More from the archives, and the answer to the Eternal Question;
“Where is Stockport ?”
As the photo credit implies, it’s in Manchester.
Cookie knows.
Looks like Manchester on the route map, too.
Back in ’68, the Czech team were chosen for this prestigious friendly as their 16 hour journey was still markedly less than it would have taken Plymouth, the first choice.
I never discovered why Slavia were so keen to get out of Prague in the winter of 1968, but clearly Stockport’s Christmas markets are excellent.
And they don’t have viaducts like this in Prague.
It’s not clear why County needed the game either, just before their busy winter schedule.
In fact this was their last decent season ’till Kevin Francis arrived in 1991, banging his head on the top of the door in the process.
Sadly, a functional programme lacking non-PC adverts for Old Tom, but the call for Rogues and Cads and Juniors is very Leslie Phillips.
What is there to say about Stockport that hasn’t been said on this blog 73 times before.
It really is the jewel of Manchester.
Here’s fans of County and Slavia debating VAR after the match in the Armoury;
but if you’re 997 miles from home, you really need to come here, don’t you ?
retiredmartin 
Words I never expected to utter…..
“I really want to go to Stockport”
Get yourself on commission with their tourist board…. 🙂
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Interesting league table there, RM. Bournemouth & Watford currently in the Premier, Stockport kicking around with Wrexham in what I still call the Conference. On the way back hopefully, if they survive the Current Unpleasantness.
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First year of “Hartlepool”, instead of “Hartlepools”, on that league table, too.
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I wondered about that, Adrian. Pretty much a high point for Barrow, too, before they left the League unluckily in ’72.
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Also the first year they dropped “United” from their name. Apparently “United” was reinstated in 1977 (according to Wikipedia).
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Isn’t it obvious that this was a surreptitious delivery of Dukla away kits, to be sold in Scouse markets for the next couple of decades?
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I had my Half Man Half Biscuit video all ready before I realised it wasn’t them ;-0
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Interesting prog. Available for £2.50 on eBay. The fixture does seem odd. It surely can’t have been the only game Slavia played on The tour but I can’t see any others. Must have been their midwinter break.
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£2.50 ? Grief, I’m rich. I’ve a good run of English Cup Final programmes (50s-60s) but I suspect there’s loads of those.
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Peak production was 60s/70s. Lot depends on condition but sadly programmes much less sought after than when we were chasing them.
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Suspect some clubs will never print programmes again. Wish they hadn’t moved to glossy rubbish 25 years ago. A single A3 page folded twice would provide all the info we need for a quid.
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Not a requirement in the EFL any more either 😟
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Is that definite, Duncan ? Knew that Championship clubs didn’t want to do it.
Remember being surprised in Milan 24 years ago at lack of programme or obvious team sheet.
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Yes, from last season. Nearly all did still issue but one or two may have done it online, possibly Stevenage as an example. Some non league clubs relatively high in the pyramid have done the same. Club shops and young collectors are much less numerous. At the top end watching football is expensive enough without buying programmes so print runs have diminished eg Rangers do 10k per match (and will sell some of those to collectors all over the world). Sales in the away ends for a recent Accies v Celtic game were in double figures. In some European countries clubs always issue in others they never do. Looking forward to an international blog special on the subject from you.
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Great info.
Fanzines have gone the same way. The Manchester City one clings one but very few contributors to the Blue Moon on line forum read it.
Actually, the City programme has held at £3 for 15 years now, and seems decent value. I see young lads still want them.
Those EFL programmes that cost £2.50 in the ’00s look really overpriced.
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Superb blog Martin. Been a joy through the lockdown, and I’ve enjoyed the programmes as well as the beer and photos. Been reading for a year or so, never commented before.
Thanks.
I wonder if Kadraba’s first name was Abra?
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Well thanks, Andy, a compliment and a joke. You can be my reader of the month. US Dave will be upset by that’s tough.
Please comment; it’s the only reason I do the blog and especially in the lockdown it adds a lot to the post. None of the regular commenters bite (apart from Tom).
What’s your local pub ?
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Hello Martin. My local is The Tiger’s Head, Norley. I have not been in since new the landlord arrived, as they took over just as Covid struck. I also go to Frodsham pubs on occasion. It used to be The Helter Skelter down there until they got in too many beers and trashed the decor. All the heart has been taken out of the place for me. Nowadays it’s The Queens Head, beer is usually good, with plenty of seating. Like yourseff, Pub Curmudgeon (and others), I prefer bench seating and perimeter seating at proper pub tables for convivial socialising, and a good old chat.
I promise to make that my last joke on the blog.
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Thanks, Andy. You didn’t have to answer and I’m very nosey. Norley, eh ? Been past it and slagged off Chime in Hartford and praised Northwich recently, but Delamere Forest is undiscovered territory. Frodsham is great.
Keep the jokes coming, the Yanks love ’em.
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Martin, There is supposedly a grand re-opening of the Forest Veiw Inn after the lockdown ends, my second nearest pub. I shall pop in for a reccie… Despite Covid, the optimistic part of me hopes for better things in future.
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I’m very optimistic, Andy.
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