This blog post and photos was written and the photos provided by Paul Kelly - a County Fan based in the Midlands during the 90s:
Although originally from Bridge Hall by 1993 I was living near Coventry and with no streaming option back then the only way to keep in touch with the goings on at County was to travel to as many games as possible (buy a programme) and get on the mailing list for the Express, MEN’s Pink and Dave Espley’s ‘The Tea Party’ fanzine.
Driving to Stockport was proving lonely and expensive so in early ‘94 I wrote a letter to the Club calling out for any other fans based in the Midlands to get in touch, and this was published in the next Home programme (Fulham). I also sent something similar to Dave at TTP. I received a few responses including letters from the late Jim Wilkinson at The Fingerpost Travel Club and Des Hinks Snr who were busy forming a new Hatters Independent Supporters Club.
By early ‘95 the Midland Hatters was up and running. That May I went to The Fingerpost to see Trevor Porteous present Danny Bergara with a Farewell Gift and the Summer of ‘95 proved to be a busy one. I bought a Season Ticket in the newly built Cheadle End (UT4 GG 86) and John Rutter, the Commercial Manager, helped the Midland Hatters sponsor a Matchball for the Walsall game.”
“In July '95 we organised a get together at The Bull’s Head in Meriden and Steve Bellis arranged for Richard Landon to come and join us. He’d just signed from Plymouth but was a local lad. He was very easy to get along with and little did we know what a County legend he would become.
Our end of season do’ was the final Away game at Swindon. Knowing Tom Bennett was out injured we’d invited him along—he ended up playing the full 90 mins but still went out of his way to join us at The Halford Bridge Inn after the game. What a star. We also presented Neil Edwards with our Player of the Season award at The Bull’s Head later that year.
In the Summer of ‘96, I joined the pre-season tour to Portugal through Des Hinks Travel. Only a handful of fans made the journey including Marcus Heap. By the time the players returned home Luis Cavaco was amongst their ranks and they were about to embark on a Season that has gone down in County history as the best ever!!
County have always been known as the Friendly Football Club and, as you can see, with the support they gave us in the Midlands, it was no different back in the 90’s. Up the County!
Although originally from Bridge Hall by 1993 I was living near Coventry and with no streaming option back then the only way to keep in touch with the goings on at County was to travel to as many games as possible (buy a programme) and get on the mailing list for the Express, MEN’s Pink and Dave Espley’s ‘The Tea Party’ fanzine.
Driving to Stockport was proving lonely and expensive so in early ‘94 I wrote a letter to the Club calling out for any other fans based in the Midlands to get in touch, and this was published in the next Home programme (Fulham). I also sent something similar to Dave at TTP. I received a few responses including letters from the late Jim Wilkinson at The Fingerpost Travel Club and Des Hinks Snr who were busy forming a new Hatters Independent Supporters Club.
By early ‘95 the Midland Hatters was up and running. That May I went to The Fingerpost to see Trevor Porteous present Danny Bergara with a Farewell Gift and the Summer of ‘95 proved to be a busy one. I bought a Season Ticket in the newly built Cheadle End (UT4 GG 86) and John Rutter, the Commercial Manager, helped the Midland Hatters sponsor a Matchball for the Walsall game.”
“In July '95 we organised a get together at The Bull’s Head in Meriden and Steve Bellis arranged for Richard Landon to come and join us. He’d just signed from Plymouth but was a local lad. He was very easy to get along with and little did we know what a County legend he would become.
Our end of season do’ was the final Away game at Swindon. Knowing Tom Bennett was out injured we’d invited him along—he ended up playing the full 90 mins but still went out of his way to join us at The Halford Bridge Inn after the game. What a star. We also presented Neil Edwards with our Player of the Season award at The Bull’s Head later that year.
In the Summer of ‘96, I joined the pre-season tour to Portugal through Des Hinks Travel. Only a handful of fans made the journey including Marcus Heap. By the time the players returned home Luis Cavaco was amongst their ranks and they were about to embark on a Season that has gone down in County history as the best ever!!
County have always been known as the Friendly Football Club and, as you can see, with the support they gave us in the Midlands, it was no different back in the 90’s. Up the County!
