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First County Visit:	Saturday 12th October 1991
Competition:	Barclays League Division 3 – (Tier 3)
Result:	Birmingham City 3 – 0 Stockport County
Attendance:	12,364
Away Trip:	54
Away Day:	217
County Line-up	1 Neil Edwards; 2 Darren Knowles; 3 Paul R Williams; 4 Andy Thorpe; 5 Tony Barras; 6 Bill Williams; 7 Jim Gannon; 8 Chris Beaumont (14 Alan Finley); 9 Kevin Francis (12 Mark Lillis); 10 Peter Ward; 11 Andy Kilner
Manager:	Danny Bergara
County Visits:	10

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10 VISITS; 10 DEFEATS; & A HORRIFIC INJURY

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So there’s precious little to commend a trip to St Andrews but it resonates more now than in did in the 1990’s.  My daughter-in-law, Katy, is a lifelong “Blues” aficionado so I hear plenty about them.  Clearly her father Mark, has drilled this into her from the earliest days.  Her strength of conviction even came out in the traditional “Father of the Bride” speech at the nuptials in July 2017.

He recounted a tale from her childhood which related to having tea at a friends house.  On being offered a variety of desserts she decided on yoghourt, but on production of the same stated that she couldn’t ever eat that.  It wasn’t the product itself but more the manufacturer.  Deadly rivals, always known as “The Villa”, were sponsored at the time by Müller, and sure enough it was manufactured by them.  So it was a case of missing out on dessert!!  I did incur Mark’s wrath shortly after Rob and Katy got together, as she joined us in a trip to the Kassam Stadium one afternoon in September 2010 rather than her joining him for the far shorter trip to the Hawthorns to see “Blues” take on the Baggies.!!

She got the better part of the deal that day as she saw a rare sighting at that time – a County away win as Birmingham went down that afternoon. I’ve since had the pleasure of her company at the McAlpine and Aggborough but sad to say the attractions of County for her have dissipated in the last few years, and quite rightly too after the arrival of our grand-daughter Amelia.  They live in Solihull which has always made for a family get-together as a must on away trips to Damson Park.

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The ground has, these days, changed out of all recognition from that on my first visit in October 1991.  Nowadays it is bright and shiny but sadly all-seated.  Three sides of the ground have been completely rebuilt.  28 years ago it was had it been since the early 1960’s.  As County fans we were based in the Tilton End – a fairly substantial terrace, partly covered, but one which had seen better days. (Pictured above). Indeed it had remained unchanged since at least 1939, by which time a small cover had been erected at the rear of the terrace, which itself had been in place since the ground was opened in 1906.  So it was pretty primitive, but afforded a great “behind the goal” view given it’s size.

The view might have been good, but what happened on the pitch was far less so.  The two teams came into the game having had good starts to the season.  Blues stood 2^nd, (level on points with leaders Brentford), a point ahead of the Hatters who had put old foes Bradford City to a 4-1 sword a week previously.

A much awaited game was a real let down as we subsided to a 3-0 defeat compounded by a bad afternoon for Andy Kilner, who after missing a penalty, (from memory) then had first use of the soap after getting his marching orders.  What really took my attention was the Kop to our left. (Pictured below)

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It looked similar in size to the Pop side at Leeds Road and Maine Road’s Kippax Street.  It obviously had far fewer in that afternoon, despite a decent crowd of over 12,000, but there was a good level of noise coming from within who then departed basking in a comfortable victory

Normally multiple visits to grounds give the same view.  However, at St Andrews we have been stationed in 3 different areas over the course of the 10 trips.  Behind the goal at the far end from my first visit stood the Railway Stand, hemmed in by a train line immediately behind.  The available space had been put to good use , with what had obviously been terracing at the front, albeit that this had now been replaced by some fairly rudimentary seating.  Behind that was a steep seated area to the rear.  It as here in which we were placed for the next few visits. 

The Kop and Tilton End had disappeared by then, despite only 3 and half years having elapsed since that first visit. The replacement by seating throughout may have been an improvement to some, but not to my eyes, with the traditional terracing gone.  It meant that we were in the seating in the Railway End. By that time there was already talk that this was to be replaced as well, although it took another 4 years to happen, after resolution of a dispute with Railtrack over land ownership.  I liked the view from there as well.  Decent height from a behind the goal view is always an advantage and it offered it well – not that the spectacles that unfolded brought any satisfaction.  The first time in the Railway End was in February 1995, and it made for a slightly surreal experience.

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Since a first sighting at Sincil Bank in February 1991, when he came off the bench in a 3-0 win, Kevin Francis had been a hero to all County fans. The bald statistics tell all – 197 full and 5 substitute appearances had yielded 117 goals – a phenomenal return and once which demonstrates just what an integral role he had played over that period.  The fact that he earned the accolade of County’s “Player of the Century” is a testament in itself.  Peter Freeman’s book, Stockport County Encyclopaedia and History Update 1994 – 2000, sums things up:

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“A £60,000 signing from Derby County on 21^st February 1991, the incomparable Kevin Francis was hardly seen as the last piece of the jigsaw in County’s fight for promotion.  Looking both ungainly and uncoordinated he was initially viewed as something of a joke figure and, at 6ft 7 inches, found it impossible to hide.  However, with the aid of a stunning individual goal at Wrexham in the run-in to promotion, he slowly began to win round the fans, and by the following season had become County’s first ever cult hero. 

Driven on by the County coaching staff, Danny Bergara’s most inspired signing gave County a higher profile, both literally and figuratively, than before or since.  The more he was derided by the opposing fans the harder he worked and the more popular he became.  Francis’s all-round game improved immeasurably as he became one of the best ever retrievers of lost causes.  And all the time the goals kept coming.

His goals were responsible for County getting to Wembley for the first time and he became the first County scorer there.  For the first time since the days of Jack Connor in the 1950’s, ‘Super Kev’ scored more than 30 goals a season two years running.  On 19^th April 1994, his second strike against Port Vale enable him to become only the third County player to score 100 goals in all competitions,

Unfortunately County’s Wembley jinx denied them promotion in the 1994 Play-Off Final and, with co-striker Andy Preece departing to then Premier League Crystal Palace, Francis appeared to become restless.  When his home town team Birmingham City made an approach a move was inevitable.  After a last home appearance on New Years Eve 1994, when inevitably he scored, he was transferred for a record £800,000 on 20^th January 1995″.

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His record says it all. 197 full and 5 substitute appearances yielding 117 goals. I was privileged to see the vast majority of his games in a County shirt

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Fifteen days later we travelled down the M6 to St Andrews.  Francis was in the Birmingham team and although he didn’t score as we went down 1-0, (a Tony Dinning own goal giving Blues the spoils), just seeing someone who had been an integral part of OUR team for the previous 4 years was a strange feeling. It was almost as if a page in history had been turned. He had thrilled us without doubt, but it was now onto the future.  They say that you should never return to the scenes of previous triumphs and very sadly this was proved spot on.  Francis returned to EP in early 2000, leaving Oxford who had moved to after his time at Birmingham.  By that time the ravages of time were manifesting themselves.  It was an ill-fated time.  A mere 4 games, not a goal and after turning out against Manchester City in March 2000 that was it for his time at County.  Bizarrely that very same game saw the last County appearance for Jim Gannon, who was stretchered off.  Two real legends ended their EP careers on that self-same evening.

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An abiding, and truly sickening, memory of trips to St Andrews came in January 1998.  We went there twice in 72 hours.  An FA Cup exit on the Saturday was followed by a League game the following Tuesday. Both teams were in with a shout of reaching the Play-Offs, and elevation to the highest echelon of the English game.  The match went the usual way for us and a comprehensive defeat was already on the cards, (having been 3 down in the first 30 minutes), when deep in the second half midfield maestro Tom Bennett went into a challenge near the centre circle.  It was as good as a career defining moment.

Bennett, (pictured below), had come to us in 1995 in return for £75,000 after a decent time at Wolves after being with Villa as a youngster without making a first team appearance for them.  Together with Chris Marsden he formed a midfield partnership which was crucial to the success of the annus mirabilis in 1996/97.  He featured in 63 of the 67 games that season – in what was undoubtedly the best team in my time watching County, and quite possibly in the whole history of the Club. A virtual ever-present the following season, having missed only one game going into the fixture at St Andrews his influence was still vital, but sadly Chris Marsden was now in the blue and white of Birmingham having been part of the exodus which saw Paul Jones; Lee Todd and Marsden himself move on straight after the end of the promotion season. 

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The ball ran loose near the centre circle and Bennett and a Birmingham player, (quite possible Martin O’Connor, although I stand ready to be corrected on that), came together.  We had been allocated the seating at the front of the Main Stand so were probably no more than 30 yards from the incident.  They came together in what could euphemistically be termed an old fashioned challenge but without any malice, and as they did the ground fell silent as what can only be described as something like a rifle shot echoed through the air.  Bennett’s leg had been broken.  I’ve never heard anything like that before and everyone in the ground knew immediately what the outcome was. 

Play halted immediately, and physios, St Johns Ambulance and the County management dashed to the scene.  There was an eerie silence as oxygen cylinders were summoned.  It must have taken 10 minutes for the immediate care and attention to be given, and eventually Bennett was taken off, not to the dressing rooms, but to the corner of the ground where an ambulance was stationed.

At 4-1 down the “added time’ board went up. Nobody had any heart for the game and Gary Megson pleaded with the fourth official to end the game there and then. To no avail, other than a considerable shortening of the added time allocation. Even the referee must have recognised the situation, and added on the mimum he could get away with. There were a further 4 minutes to be endured and the two teams just went through the motions, It had been a distressing evening.

It was to be another 13 months before we saw Bennett again and he was to make only another 8 starts for the Hatters.  Without the injury it is quite possible his career would have progressed on upwards.  He went on to play around 200 games for the likes of Walsall; Boston and Kidderminster but to my way of thinking he never had the opportunity to fulfil his full potential.  A crying shame, given just how much he had contributed in the 147 occasions he wore the blue and white.  It shows just how temporal a football career can be even if the odds are weighed against you.

The prospect of ever visiting St Andrews again is more than remote at the time I write.  I’d like to, maybe in another 6 or 7 years, accompanied by Rob and Katy and of course Amelia!  Three generations, with affiliations to both Clubs, would be a memorable occasion!!

April 2020

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VISITS

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Day	Date	Competition	Tier / Round	Opponents	Res	F	A	Crowd	Away Day
Sat	12/10/91	Barclays League Division 3	Tier 3	Birmingham City	L	0	3	12,364	217
Sat	04/02/95	Endsleigh League Division 2	Tier 3	Birmingham City	L	0	1	17,160	294
Sat	25/01/97	FA Cup	Round 4	Birmingham City	L	1	3	18,487	344
Wed	17/09/97	Coca-Cola Cup	Round 2 – 1st Leg	Birmingham City	L	1	4	4,900	365
Sat	24/01/98 (Highlights)	FA Cup	Round 4	Birmingham City	L	1	2	15,882	376
Tues	27/01/98	Nationwide Football League – Division 1	Tier 2	Birmingham City	L	1	4	17,118	377
Tues	08/09/98	Nationwide Football League – Division 1	Tier 2	Birmingham City	L	0	2	16,429	390
Sat	29/01/00	Nationwide Football League – Division 1	Tier 2	Birmingham City	L	1	2	17,150	420
Tues	17/10/00	Nationwide Football League – Division 1	Tier 2	Birmingham City	L	0	4	15,579	431
Mon	27/08/01 (Highlights)	Nationwide Football League – Division 1	Tier 2	Birmingham City	L	1	2	18,478	447

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ON MY JOURNEY WITH COUNTY AROUND 180 GROUNDS

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Previously – VICTORIA GROUND (STOKE) Next stop – DEAN COURT