Today I'm going back 42 years to 1980 and York City's visit to Edgeley Park for their Fourth Division fixture against Stockport County played in front of 2,503. This was a Friday night match under floodlights which wasn't unusual for Stockport at the time who wanted to avoid a Saturday afternoon fixture clash with one or other of their near neighbours, the Manchester giants, United or City. This was my first ever visit to Edgeley Park and I wasn't to return for another 30 years when I finally found time to revisit a ground that I could barely remember.
Stockport County have a nickname which many don't know and tend to associate with Luton Town instead. Like Luton, Stockport are nicknamed "The Hatters" after the hat making industry which existed in the area in the early days of County's existence, so Hatters against Minstermen it was. At the time, County had been members of the Football League since 1905 and had spent their time mostly in the lower divisions. Not that we knew it at the time but County would have extreme contrasting fortunes in the not too distant future as they spent much of the 1990's in the second tier and even reached the League Cup Semi-Final before crashing out of the Football League altogether in 2011. If Non-League status wasn't bad enough, County were further relegated into what is now National League North in 2013 and then proceeded to slum it there for six seasons before finally winning promotion back to the fifth tier in 2019. This ndoubtedly sounds all too familiar to fans of York City who have similarly found themselves in National League North and are struggling to exit the Division at the right end! In fact this season is York's fifth in National League North so, if they are to mimic Stockport County, they need to gain promotion by the end of next season.
One feature of the current Stockport County match day squad that I like is the use of their number 12 shirt. County have always struggled for support due to their "noisy neighbours" and, in 2006, allocated the number 12 to "The Blue & White Army" in recognition of their supporters being the team's "12th Man".
On the night in question, County secured a one goal victory over York thanks to a second half goal scored by Eddie Prudham. In Jimmy McGuigan's County side was Mychaljo "Mike" Czuczman (pronounced Churchman) who went on to make 17 League appearances for York in season 1981/82 as well as appearing for San Jose Earthquakes in the North American Soccer League. Charlie Wright's York City side that night notably included Peter Lorimer. In terms of League positions, the result of this match proved to be pivotal for the respective placings of the two clubs come the end of the season with County finishing one place and one point above York in 16th and 17th places respectively.
CRB Match No. 77
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