It had looked for a long time like Stockport County would slip out of the Football League for the first time in more than 100 years with nothing more than a whimper.

Trailing to Junior Smikle’s first-half goal, County huffed and puffed against a dogged Cheltenham side, desperately trying to end a miserable season on a high.

That was until a group of the 5,027 fans who attended the Hatters’ Football League funeral decided to take matters into their own hands five minutes from time and stage a sit-down protest in the centre circle.



Whether they made their point to the board and Edgeley Park landlord Brian Kennedy is up for debate, but it certainly resonated with the players, who came out after the enforced time-out to snatch a stoppage-time equaliser via Greg Tansey’s penalty.

“It was an emotional day and it got to our players,” said caretaker manager Ray Mathias, whose contract expired after the game.

“I had a right go at the lads at half-time. Some maybe felt the pressure of the game but again they’ve got back in the game and drawn it and I was pleased with that.

“The players are a bit down,” he added. “There were a few things said that sometimes you don’t like saying but that’s football.

“I told them that the first-half performance was the reason they’ve gone down but credit to them, they’ve come back and shown what they’re capable of.”

Mathias was nothing if not diplomatic in his assessment of the demonstration which could now land the club in trouble with the FA.

As someone who still hopes to win the race to become the next permanent manager and who will need the fans’ support next season, he had little choice.

He said: “It wasn’t a naughty demonstration, it was just one where they’ve come on the pitch and made their stance really. I can understand but if the club come away with a fine then they’re doing damage to the football club.

“You feel for the fans sat in the centre circle but you feel for the club as well. I understand the fans’ frustrations but overall they’ve been different class this season.”

COUNTY: Glennon 6, Halls 7, Griffin 5, Goodall 6, Assoumani 6, Wallace 7, Tansey 6, Mainwaring 5 (Fisher 39, 6), Poole 6 (Turnbull 61), Rowe 6, Elding 6. Not used: Ormson, Lynch, Rose, Whitehead.

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