Stockport County- A look ahead...

Form (last six): W-W-D-L-D-L

2002/03 Finish: League; Second Division: 14^th

FA Cup: Second Round

League Cup: Second Round

2002/03 Top Scorer: Luke Beckett - 29

2002/03 Discipline: 69 yellow, 4 red

2003/04 Top Scorer: Luke Beckett - 4

Saturday’s game at Meadow Lane will mark the dawning of a new era at Edgeley Park, as the contest sees Stockport's new manager, Sammy McIlroy in charge for the first time following his resignation from the Northern Ireland national team.

The prospect of a recently departed international manager has greatly excited the Stockport crowd following the departure of Carlton Palmer. McIlroy, pictured left, resigned from his post with Northern Ireland following a 29 game managerial stint with the country – in which he managed the Irish to 5 wins, 7 draws and 17 defeats, with his side recently finishing bottom of their qualifying group for Euro 2004.

However, the task of McIlroy, who has taken the job on a three-year contract, has been made that little bit harder as he arrives on the back of star striker,
Luke Beckett being ruled out for the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

Luke Beckett- Won't feature tomorrow

The striker has attracted the attention of a host of higher clubs, after he picked up a commendable 29 league goals last time round, even after the departure of up-and-coming target-man, Ben Burgess who saw the exit door as he departed to join former Notts striker Danny Allsopp at Third Division outfit, Hull City.

However, thinks aren’t all bad for the newly appointed manager as he steps into a club that, despite the all too familiar crippling financial position, has a squad that has some cast-iron mileage to come with it in the shape of Chris Williams (Striker), Jon Daly (striker), Andy Welsh (winger) and more notably their Hatter’s goalkeeper, James Spencer.

This home-grown shot-stopper has promisingly rose through Stockport’s youth ranks earning glowing reviews from the management staff at Stockport. Spencer became the club’s youngest-ever goalkeeper when he turned out a year-last-April to make a save worthy of a player far senior to his tender age of 16.

***Star Player*** - Aaron Wilbraham

Aaron Wilbraham- Will be a threat

Another fruit of the Stockport YTS and sure there are sure to be more and more as Stockport chairman, insists on building the future on financial stability and home-grown talent.

‘Alby’ is the nickname of choice amongst the Stockport crowd, previously featured for various Manchester City centre-of-excellence sides until his move to Edgeley Park came for the young striker where he broke through to the first-string side in March ’98 following a loan spell in Norway.

The 22-year-old marksmen spent most of the 2001/02 campaign on the sidelines with a niggling back injury before he went under the surgeon’s knife prior to beginning last season which kept the striker out until November 2002.

Wilbraham has scored 3 goals so far for the Hatters this time round including their away match at Hillsborough, in which Alby scored a brace which saw his side leave with a point in an otherwise dull 2-2 draw.

***Worth a flutter?*** - with William Hill book-makers [www.willhill.com]

Stockport Co: 11/10

Draw: 11/5

Notts Co: 2/1

DON’T MISS…

Later today, visitors to Notts County-Mad will see the return of ‘Opposition’s View’ – a column in which a carefully selected opposition supporter shares his/her thoughts with the site.