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It's not going to go away, is it? The constant references to that horrible Iain Dowie own goal the last time we set foot in Stockport.

It was 25 years ago, I can’t really believe that, but next week’s FA Cup third round tie at Edgeley Park will be haunted by it. You can bet that Dowie ends up on a TV gantry somewhere!




It really should be of no consequence, so much have times changed. Back then in 1996, County were having the greatest season in their history. They won promotion to the old First Division (now Championship) and reached the League Cup semi- finals.

At our expense as well as Southampton and Blackburn, who all fell to the little south Manchester upstarts. And they almost got to Wembley, having lost a first leg on their own ground in the semis to Middlesbrough, 2-0, but produced a remarkable 1-0 win in the second leg at the old Ayresome Park.

A great performance but a cruel way for their glory run to end.

Not half as cruel as the fate that befell us earlier in the tournament however, a fourth round replay on December 18 to be accurate. There were 9,834 folk there, about 1,000 of whom were West Ham fans. Yours truly was working that night, so I was fortunate to be under cover.

My then teenage son was not so lucky, being in the midst of our support on the then uncovered end, with rain pouring down all night. My lad is 40 now but I still feel he is mentally scared by the experience!

That laughable own goal from Dowie, powered with such clinical accuracy into the far corner past Ludo Miklosko, was right in front of the stunned West Ham faithful. If you ever see a TV re-run - and I you will ahead of next week’s tie - there was barely a movement behind that goal, our lot so drenched and frozen to the spot in disbelief.




Of course we should never have been in that position. People forget there was the little matter of a 1-1 draw at Upton Park, our goal coming from Florin Raducioiu, one of only three in 12 games for us, culminating in that infamous shopping spree which he chose, Harry Redknapp claimed, instead of being on the coach for the replay.

You knew it wasn’t going to end well, didn’t you?

All we had to do was beat little Stockport and we were in the quarter finals. To be fair to Stockport they produced an even more remarkable triumph in the last eight, drawing at home to Southampton (2-2) and then winning the replay at the Dell 2-1 despite a Matt Le Tissier early goal for the Saints. So these results were no flukes for Dave Jones’ side.

Even so, in our replay Julian Dicks had us ahead on 22 minutes. Dowie’s ridiculous own goal came a minute later and while we were still in a state of shock, Brett Angell netted four minutes later.

If I recall we battered County after that, but could not find an equaliser. I can still recall my son, a picture of drenched misery, in the silent car ride home, Stockport being just up the road from where we both still live. He’s never forgotten the experience of that night.

Just one man figured in both ties and is still around at Stockport, their manager Jim Gannon, then a player but now in his third spell as manager of County. And guess what, he’s a West Ham fan.

Gannon was born and brought up in Southwark, and has always been a West Ham fan. He says: “I couldn’t have asked for a better draw. Not many people know I am a West Ham fan from childhood.

“One of my greatest playing days for County was playing in that cup tie at Upton Park. A dream come true for me then. I can’t wait to welcome David Moyes and the Hammers to County for this tie. It will bring back a few memories.”




But this time should surely be different. This is not the Stockport we last confronted. They are non-league now, fresh up to the National League after a horrific plunge down the football pyramid.

Just ten years ago they were relegated into the then Conference. They lasted in Division One for five seasons until 2002, but a constant financial crisis saw then crash out of the Football League in 2011. Two seasons later they found themselves in the Conference North.

It took them six years to get out of that division, winning the title in 2019 and last season missing out on the National League play-offs by a couple of points when the season was abandoned due to the pandemic. Now, owned by vastly-welthy businessman Mark Stott they are right in the mix for promotion back to the Fourth Division.

So we should put to the back of our minds the Stockport County we all remember, a tough, resilient club who survived for decades by playing on Friday nights to avoid Manchester United or Manchester City home games each weekend a matter of six miles up the road.

They did OK. They always managed to attract a decent crowd as well as players on their way down from United or City. Mike Summerbee was manager at one stage. But now this is a different County, non league and that level of player. The gap between us and them now is massive. Don’t forget we put eight past Macclesfield Town last season, the season they went out business.

So as long as we keep Iain Dowie out of the dressing room, we surely must be able to put on a good show for the TV cameras on Monday. It would exorcise a few ghosts from certain members of my family, at least!

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