Stockport County

Stockport County FC

Ground: Edgeley Park

Capacity: 10,852

Club Founded: 1883

League: EFL League One (current level)

Stockport County have put their loyal supporters through hard times but have come out the other side as a progressive club looking to progress.

County History

The Early Years

The club was originally formed as Heaton Norris Rovers FC in 1883, playing at various locations in the town before moving into Green Lane in 1889. In May 1890, the club changed its name to its current title. The club was nicknamed ‘The Hatters’ after the town’s Victorian hat-making industry.

County won the Lancashire League at the turn of the century, leading to election into the Football League. A couple of years later, the club moved to its new ground at Edgeley Park. The team dropped out of the League for a couple of seasons before David Ashworth was appointed as the club's first-ever manager in 1914.

Success and Relegation

The 1921-22 season saw Stockport win Division Three North under manager Albert Williams, with goalkeeper Harry Hardy being called up to play for England. County were relegated four seasons later before they returned to the second tier in 1936-37. Their spell lasted just one season.

Following league restructuring, County played in Division Four for eight seasons before being crowned champions in 1967-68 under manager Jimmy Meadows as the club turned to Friday night football to try and increase their crowds. They were soon relegated, with managers coming and going at the struggling club.

Edgeley Park's Main Stand - Image sourced from the internet

Wembley Visits and Promotion

When the side finishing bottom were relegated from the Football League, Colin Murphy's heroics saved the club in the second half of the 1986-87 season. Colourful boss Danny Bergara arrived and lifted the gloom around Edgeley Park. They lost in the playoff semi-finals before being promoted in 1990-91.

The following season, the Hatters returned to Wembley twice, ending up losing both times. Stoke City won the Football League Trophy final before Peterborough United won the playoff final. Jim Gannon, Andy Preece, Bill Williams, and Kevin Francis starred for Stockport around this time.

Back in the Second Tier

In 1992-93, Stockport lost in the playoff semi-finals before going a step further twelve months later. Burnley won the final at Wembley. Chris Beaumont scored to put County ahead before being sent off with a teammate. Dave Jones took over as manager in August 1995, taking County to promotion to the second-tier First Division in 1996-97 as runners-up. 

The team also reached the League Cup semi-final, defeating Sheffield United, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United, and Southampton before going out to Middlesbrough. Brett Angel became the new scoring hero under new manager Gary Megson.

Sale Sharks

By the end of the 2004-05 season, County were back in the second tier. Former playing hero Jim Gannon was appointed as manager in January 2006, soon arresting the slide. The team defeated Wycombe Wanderers, and then Rochdale 3-2 in the 2007-08 playoff final at Wembley with goals from Anthony Pilkington and Liam Dickinson.

The club’s Supporters Trust became club owners after a joint sports club involving Sale Sharks failed. The Trust struggled to balance the books. The Sharks owned Edgeley Park, requiring a bigger ground to stage their Guinness Premiership games. 

My drawing of Edgley Park, team kits, and club crests.
For enlarged views, click on the images.

Relegated to Non-League

On 30th April 2009, County entered Administration as they couldn’t pay their creditors, with Gannon departing soon after to be replaced by Gary Ablett. A Consortium bid for the club and new owners were found in June 2010, led by former Manchester City and Celtic star, Jim Melrose.

However, ownership didn’t last long. The club was relegated in 2009-10, before being bought by the 2015 Group. Big changes were expected, yet County were relegated to the Football Conference after several managers came and went. Finances continued to be of great concern after dropping out of the Football League.

The Nadir

A new Liverpool-based consortium, headed by Tony Evans, appointed former Liverpool and Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann as manager. His record was poor. The popular Jim Gannon returned to replace him.  A new board worked closely with the local council, which granted them a loan. 

Brian Kennedy, the owner of tenants Sale Sharks, waived six months of rent as the club sought to become more community-based. Gannon attempted to utilise the club's youth production line but couldn’t save the team from relegation to Conference North in 2012-13.

Gannon departed but returned for a third spell, taking the team to the National League North crown in 2018-19, with Matthew Warburton leading the scoring. Lifelong fan and locally born businessman Mark Stott, owner of the Vita Group, bought the club in January 2020. Hartlepool United defeated County in the playoffs the following season.

Danny Madden's goals helped the side to the National League title under manager Dave Challinor in 2021-22. Twelve months later, Stockport reached Wembley where they were beaten in the playoff final by Carlisle United. However, the Hatters regrouped to win the League Two title in 2023-24, as Isaac Olaofe top-scored. 

In both the following seasons, County reached the playoffs, losing their semi-final to Leyton Orient and then the final to Bolton Wanderers. They were also defeated at Wembley by Luton Town in the 2025-26 EFL Trophy final.

My visits

Stockport County 2 Scarborough 2 

Division Four - Saturday 4th March 1989

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 2,648 

I had previously called by on Edgeley Park a few years earlier with my pal Gary on the way to a game at Chester City’s old ground at Sealand Road. However, the ground was locked up, so we didn’t get to see inside.

For Boro’s fixture, I was in my usual company on a minibus from the Post Office and Gas Club. We arrived around 1.30pm, which gave us time for a couple of pints before the match. After we parked up, we went for a short walk. We found a fine local pub and enjoyed the local Robinson’s beers before finding our place inside the ground.

County came flying out of the blocks and were 2-0 up within half an hour. Things looked grim for Boro, but a rare, inspired half-time team talk from Colin Morris seemed to work. The decent-sized away following saw a point salvaged through goals from Gary Brook and Paul Dobson.

On the way out of Stockport after the game, our passengers noticed a group of young kids loitering with bricks in hand, waiting to try to put through our windows. The side door opened, and the sight of several large Seadogs jumping out dispersed them in no time, so we could continue a trouble-free trip home.

Monday 19th July 2010

I was on annual leave from work, so I decided to have three days in the Manchester area, clocking up some new grounds. I arrived from Euston on a bright Monday morning, with my plans rearranged. A late train should have connected me to another service to New Mills. However, Edgeley Park suddenly became my first port of call.

After the ten-minute walk from the station, it was soon evident that the ground had changed massively since my previous visit, and the TV cameras didn't do it true justice. It looked promising that I'd get a look inside as the scene behind the Main Stand on Hardcastle Road was a hive of activity.

Some gents were painting the signs above the turnstiles in readiness for the new season, so they let me through for a quick look and photos. It all looked very neat and tidy, no doubt assisted by the large crowds who attend regularly to watch Sale Sharks. I went to the main road to catch the bus to my next club, Cheadle Town.