IS EXPECTATION KILLING YOUTH AT COUNTY?

Danny Whitehead

By Mark Smith

As the dust settled on a season of discontent and disgrace much was made of Danny Whitehead's move up five divisions to West Ham.

As fans scratched around for sources of hope for the future, Whitehead's name rarely came up.

To me at least, this was a surprise. His finesse and technique was a shining light at times last season, and while I'd be the first to acknowledge he never did it anything like consistently enough I never really expected him to. He's 19.

What we saw, particularly in the early season were flashes of Football League quality in a teenager who clearly shouldn't have been thrust into the uncertain pressure cooker we were experiencing.

His ability though, dictated otherwise and his knack for scoring spectacular goals out of nothing demanded his inclusion perhaps more so than his own development required.

Given how the season finished, it's easy to forget his late winner at Grimsby and his piledriver against Macclesfield but they both demonstrated an ability few have shown for us in recent years.

Much as I've little time for Crewe and their twee little "Production Line" reputation, their fans have always struck me as particularly supportive of young players. It's like they understand their role in the development of youngsters.

They're patient and know that if a kid makes a mistake it's part of his learning process and not reason to rant and villify him. What's the difference between us and them though?

In contrast to the stability and relative success Crewe have managed over the last couple of decades, County has been a chaotic environment for around 15 years now.

Most of our better young players have emerged into teams that were habitually losing. And of course the pattern for defeats usually spelt anger to a fanbase who had enjoyed unprecedented success the previous decade.

That success came mostly with a well-oiled conveyor belt of ready made players who were young enough to be fit and strong but also experienced. Few youngsters progressed through the ranks during this spell though and so we as County fans perhaps never got used to watching players of that ilk.

Dozens of youngsters have graduated from our now-defunct youth setup since the late 90s. Few managed to live up to their early promise and it's telling that of those who did, many spent their formative years playing for a team which wasn't getting hammered every week.

The problem at County is while we have sometimes had the footballing staff required to nurture promising youngsters, the rest of the club has been anything but the right atmosphere.

The poor leadership from the top has created disharmony and mistrust, going back more than ten years. That leads to more pressure from fans which all too often ends up being directed at those within easiest reach, the players.

Occasionally they deserve it but mostly they simply don't. Clearly, the lack of unity behind the scenes has seen the development of players stall.

Andy Halls

Andy Halls made his debut at Elland Road and finished up being relegated to a league four levels lower having struggled to stand out in far less salubrious surroundings. He got his fair share of stick though, seemingly without anyone pausing to notice he played for ten different managers in four seasons. Is it any wonder he never really improved?

While it has become crushingly evident that we as fans can't effect much of what happens in the boardroom, we can influence things on the pitch, and we should.

This season we'll begin with a side which has an age profile similar to the successful sides of the 90s, and yet in goal we have two young keepers with just 44 professional games behind them. We should support them, perhaps more so when the inevitable errors of judgement come.

Maybe Whitehead's move should be a final wakeup call to those who can't see beyond the players when they're seeking someone to blame.

Rickie Lambert tied with Frank Lampard as the highest scoring Englishman in the Premier League last season. That's the same Rickie Lambert who joined us eleven years ago aged just 20. He had just 36 league starts under his belt before he arrived at EP and we struggled to employ him correctly.

Whether Whitehead goes on to emulate Lambert remains to be seen. I'd be surprised if he does.

But maybe there's a lesson for some of those who have overlooked boardroom unrest, inconsistency in the dugout, financial uncertainty and mass mismanagement and instead just called teenagers names.

Maybe next season...

COULD ALEX MEANEY BE ON HIS WAY BACK TO COUNTY?

Alex Meaney

Rumours abound today that Alex Meaney could be heading back to Stockport County.

Meaney, 20, decided to see what else may be out there for him at the end of last season even after Ian Bogie offered to match the same contract terms he had during his first contract with the club last year.

The talented midfielder never really got the chance to prove his worth at Edgeley Park after injury halted his opportunities for most of last season during County's ill-fated relegation battle in the Blue Square Premier League.

But the club held on to the youngster - another talent unearthed by County assistant manager Alan Lord from the Myerscough College production line - after Help The Hatters agreed to pay his wages to see him remain on the staff list at County till the end of the season.

And while County fans may have only seen glimpses of his mercurial talent and passing ability, it is well-known that football bosses at the club still rate the attacking midfielder highly.

Meaney is also known to have a soft spot for County - especially for Alan Lord, who nurtured his prodigious skills from an early age through the Myerscough academy.

Strange then, that he turned down the same terms he was offered last season in a bid to see if he could ply his trade elsewhere.

Meaney's search for another club has been frustrating for the youngster, though. He played a couple of friendly games for Northwich Victoria and, we understand, was on the verge of being offered terms by a couple of other clubs.

But nothing suitable, for the player at least, has materialised. And it is that impasse that County staff have looked to exploit, according to our sources.

Following his no-show in the friendly match between Northwich Victoria and County last weekend, it seems the two parties are talking again. Softly, softly dialogue between officials linked to the club and the player himself have happened in the last couple of days, we are told.

And there is a real chance that the player could return to Edgeley Park to become part of Ian Bogie's brand new team for the new Conference North season, according to our sources.

A LAUREL FOR HARDY

Harry Hardy's Cap

By Phil Brennan

Having just returned from a superb 10 day holiday in Mallorca (neatly sandwiched in between the highly successful kit launch and Rodger Wylde's testimonial) and with a fairly hectic pre-season schedule plus the new league season almost upon us, it made good sense  to spend a little time catching up with emails and missed calls before I returned to work on Monday.

One message I had received caught my attention more than most, it was from Steve White a Stockport 'exile' who wanted to talk to me about an item of County memorabilia that he had.

Those that know me well will understand my fascination with all things County 'collectable'. Over the years I have collected a vast and varied range of County stuff including over 100 different shirts and dozens of badges, mugs and ties.

I have a programme collection that goes back to the 1920's with some very rare issues and even have the original 'Go Go County' mirror from the old County Club (approx  6' x 3') amongst my stash.
 
I rang and left a message on Steve's answer phone to say I was back in the country and would love to talk to him about the item that he had, and then set about catching up with my other messages.

Having put the phone down I chuckled to myself at the fact that I must have sounded like an excitable child leaving my message, but such was the standard of the item that we were going to talk about, I knew that any 'collector' would feel exactly the same if they were in my position.

What was the item that had caught my imagination - was it the much sought after 'Romania' shirt we wore at Blackburn or the holy grail of shirts, the red 'Brighton'?.

It was neither.

Harry Hardy in Action

If you were to ask 100 Stockport County supporters who was the only player to represent England whilst a County player, I think it's fair to say that most of them would know the answer to be goalkeeper Harry Hardy.

Born in Stockport in 1895, Hardy joined the Hatters from local side Ward Street Old Boys, making his debut in a 3-0 defeat at Cardiff on September 4 1920, before going on to make a remarkable 170 consecutive appearances. He missed his first County game, a 1-1 draw with Southampton on October 11 1924, due to his involvement with the Football League representative side.

In total he played over 200 games for County in the 1920s, during which time he helped the Hatters to the Division Three (North) title in 1922, conceding just 21 goals during the campaign, a record that has never been bettered.

Hardy won his only England cap on December 8th 1924 keeping a clean sheet in England's 4-0 win against Belgium at the Hawthorns, home of West Bromwich Albion.

I think by now most have guessed that we are talking about the England 'cap' that had been awarded to the then County custodian.

Steve called me back and not only confirmed that he wanted me to have the cap, but also several other Hardy related items that had been in his possession for many years.

I offered to pay for the items but Steve would have none of it. He said: "I understand how important these items will be to you as a lifelong County fan, and I can tell from the excitement in your voice that they will be in safe hands.

"They are yours to do what you wish, whether it be to keep at home or put on display, I know you will cherish them."

Unbelievably Steve didn't even accept my offer to pay for delivery and although he sent his gift package that same day, it seemed an eternity before it arrived the following afternoon.

The Signed England Menu

I took the parcel to a corner where I could be alone to discover the delights within, I didn't want to be disturbed and definitely didn't want anyone sharing my initial excitement.

Having been a County fan for well over forty years, I have been in the privileged position of working for my club for the last three, having previously had the honour of co-writing History Books and DVD's.

Over the years I have collected many many County related artefacts, that will all hopefully one day be seen in a permanent County 'museum', but they all pale into insignificance compared to the latest addition to my collection.

There in the package was Harry Hardy's 1924 England International football cap.
A Maroon and Amber velvet cap with wire embroidered crest and date for the match against Belgium in 1924.

I can't remember being so happy at receiving an item of County 'history' before.

Two days earlier I hadn't ever thought about the chances of seeing, let alone owning, Harry Hardy's England cap, and yet here it was in my hand. Unbelievable.

After several minutes of just holding and staring at the cap, I began to peruse the other items in the package.

There were the sew on patches from Hardy's England appearances against Belgium and The Scottish Football League (1925/26), photos of him and team mates, and several match programmes from the England tour of Australia in 1925, which Hardy and County's Ernie Simms both represented their Country along with former Hatter James Walsh who had left Edgeley Park for Anfield in 1922.

Unfortunately although Hardy was first choice keeper and Simms was the team captain during the tour neither player received 'caps' as the 5 'Test Matches' against the Aussies were not regarded as full internationals.

A couple of  further 'nuggets' in the collection were Hardy's 'boarding card' for the R.M.S Orsova (the ship the squad travelled to Australia on) and a menu card from the celebration dinner which was held by The NSW & Metropolitan Soccer Football Associations  on May 30th 1925 after the game between England and NSW.

The card had been signed by the fourteen man England squad including both Hardy and Simms.
Now that I have calmed down I know that the items will be of huge interest to generations of County fans and with that in mind it is my intention to put the cap and other items on display at Edgeley Park, so that our supporters can witness this unique collection of County memorabilia.

Once again my thanks to Steve for his generosity in allowing me to grow my County collection/obsession.

The collection will be on display in the Club Shop from Saturday 27th July when County play host to St. Mirren in a pre-season friendly.

DANNY WHITEHEAD IN WEST HAM KIT

Danny Whitehead & his West Ham United shirt

According to reports this morning former County kid Danny Whitehead turned heads with an impressive appearance for West Ham United in their friendly against Boreham Wood last night.

Whitehead was included in the first team for the second half of the match, with some of the East London club's biggest star names, and came out of the game - which the Hammers won 3-0 - with much credit for his performance.

Even club captain Kevin Nolan was moved to words in an interview with Sky Sports where he singled out Danny for special praise.

Experts reckon the chances of seeing Whitehead's name in lights next season are maybe too much of a stretch for the youngster so soon into his Premier League career but, with a season or two under his belt at West Ham, big things are expected eventually.

Fingers crossed he makes the grade and, more importantly, makes Stockport County some much-needed cash with bonus payments and, potentially, a percentage of a decent sell-on fee at some point down the line.

WHAT THE F*CK IS UP WITH LINCOLN CITY?

Rowe, Newton & Nolan

By Chris Larkin 

Every club has players that have changed the face of their fortunes throughout history.

Manchester United have Best and Ronaldo, Manchester City have Summerbee and Aguero.

Our very own Stockport County has its fair share of legends who have defined what this club is to it's supporters. Kevin Francis and Jim Gannon, to name just two.

Lincoln City are no different.

The Imps have also suffered from financial woes and relegation in recent years, joining County in relegation to the Conference in 2011 and also struggling to adapt to life in non-league.

While they haven't fallen quite as far as us, they have had two seasons of struggle. With every club that survives relegation by the skin of its teeth, huge changes are inevitably made over the summer. Our friends in the East have done just that in the hope of more favourable fortunes next term.

I doubt there's a single Lincoln fan who won't be hoping that they can make just one great signing - one that can truly make the difference between winning and losing; between enjoying the football and hating yourself for wasting your money.

The powers that be over at Lincoln will be hugely aware of what is necessary too. And they've acted swiftly.

So, which midfield magician has manager Gary Simpson called upon to start the Lincolnshire revolution?

Has David Beckham delayed his retirement for a year? Have they signed an ex-England international looking for one last hurrah in a promotion push?

Err...no. Not exactly. They have signed Jon Nolan.

Don't adjust your screen. The same Jon Nolan, the legendary 'baller', who at times has looked like he would be more at home asking if you want fries with that.

Like every other County fan who read the news with the kind of bemusement that is immeasurable last week, I was more than a little surprised to see he had been retained by not only a Conference Premier club but, a sizeable one that has a full-time staff roster.

Surely this couldn't be the same Jon Nolan who would pick and choose the games in which he'd perform last season like a child at a Woolworth's sweet counter?

Surely this wasn't the same Jon Nolan whose terrible attitude was so admired by so many impressionable kids that the ginger prince used the ether of that teenage adoration to help him scale the summit of the County Twitter #Bantz league?

The same Jon Nolan who worked so tirelessly to rebuild his relationship with the fans when it all went pear-shaped?

Yes. The very same.

I have to admit, I'm not a football manager, nor do I claim to be one, unless I'm  playing computer games - in which case I am, quite clearly, the new Special One.

But, I genuinely do struggle to understand why a manager of any professional football club would take on a player like Jon Nolan after last season.

Once you get past the fact that he is not a very good footballer, you don't even have a hard worker lurking underneath the paper-thin facade.

There is something about a hard worker, who can't quite get things to drop for him but never gives in, that is quite endearing and their endeavour certainly helps the fans warm to them a bit more.

But some players, even the great ones, just never become fan favourites because their attitude and sulking, when things don't go their way, paints the kind of uncomfortable picture it is almost impossible to find redemption in.

I think its fair to suggest that's a category Jon Nolan belongs in.

As we know, Mr. Nolan isn't the only former Hatter to be playing for Lincoln next season. Our former captain Sean Newton and former striker, Danny L Rowe, have both signed for the club.

While I have no serious issues with either Newton or Rowe, they were each in poor form towards the end of last season and both of them suffered from a measurable dip towards the end of their time with us.

Like Nolan, their attitude when we needed strength from our senior players, was lacking. Nolan was the most guilty by far in my book though.

While it is common for clubs to poach players from just-relegated clubs, it is usually the better individuals who find new fortune elsewhere.

Lincoln may be struggling financially but, surely, signing a couple of hungry young players from college sides like Myerscough would be the better option to getting in experienced recruits who have no interest in the club or playing for the badge.

So, while I wish Lincoln all the best next season, I seriously question the sense in building a 'new' team around three players who have all been relegated.  Especially when at least two of these players didn't seem overly bothered about the final destination of 'their' team last season.

 I suppose what I'm really asking is what the f**k is up with Lincoln City?