A walk in the (Edgeley) Park.

[m1234566778]

Couple of notes: First real save for a couple of months, first story for well, a good while. Holidayed through the first season initially in the hope of embarking on dafuges challenge - only to be tempted by the delights of Stockport (pronounced by locals I hear as, Stockpooooooort).

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23.6.12

Today I was announced as the new manager of Blue Square North side Stockport County. The club were relegated from the Blue Square Premier after several nightmare seasons which saw them drop from League One to the second tier of non-league football. I was given my budgets immediately and it didn't make for good reading. I was given £6,000 per week for wages despite the fact that the club was already spending over £7,000 per week and I was given just £11,000 for transfers. This was going to be harder than I thought, but hey, it's a job and a route back into the game I love. I shouldn't be at this stage of my footballing career just yet, I'm 32, and had to retire mid-way through the season just gone due to a knee injury which kept returning. In November I was joint top scorer in League 1 and by January I was studying for my coaching badges. That's football for you though.

Anyway, my first task as manager was to arrange some friendlies. I planned to arrange 3 for the first week back into training, thus giving me the opportunity to see all my players and give some of the younger lads and trialists a game. I rang a couple of clubs and within the hour had arranged 3 matches. We would travel to Bacup, Glossop and also Barnoldswick over the first weeks of July. These were all local games against competitive non-league competition. I got the media chap to put the news on the website and my first task as manager of Stockport was complete. Tommorow I would meet the press and then my real managerial journey would begin. Signing players, swearing, drinking spirits and **** like that.*