SUMMARY
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| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Ave Att: |
| 25 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5,020 |
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Programme Style – 2002/03.
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This issue was for the Bristol City game, on December 28th, and features Dave Challinor on the cover. Within 12 years he would be bringing his well financed AFC Fylde team to EP for National League North games.
The cover also reflects that 2002 was the 100 year anniversary of County playing at Edgeley Park. It was our ground; our home; and the physical embodiment of SCFC. A video looks back over the years – Celebrating 100 years at Edgeley Park.
Little did we know that within months we would be strangers in our own home. By the time the 2003/04 season started we were under new ownership; and so was the ground. In a litany of mismanagement over the next few years this was to be the cornerstone of all the travails to come.
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LATE RUN AVERTS A SECOND SUCCESSIVE DROP
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Twenty five home games in 2003, and an appalling record. Palmer lasted for just under nine months, and in that spell, apart from a 4 game winning streak in April, there was little to cheer, and to be truthful, not much more after the advent of Sammy McIlroy. The year started much as 2002 had finished. The first 10 league games produced a single win, and that on our first ever visit to Whaddon Road. As Jon Daly and Peter Wild gave us victory that afternoon there was no thought that Cheltenham’s ground would be a regular port of call a decade later, but not to face the landlords, but rather the tenants, Gloucester City.
By the time the end of March arrived there had been 16 games which had produced 15 points. That mid-table position as we came into 2003, had faded away. With 6 games left we had slipped to 20th, and only 2 points away from the drop zone. The prospect of a second successive relegation loomed large, given recent form. There then followed something that we hadn’t seen since September 1996, four wins in a row.
It was underpinned by Aaron Wilbraham, who hit the target 6 times in those game, although the goal I remember particularly was a long range screamer from Jim Goodwin at Northampton on Good Friday. The 12 points, to all intents and purposes, secured our place in Division 2 for the 2003/04 campaign. The defence had looked more secure in those last few weeks, aided by the introduction of Ola Tidman in goal, (who arrived from La Louvière in Blegium), and the short term loan of Gordon Greer, a centre-back, from Blackburn. The blessed relief of the season end gave us all a rest from things, with of course the hope that things might change.
And change they did, but not on the field.
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ELWOOD SELLS – THE ROAD TO DISASTER BECKONS
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It had been little secret for a fair while that Brendan Elwood was looking to dispose of his interest in County. Those who observed things knew that he was losing interest. The high days of the 1996/97 season, and the Second Tier Days were but fond memories. Andy KIlner had referred to the cash coming into the club from outgoing transfers, and then being asked to shop in the bargain basement. It may well be that there is a limited life to the tenure of football club owners – I happen to believe that there is.
So as the 2002/03 season finished a change of ownership occurred. Sale Sharks Rugby Union club, playing in the Premiership, needed a bigger ground than their home at Heywood Road. They had aspirations of becoming the northern bastion in what was predominantly a southern team league. And Heywood Road, holding 5,000 at a squeeze simply didn’t fit either the bill of the RFU’s requirement for ground capacity. Brian Kennedy, (the owner of the Everest double glazing outfit), had acquired the Club under his company Genesis, but in the early 2000’s transferred ownership to himself. He was more than a cute businessman, A sharp cookie, he has appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List, (last year, 2019, he was reputedly worth £275m). Guys don’t make that kind of money unless they are pretty ruthless in business.
The meeting of Kennedy and Elwood was a mismatch in business terms. Elwood was successful in his own right, but in business terms it was a case of man and boy. Kennedy bought out Elwood’s interest in County, forming Cheshire Sports in the process with the concept of both County and Sale playing at Edgeley Park. And it was the phrase “Elwood’s interest” that is key. It included the ground, the team, (for what it was worth), and the catering concession including corporate hospitality. The whole shooting match, lock stock and barrel. Elwood, who had been looking for out for quite a while, said on completion of the deal, “I am delighted to have found a successor who is committed to maintaining and developing the legacy I have helped create”.
Oh dear, how wrong could he have been? I recall going to a pre-season friendly to be greeted by Jeff Lawrenson who was firmly of the view that it was a good move. Jeff and I don’t disagree on much. but we did on that. I believed that it was madness, and my response to Jeff was, “mark my words this will end in tears”. And it did. With the take over went the ground, County’s home since 1902. We had celebrated 100 years at the ground the previous year. A video was produced commemorating the anniversary. The ground was now owned by Cheshire Sports – it was the one single act that gave those who followed Kennedy, (The Trust and the 2015 Group), no chance whatsoever.
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PALMER OUT, McILROY IN, LITTLE CHANGE
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There wasn’t much sign that the new owners were going to be investing much. We had some new players as the season dawned. A new keeper was needed after Tidman opted to go to Hillsborough. Palmer brought in Nick Colgan from Hibernian as the replacement, and added defender Rob Jones from Gateshead; Owen Morrison from Sheffield Wednesday; and Stuart Barlow, to add to the strikeforce. He arrived from Tranmere.
The season started at Wycombe, on what was unquestionably the hottest day I have ever watched football. The mercury rose to 98° and the two teams limped through the 90 minutes with the outcome being a narrow win for the hosts. The first 8 league games saw just one win and 6 points. Only Wycombe, Notts County and Chesterfield were keeping us off the bottom of the table. Things hadn’t been helped as Luke Beckett picked up a season ending injury against Port Vale. The new hierarchy moved relatively swiftly and Palmer’s 22 month tenure was ended.
John Hollins, the Director of Football, was put in temporary charge, and his reign lasted for 5 league and 2 cup matches. Kennedy then brought in Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy. He had done a good job at Macclesfield taking them from the Conference to the third tier, before taking the NI job. He had 12 games up until the turn of the year – they produced 3 wins and 5 draws. We made another exit to a non-league team in the FA Cup on another desperate afternoon at Stevenage.
One of the few highlights of that period was a nine goal thriller against Wrexham in the LDV Vans Trophy. We shaded it 5-4, after being 4-2 down. But it was one of the few glimpses of light. The other was a single goal win down at the Withdean Stadium, Brighton. My visit there delivered to me the experience of the worst ever ground on which I have watched league football.
The last game of the year was a draw down in Burslem. The league table showed us 21st – there needed to be an improvement in 2004 if the threat of relegation was to be averted.
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Back to 2002 Forward to 2004 Home Games Summary Page Away Games 2003..
THE HOME GAMES I SAW THIS YEAR
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| Day | Date | Competition | Tier / Round | Opponents | Res | F | A | Crowd | Home Game |
| Wed | 01/01/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Port Vale | D | 1 | 1 | 4,390 | 683 |
| Sat | 18/01/03 (Highlights) | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Swindon Town | L | 2 | 5 | 4,318 | 684 |
| Sat | 01/02/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Colchester United | D | 1 | 1 | 4,011 | 685 |
| Sat | 15/02/03 (Highlights) | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Oldham Athletic | L | 1 | 2 | 8,168 | 686 |
| Sat | 01/03/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Cardiff City | D | 1 | 1 | 5,385 | 687 |
| Tue | 04/03/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Chesterfield | W | 2 | 1 | 4,428 | 688 |
| Tue | 18/03/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Wigan Athletic | D | 1 | 1 | 6,719 | 689 |
| Sat | 22/03/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Blackpool | D | 2 | 2 | 6,599 | 690 |
| Sat | 12/04/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Plymouth Argyle | W | 2 | 1 | 5,484 | 691 |
| Mon | 21/04/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Huddersfield Town | W | 2 | 1 | 7,159 | 692 |
| Sat | 03/05/03 (Highlights) | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Tranmere Rovers | L | 2 | 3 | 7,236 | 693 |
| Sat | 16/08/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Luton Town | L | 1 | 2 | 4,566 | 694 |
| Mon | 25/08/03 (Highlights) | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Tranmere Rovers | D | 1 | 1 | 4,886 | 695 |
| Sat | 06/09/03 (Highlights) | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Port Vale | D | 2 | 2 | 5,316 | 696 |
| Tue | 16/09/03 (Highlights) | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Hartlepool United | L | 1 | 2 | 4,021 | 697 |
| Sat | 20/09/03 (Highlights) | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Blackpool | L | 1 | 3 | 5,420 | 698 |
| Sat | 04/10/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Chesterfield | D | 0 | 0 | 4,764 | 699 |
| Sat | 18/10/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Notts County | D | 2 | 2 | 4,727 | 700 |
| Tue | 21/10/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Colchester United | L | 1 | 3 | 3,683 | 701 |
| Sat | 01/11/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Queens Park Rangers | L | 1 | 2 | 5,461 | 702 |
| Wed | 05/11/03 | LDV Vans Trophy | Northern Round 2 | Wrexham | W | 5 | 4 | 1,469 | 703 |
| Sat | 22/11/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | AFC Bournemouth | W | 3 | 2 | 4,622 | 704 |
| Tue | 09/12/03 | LDV Vans Trophy | Northern Quarter Final | Blackpool | L | 0 | 1 | 2,337 | 705 |
| Sat | 13/12/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Brentford | D | 1 | 1 | 4,081 | 706 |
| Fri | 26/12/03 | Nationwide Football League – Division 2 | Tier 3 | Wrexham | L | 0 | 1 | 6,256 | 707 |
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