Phil-good factor
CITY STAR FODEN HOPES HATTERS CAN WIN A TITLE OF THEIR OWN
HE is known as the ‘Stockport Iniesta’ and now Manchester City’s hottest young star Phil Foden is hoping his local club can return to the EFL.
The forward, whose exciting progress has seen him make it into the England side, first kicked a ball in the streets of Edgeley where you can find Stockport County’s ground.
Although he was quickly spotted by Manchester City at the age of six, following a coaching session at his Bridge Hall Primary School in Stockport, his and the family’s awareness of their nearest club has never left them.
Now, with City having secured a third Premier League title in four seasons, he would love to see Stockport win promotion from the National League and end a 10-year exile from the EFL.
Today, they face Torquay United in a televised top-ofthe-table clash, with Foden admitting: “Stockport County are a big part of the community and the place still means a lot to me.
“I grew up in Edgeley, which is a small part of Stockport, close to the ground. I was always playing football out on the streets with my mates.”
After City expressed an early interest he was placed into a junior club based in Edgeley, Reddish Vulcans, where they kept an eye on him before they were able to officially sign him for their Under-nines set-up.
From then on, he has gone from strength to strength – in stark contrast to Stockport County, who, after losing their Football League status, sank even further into National League North.
But now, under new owner and County nut
Mark Stott, the club are finally on the rise again, with an ambitious set-up funded by the local businessman.
After sacking club legend Jim Gannon, who was in the midst of a third spell as manager, in January they brought in Simon Rusk, who had been in charge of Brighton’s Under-23s. The experienced Mark McGhee is his assistant.
They also installed Simon Wilson as their director of football, complete with an impressive CV.
He was Southampton’s performance analyst before spending 10 years with Manchester City helping shape their winning formula, which preceded a move to Sunderland as chief operating officer.
And former Blackburn striker Matt Jansen, as part of the player recruitment team, provides further proof that County mean business. Earlier in the year, they paid League
One Fleetwood Town £250,000 for striker Paddy Madden (above).
Despite a 15-game unbeaten run it seems likely that if Stockport are to make it into League Two, it will have to be via the nerve-racking play-offs.
Manager Rusk (left) said: “We’re in the mix, we are where we wanted to be. Our destiny is in our own hands.
“The run has been great and it shows we have real quality and resilience in the team. We can be proud of what the players are doing.
“It will be tough against Torquay, but we will be ready.”
Just a pity they can’t borrow the Stockport Iniesta.