Stockport County can trace its history back to 1883 when a group of teenagers met to form a football team, calling themselves Heaton Norris Rovers.
They all lived in the Heaton Norris area of Stockport and first met as Sunday school scholars at the Wycliffe Congregational Church. Situated in the heart of Stockport on Wellington Road North, the church remains a place of worship to this day and has a special place in the hearts of County supporters.
With its roots firmly embedded in the local community, Stockport County Football Club has survived to this point, almost entirely down to the special bond that it has with the local community. That commitment continues to this day, and can be seen in the many initiatives the club has instigated recently. This includes a focus to support Wycliffe Church, as it faces the challenge of maintaining a large Victorian building that requires constant funding for its upkeep.
When the Club decided to wear a special shirt for their recent 140th anniversary game against Preston, the earliest known colours of “dark blue” were chosen and a special badge was designed. Fittingly, at its centre was a proud representation of the church from which the club was born. At the game, the church were invited to do a bucket collection and County fans generously donated over £480.
The Club framed one of the replica Heaton Norris Rovers shirts, with Chief Operating Officer Tom Mahon and Community Trust Operations Manager Dave Wardle visiting recently to present this. The church is very proud of its association with County, with a prestigious blue plaque celebrating this connection outside the main entrance, and this unique shirt will only cement this special relationship.
The club are looking at other ways to further support the church, and it is planned that they will be invited to make another Edgeley Park collection at a game later in the season.
