Stockport County on verge of promotion as fans get ready to party

‘We are sure there will be celebrations into the night if all goes to plan’

With their team on the verge of promotion, Stockport County supporters are getting ready for a celebration. To guarantee their spot in League 1 for the following season, the Hatters need only one point from their match against Morecambe on Saturday at Edgeley Park.

If they lost and MK Dons lost to third-place Mansfield at home, they may still rise. If they triumph and Mansfield and Wrexham, who are in second place, lose, they might also win the championship.

For the first time in fourteen years, County would be back in England’s third division after their second promotion in three seasons. And it would culminate an incredible few years for the team, which as late as 2018 was playing sixth-tier regional football in National League North.

READ MORE: “Edgeley prospers when County prospers.” Everyone must now be given a voice.

The Hatters made a comeback to the Football League in 2022, coinciding with local investor Mark Stott’s acquisition of the team in 2020. And after a 1-1 draw at Wembley in May of last year, they lost on penalties to Carlisle United and almost missed out on back-to-back promotions.

“I’m still going to be the boring fellow who’ll say ‘you’ve worked so hard to get to this situation,’ and when we do get promoted, we want to go up as champions,” manager Dave Challinor said after Tuesday’s 2-1 victory at Colchester. That remains our goal, and achieving two victories will enable us to achieve it.

“So if we are going to enjoy it, let’s make sure we enjoy it properly and put everything we can into the next 10 days or however long it may be and have a proper celebration.”

The promotion of 2022, and last season’s play-off semi-final win, saw huge parties both inside the ground and in the streets of Edgeley afterwards.

The Edgeley Community Association (ECA), comprising the party’s three ward councillors, posted on social media after Tuesday’s 2-1 at Colchester saying: “Following County’s impressive win last night, we now have to have a working assumption that they are highly likely to be promoted on the weekend to League 1.