Stockport County F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Stockport County Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Hatters, County | |||
| Founded | 1883 (as Heaton Norris Rovers) | |||
| Ground | Edgeley Park | |||
| Capacity | 10,852 all-seated | |||
| Owner | Mark Stott | |||
| Chairman | Ken Knott | |||
| Manager | Dave Challinor | |||
| League | National League | |||
| 2018–19 | National League North, 1st of 22 (promoted) | |||
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Stockport County Football Club is a professional association football team from Stockport, England. They are known as "The Hatters" because Stockport used to be famous for making hats. The team plays in blue and white kits at their home ground, Edgeley Park.
Stockport County is currently in EFL League One, which is the third highest league in English football. They earned this spot by winning the 2023–24 EFL League Two title. The club was started in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers and changed its name to Stockport County in 1890. They have played at Edgeley Park since 1902.
The team joined the Football League in 1900. They have won several league titles, including the Third Division North twice (in 1922 and 1937) and the Fourth Division twice (in 1967 and 2024). The 1990s were a very successful time for the club. They played in the second-highest league for five seasons and even reached the semi-finals of the League Cup in 1997. They also played at Wembley Stadium four times during this period, but sadly lost each final.
After some tough financial times, the club dropped down to lower leagues. However, they worked hard and earned promotions, returning to the Football League in 2022 after an 11-year break. In 2023, they reached the League Two play-off final at Wembley but lost on penalties. The very next season, they won the League Two title and were promoted to League One!
Contents
Club History
Stockport County started in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers. A group of students from Stockport Sunday School formed the team. They played in different parks before moving to Green Lane in 1889. In 1890, the club changed its name to Stockport County. They played in local leagues until 1900, when they joined the Football League Second Division.
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In 1902, Stockport County moved to Edgeley Park, which was a bigger stadium. They struggled in their early years in the Football League and even left for one season before rejoining in 1905. The club stayed in the Football League for 106 years straight!
In 1914, David Ashworth became the team's first manager. Football was paused during World War I, but Stockport still played in a special wartime league. After the war, Ashworth left to manage Liverpool.
Winning Their First League Title
In 1921, Stockport County was placed in the new Football League Third Division North. They won their first Football League title in 1922, beating Darlington in front of 18,500 fans at Edgeley Park. The manager, Albert Williams, received the trophy. In 1924, their goalkeeper, Harry Hardy, even played for the England national team!
In the early 1930s, the team wore black and white kits and were called the 'Lilywhites' for a short time. In 1935, the main stand at Edgeley Park burned down, but a new one was built in 1936. In 1937, they won the Third Division North title again and were promoted. However, they were relegated the next season.
During World War II, regular football stopped. In 1946, Stockport played a cup match against Doncaster Rovers that lasted 203 minutes, which is thought to be the longest professional football game ever!
Return to the Third Division
In 1958, the regional Third Divisions were combined. Stockport County was a founding member of the new Third Division but was relegated after one season. In the mid-1960s, the club changed its blue kit back to royal blue. They also started playing home matches on Friday evenings to attract more fans. In 1967, County won the Fourth Division title and returned to the Third Division.
The club was relegated back to the Fourth Division in 1970 and stayed there until 1991. Danny Bergara became manager in 1989 and helped the team get promoted to the Third Division in 1991. He led Stockport to Wembley Stadium four times for cup finals and play-offs, but they lost each time.
In 1995, a new all-seated stand called the Cheadle End was built at Edgeley Park. The 1996–97 season was one of the club's best. They finished second in the Second Division and reached the semi-finals of the League Cup, beating three top-tier teams before losing to Middlesbrough.
After 2000, the club faced financial problems and dropped down the leagues. In 2005, the club was taken over by the Stockport County Supporters' Co-operative. Former player Jim Gannon became manager and led the team to promotion to League One in 2008 after winning the play-off final at Wembley.
In 2009, the club faced more financial difficulties and went into a special process called "administration" to deal with its debts. A new group, the 2015 Group, took over the club in 2010. Despite their efforts, Stockport County was relegated out of the Football League for the first time in its history in 2011.
The Non-League Years (2011–2022)
After leaving the Football League, Stockport County played in non-league competitions. In 2011, former Germany international Dietmar Hamann became manager but left after a few months. Jim Gannon returned for his second time as manager and helped the team avoid further relegation.
In 2012, Stockport County became the only team using Edgeley Park again. In 2013, the club was relegated to the sixth tier of English football, the Conference North. They also changed from being a full-time professional club to a part-time one.
Jim Gannon returned for his third time as manager in 2016. He helped the club improve, and in 2018–19, Stockport won the Conference North title, their first league title in 52 years!
In 2020, local businessman Mark Stott bought the club. He promised to make the club full-time again and help them return to the Football League. Under manager Dave Challinor, Stockport won the National League title in 2021–22, which meant they were back in the Football League after 11 years!
Back in the Football League
In their first season back in League Two, Stockport finished 4th. They reached the play-off final at Wembley but lost to Carlisle United on penalties. The very next season, they had an amazing year, winning the League Two title with two games left! This meant they were automatically promoted to League One.
Team Colours, Badges, and Traditions
Stockport County's main colours are blue and white. In the past, they have also worn red and white, and even black and white. From the 1930s to the 1960s, they often wore white shirts with black shorts.
The club's badge has changed over the years. The current badge is based on the coat of arms of Stockport town. It includes a blue shield from the de Stokeport family, who gave Stockport its name. The castle on the badge represents Stockport Castle, which used to stand in the town. The club's motto, Animo et Fide, means "With Courage and Faith".
Home Grounds
Green Lane
Stockport County first played their home matches at Green Lane in Heaton Norris, starting in 1889. The players used a barn at the nearby Nursery Inn as their changing rooms. The club played its first two seasons in the Football League at Green Lane. The stadium had one main stand and some terracing for fans.
Edgeley Park
In 1902, Stockport County needed a bigger stadium, so they moved to Edgeley Park. This stadium was also used by a rugby league team called Stockport RFC. Green Lane was then used for the club's reserve team.
In 1995, a new stand called the Cheadle End was built at Edgeley Park, which could seat over 5,000 fans. In 2001, the Railway End of the stadium was also converted to seats, bringing the total capacity to 10,852.
In 2012, Stockport County became the only team playing at Edgeley Park again. In 2015, the Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council bought the stadium to make sure it would not be knocked down. They leased it back to the club. In 2022, the club agreed to a very long 250-year lease for Edgeley Park.
Fans and Rivalries
Stockport County has always had to compete for local fans with bigger clubs like Manchester United and Manchester City F.C. To attract more supporters, Stockport County started playing their home games on Friday evenings in the 1960s. This helped bring in bigger crowds.
Stockport County fans are very dedicated. Their support is often called the "12th man" on the field, meaning they help the team as much as an extra player. From 2006 to 2010, the squad number 12 was even given to the 'Blue & White Army', which is what the fans are called. This tradition returned in 2019.
Some famous Stockport County fans include darts player Tony O'Shea and singer-songwriter Daz Sampson.
Supporters' Groups
- 'Help the Hatters' is a group of volunteers who raise money for the club and help keep Edgeley Park in good shape. They also created the Stockport County Museum, which shows the club's history.
- The Stockport County Supporters' Co-operative is another active group. They have a system called SCAN (Stockport County Appearance Number Scheme) that gives every player who has played for the first team a special number and certificate.
Rival Teams
Stockport County has rivalries with other local teams like Oldham Athletic, Rochdale, Bury, Crewe Alexandra, and Macclesfield. They also have a strong rivalry with Wrexham, especially after they battled for the National League title in 2022, which Stockport won.
Players
Current Squad
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Players on Loan
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Hall of Fame Players
These are some of the great players and staff who have been added to the Stockport County Hall of Fame:
Andy Thorpe
Bobby Murray- Mike Flynn
- John Rutter
Jim Gannon- Jack Connor
- Alf Lythgoe
Kevin Francis- Sean Connelly
- Brett Angell
- Brendan Elwood
- Trevor Porteous
- Alan Ogley
- Jim Fryatt
- Bill Atkins
- Bill Williams
- James Stevenson
- Billy Bocking
- Joe Butler
- Johnny Price
Danny Bergara- Harry Hardy
- Dave Jones
- Micky Quinn
- Tommy Sword
- Len White
- Rodger Wylde
- Lee Todd
- Eric Webster
International Players
Fourteen players have played for their national teams while playing for Stockport County. Harry Hardy was the first in 1924, and he is still the only Stockport player to have played for England.
| Player | Country | Caps | Goals | Years of caps | Notes | |
| Jarkko Wiss |  |
Finland | 9 | 1 | 2000–2002 | |
| Shefki Kuqi | |
Finland | 7 | 1 | 2001 | |
| Petri Helin | |
Finland | 7 | 0 | 2001–2002 | |
| Martin Nash |  |
Canada | 6 | 0 | 1997 | |
| Ibou Touray |  |
The Gambia | 5 | 1 | 2023–2024 | |
| Nick Colgan | |
Ireland | 4 | 0 | 2003–2004 | |
| Myles Hippolyte |  |
Grenada | 2 | 1 | 2023 | |
| Harry Hardy | |
England | 1 | 0 | 1924 | |
| Paul Jones |  |
Wales | 1 | 0 | 1997 | |
| Jim Goodwin | |
Ireland | 1 | 0 | 2002 | |
| Danny Griffin |  |
Northern Ireland | 1 | 0 | 2004 | |
| Ashley Williams | |
Wales | 1 | 0 | 2008 | |
| Peter Thompson | |
Northern Ireland | 1 | 0 | 2008 | |
| Lois Maynard | |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1 | 0 | 2021 |
Club Records and Statistics
Team Records
- Highest league finish: 8th in the 1997–98 Football League First Division (which was the 2nd tier)
- Lowest league finish: 14th in the 2013–14 Football Conference North (6th tier)
- Biggest home league win: 13–0 against Halifax Town on January 6, 1934 (a Football League record!)
- Biggest away league win: 7–1 against Bradford City on September 18, 1965
- Biggest home league defeat: 0–6, most recently against Huddersfield Town on April 24, 2010
- Best FA Cup run: Reached the 5th round three times (1935, 1950, 2001)
- Best League Cup performance: Reached the semi-finals in 1997
- Most consecutive wins: 12 wins in a row in 2023–24
- Most consecutive wins without letting in a goal: 9 wins in a row in 2006–07 (a Football League record!)
- Highest attendance at a match: 27,833 against Liverpool in the FA Cup on February 11, 1950
- Highest league attendance: 27,304 against Lincoln City on May 1, 1937
- Longest match: Three hours and 23 minutes against Doncaster Rovers on March 30, 1946
Player Records
- Most goals in one season: 46 goals by Alf Lythgoe in 1933–34
- Most goals in a career: 132 goals by Jack Connor (1951–1956)
- Most appearances in a career: 555 games by Andy Thorpe (1978–1986, 1988–1992)
- Most international games (caps): 9 for Jarkko Wiss playing for Finland (2000–2002)
- Youngest player: Paul Turnbull, who was 16 years and 97 days old when he played against Wrexham on April 30, 2005
- Oldest player: Alec Herd, who was 40 years and 47 days old when he played against Crewe Alexandra on December 25, 1951
- Most consecutive games without letting in a goal (clean sheets): 9 by Wayne Hennessey in 2006–07
Nine-Game Winning Streak
Stockport County had an amazing nine-game winning streak in the league without letting in any goals from January to March 2007. This is a Football League record! The goalkeeper, Wayne Hennessey, who was on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, kept a clean sheet in his first nine professional games.
Honours
League Titles
- Third Division North / Second Division (level 3)
- Champions: 1921–22, 1936–37
- Fourth Division / League Two (level 4)
- Champions: 1966–67, 2023–24
- Play-off winners: 2008
- National League (level 5)
- Champions: 2021–22
- National League North (level 6)
- Champions: 2018–19
Cup Wins
- Third Division North Challenge Cup
- Winners: 1934–35
- Manchester Senior Cup
- Winners: 1897–98, 1898–99, 1914–15, 1922–23
- Cheshire Senior Cup
- Winners: 1905–06, 1946–47, 1948–49, 1965–66, 2015–16, 2021–22
Images for kids
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Stockport play Oxford United at Edgeley Park in 1994.
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Dietmar Hamann on the touchline for Stockport County
See also
In Spanish: Stockport County Football Club para niños
