County Cuts. Phil Brennan now gone

So another life-long County fanatic and multi-tasking employee leaves the club.

Phil Brennan, Media Manager (responsible for the very well respected County match day programme and official web site), Retail manager (prime mover in re-locating our club shop back to where it should be – under the Cheadle End in a fairly spacious position) and Commercial Manager.

See tribute from the club here

So, Phil Brennan, an example of multi-tasking at its best. What efficiency and dedication the club have been so fortunate to have in one individual.

In fact I could have sworn I have seen Phil up the floodlights of an evening changing the bulbs. And of course sweeping the Main Stand as he almost single-handedly drove large parts of the club along.

And now a victim of the ‘austerity’ being imposed by our Chief Exec, Mr Ryan McKnight.

Now, I am really trying to keep an open mind about what is going on at County.

On the face of it Mr McKnight’s efforts to mould County into a club that is financially self-efficient seems to be common sense.

With apologies to Dickens:

‘Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness.

Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought and six, result misery.’

We have had too much misery at this club for decades now.

If you have got half an hour, please make a make a brew and listen to this excellent Pure interview with McKnight (and Mary McGee-Wood of the Co-op and Ian Dooley from the Supporters Club)

Pure Interview

So I want to believe in McKnight. I really do. I want a club that is self-sustainable and with a sound future but something just niggles away at me.

If we end up with a club half the size we are now, with gates of a thousand playing somewhere other than Edgeley Park, well, that may be Stockport County in name but in spirit I think it will be something else.

Count me out in this scenario.

Is the aim to move us out of Edgeley Park so that certain parties profit from some kind of land deal? Welcome to Edgeley Park retail centre? Welcome to Edgeley Park – modern urban dwelling?

Or is the aim really to create a financially balanced skeleton of a club that would be just right for a take over / new investment?

I pray it is the latter. Maybe then County will again be staffed by the Phil Brennans of this world.


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