As you creep into Greater Manchester on the train coming north, you’ll pass the wonderful old school stadium of Edgeley Park, home of Stockport County of England’s fourth tier, League Two. It’s a club back in the ascendency after a few years out of the Football League. And its fans know how to create a spectacle, too…
A brief history of Stockport County
As this plaque on the wall of the Danny Bergara Stand explains, the club started out as Heaton Norris Rovers. ‘Heaton Norris’ is not the name of a law firm; it’s an area of Greater Manchester and the founders were pupils at a local Sunday school. In 1890, the club rebranded as Stockport County and joined the Football League (Second Division) in 1900.
The club has rarely threatened the top-flight, but has a number of lower league titles, plus the National League (fifth tier) title most recently, in 2021-22. At the time of my visit, the club’s manager was Dave Challinor, who many of us remember for his famously long throw-ins at Tranmere.
Another famous former manager was the Uruguayan Danny Bergara, after whom the main stand in which I sat is named. Bergara took Stockport County to Wembley four times. County lost all four matches.
Like Luton Town, County’s nickname is ‘The Hatters’ after the town’s hat-making history.
The matchday experience at Stockport County
Edgeley Park is handily close to Stockport station – around eight minutes’ walk. There are a few pubs on the way, but we were distracted by the superb German-style tifo that the home fans produced, walking with banners, drums and blue smoke in a procession around the local streets.
A crowd of 10,305 including 584 travelling with local rival Salford City, meant a near full house for Friday night football under the lights. This made for a banging atmosphere in what is a traditional old school English football ground. County took an early lead from a lovely move down the right but Salford equalised with a superb chest-and-volley from the edge of the box on the turn.
I thoroughly recommend a visit.
How to get to Edgeley Park, Stockport County
I sat at the back of the main Danny Bergara Stand and bought my ticket for £20 on the club’s website, which also allows you to pick your seat and to print at home.
The ground is a few minutes’ walk from Stockport station, which itself is just one stop away from Manchester Piccadilly. Just be sure to take the Edgeley exit…