Hatters in Town link-up

STOCKPORT County are to forge closer links with local team Stockport Town FC.

The relationship will include a sharing of management and coaching knowledge and extended playing opportunities for the development players at County and those leaving the Academy.

It is hoped the relationship will provide great benefits to both clubs, but more importantly for the elite young players of the area coming through the Academy.

An important and integral part of this relationship is that Alan Lord will combine his role as Director of Youth Development at Stockport County, with the parttime role as Head of the management team at Stockport Town FC.

County manager Jim Gannon said: “This relationship is a perfect fit and provides a fantastic opportunity for our current young players and the existing players at Stockport Town FC. Our young players have done well at under-19, under-21 and Cheshire Senior Cup level within the club, and the opportunity to add another level of experience playing regular semi-professional football under Alan Lord is exceptional.”

Over the last six months Jim Gannon and Alan Lord have been exploring ways of extending the football development experience for their Academy players.

The Academy staff are keen to provide a greater football challenge to players who acquit themselves well in the under-19 and under-21 programmes or find themselves on the fringes of the first team and need to be playing regular non-league football to further their development.

Jim Gannon said: “As the professional playing structures at the club extend and the profile and quality of the first team playing staff improves further, the development players will need greater playing experience and time to mature into professional players and need that really important intermediate step in men’s semi-professional football after their foundation at the Academy. We want to broaden and extend that opportunity for the players we want to remain within our development structures.”