Edgeley Park is the kind of ground that reminds you what football used to look like before every club rebuilt with identikit steel and plastic. It’s tight, a bit rough around the edges, and absolutely brilliant on a good day. The Cheadle End behind the goal is where the noise comes from – a covered terrace that generates an atmosphere completely out of proportion to the ground’s 10,800 capacity. When County are winning, it’s one of the best days out in lower-league football.
Stockport’s recent trajectory has been remarkable. They dropped out of the Football League in 2011 and spent years in non-league, nearly going bust in the process. The revival under Mark Stott’s ownership has been properly impressive – back-to-back promotions, the ground being upgraded bit by bit, and crowds that have more than doubled. League One football at Edgeley Park was unthinkable five years ago.
The ground sits just south of Stockport town centre, about a ten-minute walk from Stockport station. From Manchester Piccadilly it’s a quick train ride – fifteen minutes and you’re there. That accessibility is part of the appeal. You don’t need to plan a military operation to get to a game. There’s street parking in the surrounding roads if you’re driving, but the train is easier.
Pre-match, The Armoury on Shaw Heath is the main pub and it’s proper. Good beer, football on the screens, full of County fans. The Blossoms on the same road is another option. Inside the ground, the food is standard football fare – pies, Bovril, the usual – but priced fairly for the level.
County are one of those clubs that people across Greater Manchester have a soft spot for. They’re nobody’s rivals, really. The ground has character, the fans are loyal, and the matchday experience is football stripped back to its basics. If you’ve never been, go.
