2023-24 Prediction League; Game 45 v Stockport County (away)

Div3North · 19-04-2024, 22:27

Stockport County

V

Accrington Stanley

2023/24 Prediction League Game 45 v Stockport Campiones (away)

To test your antiquity; who remembers the Anglo Scottish Cup? Starter for Ten; name the only Scottish team to win it? (Clue; they beat Bristol City)

So; we got smacked by Donnie, and beaten by the Stags ……….. three TenFromLens (better!), in the Mansfailed match (as their fans took to calling them), they being Triallist A, Greger on a “marginally more optimistic” score than his first one, and Ange B ………. Lots knew we’d lose, (Valairian 1-4, Nige B 0-3); Chimer stuck with his Desmond prediction and got a point for their two goals …………… lots of people didn’t play, which frankly is disappointing (16 entries)

You’ll have seen that lots of NL or lower league teams have got horrendous backlogs and no leeway to pay them, so well done to The Authorities who made Truro City (who’ve been travelling to find fit grounds) play 7 League matches between 6th and 18th April – and they managed 2 wins and three daws despite playing Sat/Mon/Wed/Thurs/Sat/Tues/Thurs

Second Starter for Ten; Bayer Leverkusen, as you likely know, have won the Bundesliga for the first time in their 120 years history. BL were one of five (now four) top-flight sides which had won European silverware without ever having their own national League ……… one of those sides is from the UK ……… who is it?

Stockport County was formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers at McLaughlin's Cafe in Heaton Norris, by a group of pupils from Stockport Sunday School. After playing home matches in different parks in the Stockport area for several years, Rovers moved to Green Lane in 1889. This is recognised as their first official ground. The club changed its name to Stockport County in 1890 after the County Borough of Stockport The team played in the Lancashire League and local cup competitions until 1900, when they gained admission to the Football League Second Division.

They left Green Lane in 1902 and moved to Edgeley Park, which was also home to rugby league club Stockport RFC. County finished in the bottom three for their first four seasons, and failed to gain re-election at the end of the 1903–04 season. After spending one season in the Lancashire Combination, the club was readmitted to the Football League. In October 1908, it was confirmed that Stockport County would become a 'limited liability company'. The team remained in the Second Division for seven years until the 1912–13 season, when they again had to seek re-election. Stockport gained 22 votes and retained their Football League status.

David Ashworth was appointed as the team's first manager in 1914. After the outbreak of the First World War, competitive football was suspended. Stockport did, however, complete in the Lancashire section of the Wartime Football League, which was played from 1915–16 to 1918–19. Ashworth managed County throughout the war until the end of 1919, when he joined Liverpool.

The 1920–21 campaign saw Stockport finish bottom of the Second Division; however, instead of facing re-election, they were placed in the new Third Division North. The team won their first Football League title in 1921–22, when they defeated Darlington in front of 18,500 fans at Edgeley Park
In the early 1930s, County played in a black and white home kit, and were briefly nicknamed the 'Lilywhites'. On 23 July 1935, Edgeley Park's wooden main stand burned down, which caused damage to neighbouring houses. The fire also destroyed the club's records until 1935. A new main stand was built in 1936 and officially opened by Charles Sutcliffe, then president of the Football League. In 1936–37, the team won the Third Division North title and promotion to the Second Division following a last-day title decider against Lincoln City which was attended by more than 27,000 fans. They finished in bottom place the following season and were relegated back to the Third Division North, remaining there until the divisions were reorganised in 1958.

In April 2009, Stockport County was placed into administration due to a loan to a creditor of around £300,000, and a tax debt of £250,000 to HMRC .Two months later, County's administrator announced terms had been agreed with the Melrose Consortium—headed by ex-Manchester City player Jim Melrose—for the sale of the club. In July, administrators agreed to a company voluntary arrangement with the previous shareholders and creditors. The Melrose Consortium bid was rejected by the Football League, however, in March 2010. A new consortium, the 2015 Group, was given exclusivity to work towards a takeover of the club.

The purchase of Stockport County by the 2015 Group was approved by the Football League in May 2010, with the takeover announced in June. Before the start of the 2010–11 season, the new owners pledged to "rebuild the club from top to bottom", and appointed Paul Simpson as manager. He was sacked after only six months in charge, and Ray Mathias was brought in as interim manager. Despite an upturn in results, County were relegated to the Bananarama for the first time in their history.

And the rest you know ………

They made a number of personnel changes in summer 2023, but only a few in the Winter Solstice; AMF Odin Bailey signed from Salford, and RB Todd Kane joined in March from Manchester 62: five season-long loans also followed – LB Ethan Bristow from Minnesota Utd, AMF Rico Richards from Villa, CB Rhys Bennett from Man U, CB Lewis Cass from Port Vale, and RW Ben Knight from Man City …………….

Starter for Ten Number 3; where do Manchester 62 play there home games?

Manager is Dave Challinor, leading scorers are Isaac Tanitoluwaloba Aduraoluwatimileyin Olaofe with 20 and Paddy Madden with 22 in all competitions. Playing record for the season is P44 W26 D11 L7 GF91 GA44 for 89 points; after us they finish up at Disney FC (Bragging Rights!) Our record, for comparison purposes, is P44 W15 D9 L20 GF57 GA66 for 54 points …………………looking at the contracts page, the only players contracted for 24/25 appear to be Jay Rich-Baghuelo and Seb Quirk (but don’t quote me)

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 20th April ………… I bet they think they’ve already stuffed us, but wouldn’t you smile at a sneaky 1-0?

And the only Scottish Team to win the Anglo-Scottish Cup was St Helen Mirren; and the English side which has European Silverware but has never won the League is West Ham; and Manchester 62 play in Gibraltar!

Good luck to everyone! ……Keep the Faith! ………….. And thanks for playing!