Saturday, 14^th March 2026.

Matchday: Lincoln City v County, League 1.

The media obsession with Wrexham knows no bounds; this is from Sky last night:

Fortunately, they had Colchester United v Crawley Town on as well, so I was able to ignore the Wrexham hoop-la for one night at least.

I decided, right from the beginning, that I wouldn’t be travelling to Lincoln because it was too for me to walk to the ground from the coach park. By the time Lincoln’s Disability Liaison Officer got in touch to say that coaches carrying supporters with accessibility needs could park closer, it was too late to change my plans. Still, it was on Sky so there was no escape and at least I had a sofa to watch behind.

DC’s team matched my guess apart from Joe Olowu and Ben Osborn starting and Tayo Edun and Jack Diamond occupying the bench.

We’ll get more informed commentary on the 3-1 defeat from TSBW’s Match Review team on Monday but these are my thoughts in the meantime:

• We’re obviously committed to playing out from the back but it’s so ponderous that opposing teams have time to organise and leave us passing the ball from side to side. On the few occasions when we moved the ball around quickly we looked a real threat.
• Lincoln’s success this season has been based on letting the opposition have the ball and waiting for an opportunity to strike, which is exactly how things panned out today.
• I’ve seen complaints that we’re dull to watch; I don’t care about that providing we’re winning. At the moment we’re neither exciting nor winning and the team seems way less than the sum of its parts.
• Some fans are calling for Dave Challinor to be replaced, as far as I’m concerned that would be madness. We’re in a sticky patch at the moment but we’re in a Wembley final and we’ve every chance of making the playoffs.

Today’s results see us drop out of the playoffs on goal difference. A win on Tuesday is looking quite important now, both for our league position and the atmosphere around the fanbase.

PPG Prophet’s graph tells its own story.

Today’s tune is for anyone needing cheering up or even some talking therapy after the loss, “Goodbye Sam, Hello Samaritans” by Half Man, Half Biscuit:

Sunday, 15^th March 2026.

Matchday: County Ladies v Warrington Town Women, Cheshire FA Women’s Challenge Cup semi-final.

It was free entry to the game today at Stockport Sports Village, a nice touch from the club for Mothers’ Day. Here’s how the team for the tie against their opponents from the North West Regional Football League D1 South looked:

The team included six changes from the midweek game at Cheadle Town; in came Beth Harvey, Gemma Lancaster, Nat Watson, Maria Figueiredo, Shaunna Jein and Olivia Thompson, replacing Freya Heap, Em Lysons, Kenedy Owen, Jess Battle, Ellie Fletcher and Abbie Podmore.

County started on the front foot, forcing a number of corners, and Maria Figueiredo had the ball in the net from a Nat Watson rebound after twenty-four minutes only to be ruled offside. Ten minutes later Watson came close again only to hit the post. The woodwork rescued Warrington again shortly afterwards when Figueiredo hit the bar. Remarkably, after all those near misses, the score remained 0-0 at half time.

The game continued in the same vein after the break, plenty of corners and close shaves but no actual breakthrough. Steve O’Hara made his move on the hour with a double substitution, Abbie Podmore and captain Kenedy Owen replacing Nat Watson and Olivia Thompson. County went ahead almost straight away when a cross by Liv Wilson went straight into the net. The second goal was only seconds away, this time an Em Bradshaw cross was headed home by Abbie Podmore, who’d only been on the pitch for five minutes. A penalty by Em Bradshaw then made it three and, incredibly, it was four goals in five minutes when Maria Figueiredo headed in from a Livvi Turkington corner. The scoring continued at an amazing rate, the fifth coming from Liv Wilson and Shaunna Jein netting the sixth with a one-on-one in short order. The nine-minute wait for the seventh goal scored by Abbie Podmore must have seemed like an eternity but it was backed up within a minute by Maz Figueiredo for the eighth. Warrington got themselves on the scoresheet through Kitty Callaghan a minute later, shortly before Figueiredo completed the scoring and her hat trick to make it 9-1 on eighty-seven minutes.

Abbie Podmore, who made a massive difference to the game when she was introduced after an hour, was named Player of the Match.

Thanks to Andrew Machin of @machinsports for the use of his photograph.

The result means that County Ladies are through to their fourth consecutive final in a competition they’ve won on seven previous occasions.

Today’s tune is NINE below Zero with a live version of Leon Rene’s “Rockin’ Robin”:

Monday, 16^th March 2026.

My breakfast listening, as usual on a Monday, was TSBW’s Match Reaction Pod. My guiding lights this week were Jimmy Harmer, Steve Bardsley, Dave Whitehouse and Dan Culverwell. Here’s what they thought:

• Formation:
  • Corey Addai
  • Pye, Hills, Olowu
  • Osborn, Bailey, Norwood, Dacres-Cogley
  • Stokes
  • Sidibeh, Wootton.
• Time for a change?: Perhaps it’s time we gave three at the back a rest and tried a four, which would give us extra legs in midfield.
• First half: Lincoln’s first goal was just a mess from our point of view. Once again, we failed to create much in the way of threat, Lincoln were content to let us have the ball, play it from side to side and pass it backwards once we saw the whites of their eyes. When Josh Stokes first joined us, he seemed to have the ability to connect the midfield to the strikers but we’ve not seen that recently. The stats tell the story; we had 75% possession, made 300 passes and had 0, that is zero, shots on target.
• Second half: No substitutions to start with but the one DC did make close to the hour, Jack Diamond on for Joe Olowu, bore fruit when Diamond scored with a powerful header. Having got level, we had a period of dominance and might have gone ahead, Diamond and Ben Osborn coming close to scoring. Lincoln’s second was a sucker punch but should perhaps have been nipped in the bud well before a deflection from Ethan Pye wrongfooted Corey Addai. The third came deep into time added when we were searching for an equaliser and was an object lesson in not allowing the ball to bounce in similar circumstances. It was a surprise to see Lewis Fiorini get minutes ahead of Lewis Bate but his lack of serious impact was less so.
• What’s gone wrong?:
  • We’re lacking a terrier in midfield; Callum Camps has been a big miss and perhaps someone like Doncaster’s Owen Bailey would give us more teeth where we need them.
  • Do we lack leadership at the back? Great though Pye and Hills are, they’re still relatively inexperienced and we’ve never looked really secure in defence since Callum Connolly got injured. The mysterious Arttu Hoskonen might be the answer if he eventually proves to be anything but a figment of the club’s imagination.
• Northampton (H): We need a win on Tuesday. They will almost certainly prove to be awkward opponents but surely we can do a job on a team circling the drain if we employ the intensity that used to be our identity.

Another cathartic episode is here if you need it:

I’m assuming DC will stick with the same team tomorrow:

Academy player Richard Ilara is getting rave reviews. He came to County having been released by Manchester City and despite being only sixteen, he’s been putting in outstanding work with the U21s recently. Stories like his and Che Gardner show just how valuable our academy has become in just a few years. Apart from the fantastic facilities and the proven path to the first team, geography is on our side here; players released by our neighbours have got an obvious club to look at when trying to find a fresh start.

The appointment of Scott Oldham to referee tomorrow night’s match has received a mixed reception; on the plus side, he managed to get the Vertu Trophy tie against Wigan to a finish despite the horrendous conditions but some just don’t rate his ability.

Today’s tune is a cri de coeur from Dr. Feelgood about the source of our next win; “Where Is The Next One?”:

Tuesday, 17^th March 2026.

Matchday: County v Northampton, League 1.

The Hatters to Hatters walkers set off this morning. Katie Myott, Jamie Reding, Joel Torkington, Mark Woolley, backed by Hannah Downey in the support car, plan to cover the 145 miles from Edgeley Park to Kenilworth Road in time for kick-off on Saturday. All money raised is going to Stockport County Community Trust, Parkinson’s UK and Wellspring Stockport. The QR code will take you to their Just Giving page.

We were in the ground early tonight as usual, eager to see what the promised catch nets for stray footballs looked like. There was no sign of them, surprise surprise, and as the usual barrage commenced we retreated up to the top of LT4.

The team looked decent, only two changes from Saturday with Jack Diamond and Tanto Olaofe starting in place of Joeseph Olowu and Adama Sidibeh. I’d gone for an unchanged side, so it was a 9/11 for me on FanHub.

We were ahead in the first minute, a shot from Josh Stokes being deflected past the ‘keeper by Kyle Wootton. Northampton got their equaliser on a quick break just before half time, exploiting some gaping holes in our defence and a fortunate bounce. County’s winner came just before the hour from a precision Josh Stokes cross straight on to Kyle Wootton’s head. We could have extended our lead a few times, Tanto Olaofe had a good one-on-one chance and Kyle Wootton hit the woodwork twice. I thought it was an improved performance over those we’ve seen recently; not promotion form perhaps, but much more energy and intensity than we’ve become used to. Tanto looked more like his old self, Ben Osborn created most of attacks down the left and would have been my man of the match, which is not to disparage Odin Bailey who got the sponsors’ nod for the award.

I was surprised to find us back to fifth place, assisted by Lincoln, who got an equaliser deep into time added against Huddersfield.

Our line on PPG prophet’s graph has bounced off the bottom of the playoffs as well:

Today’s tune is a plea from, of all people, the Melbourne Ska Orchestra, to give four at the back a try: “Get Smart”:

Wednesday, 18^th March 2026.

Matchday: Huddersfield Town v County Ladies, FAWNL Division 1 North.

Here’s the ladies’ team for tonight’s game at the Stafflex Arena. Steve O’Hara made five changes from Sunday, in came Freya Heap, Kenedy Owen, Levi Rathburn, Jess Battle and Ellie Fletcher to replace Beth Harvey, Nat Watson, Maria Figueiredo, Shaunna Jein and Olivia Thompson.

• First half:
  • 4’: Em Bradshaw chased a through ball that just went out before she could reach it.
  • 8’: Bradshaw again, with an effort that went just wide.
  • 16’: A long shot from the hosts went just wide.
  • 20’: A break from Town’s Tamira Livingston needed Liv Wilson to concede a free kick to stop it.
  • 23’: Huddersfield’s Laura Elford scored the opener, 1-0.
  • 27’: Freya Heap saved well to stop Elford getting a second goal.
  • 32’: Fran Davies had to be rapid to stop another break by the home team.
  • 37’: A superb double save from Heap again to foil Elford.
  • 46’: Huddersfield scored their second with a Louise Biggins penalty.
• Second half:
  • The second forty-five began with County 2-0 down.
  • 49’: Both sides playing with energy and enthusiasm, Em Bradshaw was foiled by the Town ‘keeper in a one-on-one.
  • 59’: Double subs for County: Maria Figueiredo and Emma Lysons on for Jess Battle and Liv Turkington.
  • 61’: Town’s Rhema Lord-Mears hit the bar with a free kick.
  • 75’: Sub for the hosts, Fliss Jones on for Laura Elford.
  • 79’: A third substitution, Emma Hodge replacing Levi Rathburn. Huddersfield also make a change, Kate Mullin for Rhema Lord-Mears.
  • 83’: Gemma Lancaster couldn’t quite get her head on a Kenedy Owen free kick.
  • 88’: A third sub for Town, Jess Lightfoot replacing Hannah Burgess.
• Full time: Despite County pressing hard to get back into the game, it ends in a 2-0 victory for the Terriers.

Here’s how the league table stood after the game:

We had a Supporters’ Co-op board meeting over Zoom tonight, discussing the following topics among others:

• The discount on travel to away games with Edgeley Con Club Coaches.
• The issues around Wembley tickets, with a view to submitting a list to the club.
• Submission of an article for Des Hinks’ “El Hattico” fanzine for the Vertu Trophy final.
• Maximising the interest we earn from the Guardian Account.
• Ticket pricing for next season.
• Ticketing arrangements for Bolton (A).
• The non-appearance of the promised catch nets to protect the fans during the warm-up.
• We decided that the Co-op should donate £100 to the Hatters to Hatters charity walk.

Once the minutes have been agreed, they will be posted on the Co-op’s website:

https://www.countysupporterscoop.co.uk/about-us/minutes-and-agendas

TSBW’s main show tonight featured Russ Johnson, Andy Reding and fan guest Dave Marchbank, Chair of the Supporters’ Co-op. the discussion went like this:

• Northampton (H):
  • A win’s a win but against poor opposition we should have made it more convincing considering the talent we have at our disposal.
  • A lack of energy on the pitch soon transmits itself to the fans.
  • Our failure to take the chances we create is the biggest problem.
  • Performances all over the pitch are falling short; Jack Diamond can be frustrating and Tanto Olaofe hasn’t quite hit his straps yet, to name but two. Is the system holding players back or is the rotation necessary with such a busy schedule the main factor?
• What would constitute an improvement over last season to keep our impressive run going? Would we need to finish second, which is vanishingly unlikely, or would a playoff final be enough? Andy had Views.
• Wembley attendance: It looks like we’re going to be outnumbered by around three to one, based on Luton selling 25,000 so far. At least our end will be full of Blue and White Army regulars rather than day-trippers, so perhaps we can win on volume if not on numbers.
• Dave Marchbank gave an update on the Supporters’ Co-op:
  • New website: The site is drawing the fans in and the constant flow of new articles is keeping it fresh. https://www.countysupporterscoop.co.uk/
  • The miniature Danny Bergara statues, while not cheap, are beautifully made and what finer adornment could there be for a County fan’s mantlepiece?
  • Coach discount: There are a few seats left for Wembley with Edgeley Con Club Coaches and represent excellent value with the members’ discount.
  • Loyalty Scheme: The board have discussed the subject with the club, who were originally planning to cap the scheme at the end of the season. They have been presented with a list of what other League 1 clubs do to see of there is a happy medium to be adopted that will reward loyalty without shutting out new blood.
  • Green Lane Project: The Co-op were invited to a meeting at which the club explained the plans for housing in Cheadle Hulme and there is an article on the website explaining the scheme:  https://www.countysupporterscoop.co.uk/planning-application-for-grove-lane/
• Hatters To Hatters: The intrepid charity walkers are well on their way to Luton now and we were treated to an update by a clearly knackered Jamie Reding. If you can spare a few quid to reward their fantastic efforts, their Just Giving page is here: https://www.justgiving.com/team/hatters2hatterscharitywalk?utm_medium=TE&utm_source=CL
• Random Shit Of The Week: I contributed this one and it seemed to go well. Andy presented Russ and Dave with the names of celebrities and they had to guess which teams they supported. The more obscure the celebrity, the more points the correct answer was worth.

My precis hasn’t covered the half of it, watch here for the full nine yards:

Today’s tune, apropos of nothing, is a warning of the perils lying in wait for a matelot on shore leave. Lovely bit of melodeon on this, by the way: This is “Barrack Street” by Nick Jones:

Thursday, 19^th March 2026.

County’s home game against Port Vale has now been rescheduled for Tuesday, 28^th April. Mansfield (H) is still outstanding but might well be the Tuesday before as we’re running out of available Tuesdays.

A limited edition of fifteen 33cm bronze replicas of the Danny Bergara statue are being made available by sculptor Hannah Stewart. The individually made-to-order statues will coat £1,600 each. From every sale, £200 will be donated to the Stockport County Supporters Cooperative. Details can be found on the Co-op’s website:

https://www.countysupporterscoop.co.uk/limited-edition-danny-bergara-bronze-statues

At last, some highlights we can watch with our eyes open!

No Thursday Show from the Geordie Hatter this week, alas, as he’s only just back from visiting young Frankie in that France. He promises faithfully to be back with us next week, though.

Today’s tune is about a different Geordie disporting himself in France; a song by Lindisfarne offshoot Jack The Lad entitled “A Letter From France”:

Friday 20^th March 2026.

County are presenting an evening with past managers on the 1^st of May. There has been some criticism that Jim Gannon won’t be present but I’m hearing rumours that he was invited but preferred not to be involved. A great shame, but perhaps understandable given the way his last term in charge came to an end.

For the Match Preview Show from The Scarf Bergara Wore this week, Steve Bardsley spoke to Kevin Harper of the Luton Supporters’ Trust Podcast. As always, I’d strongly recommend watching the whole show, but these were the main points:

• The season so far: So many parallels with us; they’re inconsistent, subject to defensive frailties and currently wedded to three at the back, even though they don’t really have the personnel for it. The fans sometimes get frustrated with too much passing around at the back. Kevin rates their win at EP as their best away performance this season.
• Expectations:
  • Start of season: Promotion or bust.
  • Now: Anything less than the playoffs would be a failure.
• Manager: Jack Wilshere took over from Matt Bloomfield just before they played us earlier this season. He’s recently decided on his best XI and is sticking with three at the back.
• Players to watch:
  • Kasey Palmer: Midfielder who joined from Hull in January. Plays behind the central striker and has scored in each of their last three games.
  • Emilio Lawrence: Young winger on loan from Manchester City.
• Weaknesses: Their defenders can struggle with Wilshere’s preferred three at the back and teams can get at them down the flanks.
• Prediction: Kevin is expecting a 2-1 win for Luton.

Watch here for plenty more insights:

A smashing bit of content from the club here; a day in the life of club tog, Mike Petch:

I’ve had the usual stab at a team for tomorrow; no great surprises, I’m going for an unchanged side from Tuesday’s win:

Janice and I are off to see Holly Clarke at Bury tonight, so today’s tune is one of hers, “The Spectral Stag”:

See you all at Luton!

Animo et fide.