the scorer was offside but the highlights suggest that Joe Olowu was playing him on. Fortunately, just three minutes later, a defender pulled Kyle Wootton over in the area and the referee pointed to the spot. Ollie Norwood has a superb record from the spot but I was still nervous until he fired the ball past the flailing custodian. There was a bit more to-and-fro before half time but it came to nothing.

During the half time break, Steve Bellis introduced Dave Thompson to the crowd. As many County fans will be aware, Dave’s son George took his own life at the age of eighteen in October 2021. Having felt unable to wait to see a counsellor, Dave came across Mentell and has since become both a powerful advocate and a tireless fundraiser for the charity. His son’s flag appears at most away games, most notably at Notts County on the night we sealed the League 2 championship.

After a frustrating start to his county career, Malik Mothersille is beginning to show glimpses of his talent and the superb cross he put in early in the second half was a good example. Kyle Wootton couldn’t quite head it home but it was mighty close. Jayden Fevrier was doing well on the other flank and County went ahead on the hour from one of his crosses. Diamond had a good shot parried but Wootton managed to turn the ball home from a tight angle. The ball hitting the woodwork of Ben Hincliffe’s net and bouncing out on 68 minutes was a reminder that a one goal lead was unlikely to be enough, and Doncaster drew level from a corner six minutes later. It was County’s turn again in the 84^th minute when Ethan Pye produced a fabulous cross for Wootton to head home our third of the night and the fiftieth of his Hatters career. The points were only finally secured deep into injury time when Odin Bailey, who had replaced the ever-improving Mothersille earlier, fired in a shot that was going wide until it was deflected into the net by a Rovers player.  

It was a terrific game for any neutrals watching but nerve racking for those with a vested interest.

Today’s tune, in keeping with the theme of remembrance, is “Fallen Brothers” by The Urban Voodoo Machine:

Tuesday, 30^th December 2025.

It’s been tough going recently, but it was said often enough that it would be damage limitation in December and we needed to hang on in there. Here we are, at the end of December and, somehow, we’re fourth in the league.  We need to kick on now, improve our home form a bit and mount a proper challenge.

We continue our sawtooth progress up PPG Prophet’s graph:

The rather giddy final TSBW main pod of 2025 came live from The County Arms and featured Russ Johnson, Andy Reding, Ian Hiles and Dave Whitehead in front of a tiny invited audience (Hello Matt and Ellis!). The discussion went like this:

• Doncaster (H):
  • Defending: An iffyness has crept in, mainly down the left, even when we have our best centre backs in place. Perhaps the lack of a settled back five has been a factor. All players need to realise that defending begins at the front, one way in which malik Mothersille could improve is by chasing back after losing the ball.
  • That save: Ben Hinchliffe kept us in it at 2-2 with a save worth a goal.
  • The penalty: A typical Ollie Norwood pen, two ‘keepers couldn’t have stopped it.
  • Malik Mothersille: Those who demand instant payback from an expensive young player may not see it but he’s improving, this is generally agreed to be his best game for us by far. His shooting remains poor but he’s not alone, Jack Diamond gets into good positions but all too often shoots straight at the ‘keeper.
• The Seven Year Plan: What happens if we don’t get to the Championship as planned? Would Mark Stott walk away or invest even bigger to get us up?
• Transfer Window: It opens this week, what’s likely to happen?
  • Outgoings: Corey Addai, Owen Moxon and Lewis Fiorini (although he’s injured) would benefit from loans elsewhere. Derby are rumoured to be interested in Jack Diamond. Nathan Lowe is reported to be injured and heading back to Stoke.
  • Incomings: We could do with a pacy forward and a goalie capable of rivalling Ben Hinchliffe for the starting XI. A box-to-box midfielder who can break the lines would be welcome too. Whoever comes in needs to be both robust and ready to add something straight away, we have enough works in progress already.
• Kyle Wootton: He’s fundamental to our style of play, his work rate is phenomenal, he spends most of the game in a headlock but still manages to score more goals than anyone else. There are still, staggeringly, County fans who don’t rate him.
• Ranking managers: DC has now risen to third in the list of County managers with the most wins. Jim Gannon is top of the list, is it time he gained some recognition, e.g. having a stand named after him or a statue? Unlikely under the current regime, perhaps.

• Andy Mangan: He was sat in the stand with Dave Challinor on Boxing Day. Is he coming back or did he just fancy watching a game?
• Highlights of 2025, as voted by members of the TSBW team:
  • County highlight: Palace (A).
  • County lowlight: Plymouth (A).
  • Pod highlight: Andy discovering meat raffles.
  • Best podcast moment: Winning the Northwest Football Award.
  • Best live event: Sarce, with Tony Dinning coming a close second.
• Get In The Rezzers 2025:
  • VAR.
  • The linesman at the playoff semi at Orient.
  • Changing kick-off times.
  • The Vitality dachshund.

There was loads more too, watch it all here:

New year is a time for reflection so today’s tune is “Looking Back” by Dr. Feelgood:

Wednesday, 31^st December 2025.

You know what I’m like by now, my football knowledge extends to being fairly sure what the score was at the end of the game, but I said this to the other members of The Scarf Bergara Wore on Saturday; Lincoln were just better than us. Stevenage, Cardiff and Lincoln have built teams to win this division now, they haven’t recruited promising youngsters who might come good and make them a profit; that’s how Peterborough operate, and look where they are. We should either recruit for promotion or recruit to be sustainable, I don’t think you can have it both ways without a massive stroke of luck in every transfer window. The window that opens tomorrow will show us which way Mark Stott wants us to go.

Anyhoo, here’s my suggested team for tomorrow. Same same as yesterday, there seems little point in changing it.

This is a good illustration of our away form; if we could improve results at EP we’d be in with a chance of the automatics.

We could all do with a bit of luck in the new year, which I’m using as an excuse to make one of my favourite Oysterband songs today’s tune. This is “Be My Luck”:

Thursday, 1^st January 2026.

Matchday, Northampton v County, League 1.

The first Fingerpost Flyer of 2026 saw a reasonable turnout of County fans of all ages, although a couple had to withdraw through illness. We were away at ten o’clock, picked up a couple of passengers on Mercian Way, called at Norton Canes Services en route and arrived at the ground just after one. Having been up since two this morning trying to coax a fireworks-terrified dog out for a walk, I dozed most of the journey away. The hot news on arriving at the ground was County’s team coach had broken down en route which meant the players and staff had to be ferried to the ground in a fleet of taxis.

Good to see Andy and Tracey Wagstaffe as we waited for the gates to open, Janice and I miss seeing them and their daughter Gemma since we moved down from UT5 to LT4.

DC’s team lineup smacked of a desire to spread minutes around the squad while having back-up on the bench in case of need. I was miles out with my prediction, just 7/11:

When the game got underway it was fairly obvious how Northampton were going to play; they would press us remorselessly when we had the ball and hoof it forward when they had it to their tall and powerful centre forward, Tom Eaves. It took a combination of our two best players on the day, Brad Hills and Ben Hinchliffe, to keep him out on a number of occasions. At one point County’s ‘keeper was reduced to haring out of his area and heading the ball to me in the stand to nullify the danger. I haven’t anything else to offer about the first half because it just carried on in the same vein, the home team looking marginally more likely to score than us.

Andy Plantes, a County exile who I see a lot on Twitter, introduced himself at half time. We were both so swathed in coats and hoods against the bitter weather that it could have been two other blokes entirely talking to each other, so he did well to work out it was me.

It was as plain as a pikestaff that action was required if we were to get anything out of the game and it was a relief to see a number of players warming up at the break. Once the fourth official had finished waving the board about like a windmill, we had four changes: Olowu, O`Keeffe, Dodgson and Moxon had the rest of the afternoon off in favour of Hunt, Fevrier, Osborn and Mothersille. We looked a good bit livelier with the reinforcements in play, Mothersille in particular doing good work down the left, and it was shot from our 11 that came closest to winning the game for us, the home keeper did well to tip it over the bar. Town still had chances though, and we were indebted to the GOAT on a couple of occasions when it looked like we might get no points at all.

We did the return journey non-stop, arriving back at the Fingerpost at 7:30. Watching Liverpool v Leeds on Sky didn’t do much to lift the mood, there were no goals in that either.

In an attempt to cheer everybody up, here’s a jolly little number from Half Man Half Biscuit – “I’m Getting Buried In The Morning”:

Friday 2^nd January 2026.

Thanks to the other teams around us also having bad days, we remain in fourth place:

Our result on Sunday will make the difference between a good Christmas and a poor one and determine the direction of travel of our line on the graph.

Jimmy Harmer and Dan Culverwell made TSBW’s match review pod a two hander this morning. It was a disappointing performance by County and no punches were pulled:

• The team:
  • Goal: Ben Hinchliffe.
  • Centre halves: Ethan Pye, Brad hills, Joe Olowu.
  • Wingbacks: Owen Dodgson, Corey O’Keeffe.
  • Midfield: Owen Moxon, Ollie Norwood, Jack Diamond, Odin Bailey.
  • Centre forward: Kyle Wootton.
• Squad rotation or shop window?: Obviously not the strongest starting eleven but maybe it was thought good enough with a strong bench for use if need be. Certainly a chance for some of the lesser lights to make a claim for a starting berth or to attract suitors with the transfer window opening.
•  Low intensity: We were pressed rather than pressing and with the home team bypassing our midfield, the centre backs were under pressure from the off, Ethan Pye in particular being hamstrung by an early and unjustified yellow card. Brad Hills was our best outfield player and did his best to marshal those in front of him.
• So lonely: With Nathan Lowe having suffered an injury and possibly never to play for us again, the need for a pacy striker to work off Kyle Wootton grows ever more urgent.
• Half time changes: Four changes at once must surely be unprecedented, and a sign of Dave Challinor’s frustration with the first forty-five minutes. Is that the last we’ll see of some of the loanees?
• A bit better: We looked more dangerous in the second half without actually scoring. Tayo Edun linked up nicely with Malik Mothersille, the latter is improving game on game in my opinion.

This is just a precis, watch the whole thing for much more insight:

In TSBW’s Match preview Pod for Reading (A), Steve Bardsley talked to Ben Thomas of The Tilehurst End Podcast.

• Pod history: The Tilehurst End Podcast was early on the scene, starting in 2013. Ben is a joint host with Ross Webber, who lives in the USA.
• Club ownership: With disastrous former owner Dai Yongge finally selling up in May, the club is now owned by Rob Couhig, formerly owner of Wycombe, and Todd Trosclair of New Orleans. Although some of their attempts to woo the fans back with fireworks and Louisiana Nights might appear misguided, they are at least providing some much-needed stability after the Yongge years.
• Manager: Leam Richardson, formerly of Accrington, Wigan and Rotherham is the current bloke in charge. He oversaw a large influx of playing talent in the close season.
• Playing style: They’ve been accused of being “stilted” by opposition fans but it’s brought them three wins and a draw from the last four games. Their 4-2-3-1 formation limits the scope midfielders like Savage and Wing need to express themselves.
• Players to watch:
  • Joel Pereira: Ex-United goalkeeper with a long list of loans under his belt before settling at Reading.
  • Lewis Wing: Captain and central midfielder. Has a goal in him.
  • Paudie O’Connor: Ex-Leeds and Lincoln defender.
• Common players: Ollie Norwood and Adam LeFondre have played for both clubs.
• Predictions for Sunday: Ben hopes for a 1-1 draw but fears a County win.

That’s all here and more beside:

By the time the Christmas period is over, County fans will have a few miles under their belts, so today’s tune is a live version of “The Road” by The Levellers:

See you all at Reading on Sunday!

Animo et fide.