FOLLOWING his exclusive revelations featured on the front page of this week's Stockport Express, Cheshire Sport owner Brian Kennedy has also admitted that he made an error in appointing Sammy McIlroy as manager in September, 2003.

There's no doubt it has been a dreadful 2004/05 campaign for Stockport County, but Kennedy is convinced that he now has the right man in the manager's position.

He said: 'We are all extremely disappointed with how things have panned out this season.

'Sammy McIlroy was afforded a budget which was way over initial projections because we wanted to compete in League One and hopefully make a push for promotion.

'We invested a load of money into County and ultimately will lose a fortune, and it's been a terrible season.

'We clearly hadn't appointed the right manager and the right management team, but I must take full responsibility for that.

'I just got it wrong when I appointed Sammy McIlroy, but now I think we've got the right man in Chris Turner.

'He is a good guy and his appointment is an intelligent long-term one. He'll knock Stockport County into shape.

'If we drop this season we drop though, I've done everything in my power to try and make County a success but it's just not worked out yet.

'Things are improving on and off the pitch though, the team is improving and we'll keep on striving to get the financial side right.

'There is a chink of light shining in the hope that County avoid relegation, but Saturday's defeat at Peterborough was a terrible result.

'But Chris Turner knows the situation and we've already planned two budgets for next season, one for if County stay up and one for if we go down.'

Meanwhile, County's Managing Director Kevan Taylor has moved quickly this week to dispel any rumours which suggested that the seats in the Vernon Stand at Edgeley Park were about to be ripped out.

Taylor said: 'I don't know what the seating restrictions are in League One and League Two, they are certainly softer than in the Championship and the Premiership.

'But I've got no immediate plans to be taking the seats out of the Vernon Stand.

'That's not been discussed at all.'

Even if that proposal had beeen on the cards, the Express can assure fans that it won't happen as changing the status of the ground is illegal.

• WHAT do you think about the current situation at Edgeley Park? Have your say...

Why not drop us a line, or email the Express Sportsdesk at: stocksport@gmwn.co.uk

The postal address is: Stockport Express Sportsdesk, Wood Street, Hollywood, Stockport, SK3 0AB.

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