Former Stockport County midfielder Matt Mainwaring believes the club have the tools in place to aim for the National League title after last season’s playoff heartache.
Picture by EMPICS
County starting as favourites
Simon Rusk’s side are among the favourites to win the division this year along with other ex-Football League sides Wrexham, Chesterfield and Notts County.
Rusk took County to third place last season, but lost to eventual playoff winners Hartlepool United at the semi-final stage.
The manager has made eye-catching signings over the summer including ex-Barrow forward Scott Quigley and 18-year-old centre back Will Fish on a season-long loan from Manchester United. Striker Paddy Madden dropped two divisions to join the club late last season from Fleetwood Town and averaged a goal every two games.
“It’s only right that County are being talked about as favourites. The club is a sleeping giant at this level. This year we have to target going up automatically. The backing is in place from the club and County are starting to attract really strong players. It’s a real statement of intent when you bring in players like Paddy with his quality and goal scoring ability. When you add the new signings to the strong backbone already in place, the fans have a lot to be excited about.The squad didn’t quite make the grade last year, but they’ve made some key additions and it’s right they’re being talked about as potential champions,” he said.
Rusk has backing of Edgeley Park faithful
Rusk was brought into the club in January, less than a week after previous boss Jim Gannon was sacked despite the club sitting fourth in the table. A statement cited that results were not the problem, and it was more down to ‘culture’ at the club.
The news didn’t go down well with fans, with Gannon widely regarded as one of the club’s best ever managers. He led the club to two promotions, saved the club from relegation on the final day of the season and won the club’s first title in over 50 years across three spells as manager. He also made 383 appearances for the club as a player.
Mainwaring believes it was always going to be a difficult start for the new man in charge in the circumstances. The former Brighton Under 23s manager may quietly be glad that Covid restrictions prevented fans from being at matches early in his tenure.
“Any manager coming in after Jim was going to have a tough time. The success he’s had over the years,he’s a legend at the club so it was almost a lose/lose situation for Simon. It doesn’t matter who it was, people were going to be unhappy. He’s done brilliantly, and I think he has now won the fans over. If they get a good start to the season, especially with fans back at Edgeley Park, it will be an electric atmosphere around the club,” he said.
Perfect blend of youth and experience
As the years pass, the presence of the club’s National League North winning side continues to dwindle following the summer releases of Nyal Bell and Adam Thomas.
There is however still a strong core of this successful team, with goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe, defenders Ash Palmer and Sam Minihan and midfielder Jordan Keane still at the club. Jamie Stott is out on a season-long loan at AFC Fylde.
Mainwaring believes these players, along with other experienced personnel including Liam Hogan, John Rooney and Madden will help the younger players in the squad.
“You need these players to help the lads at the start of their footballing journey. There’s no substitute for experience. Working alongside the experienced players is key for the younger lads who haven’t tasted what it takes to win a title over a full season. The first building block of a title-winning side is a good goalkeeper, and what a player Ben Hinchliffe is to have at this level. The club has a big positive vibe around it and they’re not having to sell players to balance the books like in the past. It’s a solid squad of players, who could all compete for places in Football League sides,” he said.
Things are looking up
The National League has a reputation of being a graveyard of former Football League clubs, with some justification - 11 of the 23 clubs have played League football in the past two decades, while previously unthought of clubs including Sutton United, Forest Green Rovers and Harrogate Town have made their way into League Two at a rapid pace.
It’s a difficult league to get out of, with only the title winners promoted automatically, but there is little doubt that County owner Mark Stott is doing what he can to prepare the club for a return to the Football League.
The players now train at Carrington’s state-of-the-art facility, and there are plans to upgrade Edgeley Park’s capacity to over 22,000 in time, starting with a redevelopment of the Popular side. Add to this the improvements already made at the ground - including a new scoreboard, new seating and refurbished concourse areas - and it’s hard not to be impressed by the investment the new ownership has put into the club.
In many ways it’s just reward for an incredibly loyal but long-suffering fanbase, who have seen their side go into administration, plummet down the divisions and watch some awful football under some questionable managers over the last 15 years. It’s only two decades since the club were playing in a league higher than Manchester City, and beating them regularly when their paths crossed in the intervening seasons. Both clubs’ fortunes since then could not be more stark.
Only United and City are bigger in Greater Manchester
The money being spent on and off the pitch won’t go unnoticed by their rivals, but a club with a seven-year plan to reach the Championship can’t hang around and hope for the best. Mainwaring is glad to see the club back on a positive trajectory after a long time in the doldrums - and says only Manchester United and City are bigger clubs in the area.
“There’s a real buzz around the place now - there were spells where that was missing, with the club fighting to stay up and selling the best players to balance the books. It’s not a nice feeling. The squad now must feel great because the club is ploughing forwards to get the club back where it belongs. The club is at least a League One side, that in time realistically is a Championship side. A club like County shouldn’t have suffered like it has. Players want to train in environments like Carrington. They’ll enjoy their football and now there’s both a manager and backroom staff who want to drag the club forward,” he said.
Mainwaring prospering in life after football
Mainwaring had a number of spells at Edgeley Park from 2008-11, before returning on loan from Hull City a year later and rejoining upon his release from the Championship club.
After retiring from football, he took up boxing professionally and was unbeaten in five fights.
The multi-talented 31-year-old - who also works as a model and actor - has just graduated from Salford University with a first class degree in physiotherapy.
Stockport open their season at home to Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday August 22.
