Only 1,014 there to see it but an eight-goal Vertu Trophy thriller at Edgeley Park!
Thursday 4 September 2025
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Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Wolves supporters, and anyone else fromThe Football Family* joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Thursday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.*
For the first time this season, we don’t have an opposing fan writing one half of the match report for us. I’m afraid I don’t know any of the 65 Wolves fans sat in the Pop Side on Tuesday night. We do have*Dave Philbin joining us, though. There’s far worse ways to spend your Thursday afternoon.*
Today’s edition is sponsored byAPL Locksmiths. A big thank you toAnthony*. He’s offering a 20% discount for The Scarf My Father Wore readers on any key cutting this month. If you need anything doing, give him a call on 07712 657585 or emailanthony@apllocksmiths.co.uk.*
Thanks also to*John from**OvenGleamers Wolverhampton** who sponsors our Wolves content on the website.*
Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for mental health charityMentell. If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target,please click here**.
Total distance so far: 253.75 miles
Total steps so far: 418,084
Total raised so far: £2,312
Total completed streets so far: 474 (Click here for the full list, which includes reports and photos from every day of the walk.)
Further information on the walk can be found byclicking here**.
Des Junior
Joe Astles came off the bench to become County’s youngest ever goalscorer on Tuesday night, aged just 16 years and 105 days (Photo courtesy of Mike Petch)
✍️ Tuesday’s match in one word
Dave: Entertaining!
🤔 Pre-match thoughts
Dave: I only decided to go late in the day. Don’t like this format with under-21 sides but decided to give it a go anyway. Wasn’t expecting to see such a strong line-up so I thought we’d blow them away.
🧐 Post-match thoughts
Dave: What a game! It had everything: a comeback from 2-0 down, loads of mistakes, goals galore. I don’t think either side will win any top defending competitions but it made for a good spectacle at least.
🔵Verdict on County
Dave: Not great to start with which was surprising. They got through our defence too easily for the first goal with Brad Hills losing his man before Ben… well, I’m not quite sure what he did! Then soon after Christy Grogan misplaced a pass which let them in to make it two with a tidy finish top bins. Lowe got a couple of goals to bring us level at half-time where we made some changes. The second half was really good. I thoroughly enjoyed watching some of the academy lads get some minutes and they put some of the seniors of the first half to shame! Fiorini was a deserving man of the match – I’m happy to see him on a good run at the moment.
🟠Verdict on Wolves
Dave: Looked a real strong outfit with lots of pace. They played some nice football and gave it a good go, but these sides shouldn’t be in it. EFL clubs should not be responsible for Premier League clubs developing their players in “men’s football”. For the most part, there weren’t that many grown men on the pitch! Alfie Pond seems to have locked himself in a gym since departing Edgeley Park from his loan. Massive!
🎩Top Hatter
Dave: Despite my man of the match above, this should go to Joe Astles. Sixteen years old, off the bench, and scored two really well taken goals. Turned out we were sat next to his family who were all proud as punch when he came on, let alone scored. It was great to be able to share their moment with them.
🐺Top Wolf
Dave: Mane looked good.
👂 Atmosphere
**Dave:**As expected with one stand open and 1,000 fans in.
🙏Hopes for the rest of the season
**Dave:**Promotion and Vertu Trophy winners.
😀Best part of the day
Dave: The kids going back to school!
😡Worst part of the day
Dave: Ten minutes of injury time at the end.
The British Library receives a copy of every single book published in the UK. In the same fashion, Des Junior believes a detailed record of every County game should be preserved for the history books. So here’s the full story of our 5-3 victory at home to Wolves Under-21s on Tuesday 2 September, as told from his County-related WhatsApp groups…
**6.31pm:**Good opportunity for most of that starting 11 to show why they should be in the team. Olowu is the only one who has impressed me so far this season.
**7.14pm:**Hills turned inside out by a 12-year-old. Ben can’t save a pea-roller. Challinor out.
8.48pm: I suppose eight goals in a game is decent value for money, it’s just been a bit meh for me.
8.49pm: It’s been nice to see the young players, though. We have some decent talent coming through it looks like.
8.57pm: Astles took both goals like a player with 16 years experience in the game, never mind 16 years since his mum popped him out.
9.30pm: The club should do the decent thing and double the loyalty points of anyone who stayed for the full 10 minutes of added time.
Contact APL Locksmiths to make sure your van is secure
We’ve regularly promoted**APL Locksmiths’** services when it comes to your home. But lots of our readers work in the trade, and might benefit from getting in touch to ensure their work vans are safe and secure when they’re done for the day.
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Photo of the day
The Society Rooms, Macclesfield
On this day in 2010, County recorded their first win of the season, beating Macclesfield Town 2-0 at Moss Rose (George Donnelly and Mansour Assoumani with the goals).
Here’s a few County fans drinking at Wetherspoons before the game, including your editor without a grey hair in sight!
If you’re stuck for a gift idea, how about an oven clean!
If there’s any Wolves fans reading this today, or indeed any of our readers with friends or family in the Midlands, why not treat them to a gift voucher for an oven clean!
It’s often the small gestures that count, and let’s face it, no one enjoys cleaning their oven.
➡️ Give John a call on 01902 504405 or emailjohn.rorke@ovengleamers.com.
Today in SK
🍺Food and drink
The Nelson Commercial (SK1) have a great range of offers throughout the week, including £5.50 for drinks off the Doubles Bar, a comprehensive range of shots for £1.50, and 3 for £7 on Jägerbombs. Also, double up for £2 on premium spirits.
Bitter £2.30 a pint all day atThe Cross Keys ( SK8 **).**Plus, discounts on certain lagers till 6pm.
A number of venues are featured onThe Scarf My Father Wore such asThe Crown(SK2),The Dog & Partridge ( SK2 ), The Crown Inn (SK6),The Steelworks(SK6) orThe Three Tunnes(SK7). If you’re having a few drinks today, opt for one of these!
A huge thank you to the following businesses supporting The Scarf My Father Wore in September
🪟Blinds & Shutters:Bauhaus Blinds and Shutters
📚Bookkeeping:Eleven Accounts Services
🧱Builder:CE Building Services
🏠Carpets:Kingsway Carpets & Rugs Ltd
🐈Cat Flaps:That Cat Flap Company Ltd
🚙Coatings:Colourtone Ltd
🏠Estate Agent:The Agency UK
**🫧 Exterior Cleaning:**Impact Pro Clean
🏡Fencing:Riks Fencing and Landscaping
💷Financial Services:The Mortgage Mill
💐Florist:The Flower House
💻IT Services:Bridge Computer Services
🪚Joinery:SAW Contracts Ltd
🔌Kitchen Appliances:SW Appliances
🌹Landscape Design:Nicola Jayne Landscape Design
📮Leaflet Distribution:Wolf Distribution
🔑Locksmith:APL Locksmiths Ltd
💪Male Weight Loss:MAN v FAT
🖌Painter & Decorator:BGM Decorators
📸Photographer:Adam Edwards Photography
🥧Pies:Eric Twigg Foods
🧱Plastering:DT Plastering Services and Damp Proofing Specialists
👨💼Solicitors:B.J. McKenna & Co /Parkers Solicitors Ltd
🍹Spirits:Guerrilla Chicken Spirits
🪨Stonemason:LM Stone Creative
🚕Taxi Hire:Lynx Taxis
🧰Vehicle Repairs:C J Motors Stockport