Pride As Lions Roar - Badgers Up Sett !!!

And so to the southern outskirts of Stafford and the Silkmore Lane Sports Ground where Brocton host Stockport Town in a NWCFL Division One South clash. The home side is looking to get back on track after a 4-1 mauling by Stafford Town in El Staffico on Tuesday...

Brocton FC was formed in 1937 when Arthur Mayer, landlord of the Chetwynd Arms pub in Brocton village donated the original match ball and, more importantly, provided the field beside his pub as the club's pitch.

The Badgers (naturally !) competed in the Rugeley and District League (champions in 1947) and then the Cannock Chase League, winning six titles, the last in 1978.

Between 1979 and 1991, the club stepped up to the Staffordshire County League (South) before gaining a much prized place in the Staffordshire Senior League (at one point called the Midland League). This necessitated a move to Rowley Park Stadium in Stafford away from 'The Chet'.

In 2003 an application to the Midlands Football Combination was successful, the club having moved to Cannock Stadium the season before. After a year, however, Cannock Stadium was no longer available (it was shortly to be demolished and sold for housing) so a further move was made to the Coppice Colliery ground of Heath Hayes for a 4 year period by which time Brocton had secured a 30 year lease on a former sports field belonging to Staffordshire Police at Silkmore Lane in Stafford and had developed it to a standard suitable for the Midland Combination.

In 2013/14 Brocton, under manager John Berks, were the last winners of the Midland Combination League before this competition merged with the Midland Alliance to form the Midland League, with the Badgers promoted to membership of the Midland League Premier Division at step 5. But three years later relegation to Division 1 beckoned, and coronavirus scuppered the 2019/20 promotion bid with the season declared null and void.

In May 2021, following league restructuring, the Badgers were placed into the North West Counties Football League Division One South, where they currently sit 14th (of 19) with 13 points from 13 games...but one place above Stockport who are 3 points behind but with a game in hand.

Stockport Town FC, 'The Lions', was formed in February 2014 but their initial request to join the North West Counties in the Premier Division was refused in the summer of 2014. After a year of preparation (or in the wilderness....) they were allowed to join Division One at the start of the 2015/16 season.

Previous tenants Stockport Sports, formerly Woodley Sports, who were playing in the Premier Division, were expelled from the league early in 2015 for postponing games, and, amidst unpaid debts, were liquidated. Conspiracy theories abounded... 2019/20 saw Town in 9th place when the season was abandoned, notwithstanding Robbie Savage stepping out of retirement to make a 10-minute cameo appearance against now defunct FC Oswestry Town.

And last season saw only seven league fixtures fulfilled; the highlight being an FA cup giant-killing at Skelmersdale.

Against a sky like tarmac, the M6 beckons with today's numberplates en route being V17NYL (a flooring company), MU51CKS (the world renowned Forsyths Music Shop) and the truly execrable DJ 53XEE... It's not long before I'm assaulted by lorry trailers next to the motorway - this time Three Wrens Gin, Orange County CBD, Halloween Spooktacular at Trentham and the Lady Boys of Bangkok... Sadly after a fatal lorry collision and bridge reconstruction THE PIES graffiti is no more but Jenga remains - obviously built better !!

Off at Junction 13, through Acton Gate and then onto the A449 to Rickerscote Road which leads into Silkmore Road - the ground entrance down an alley between two houses. £5 secures me entrance at the gate, from the car, and I drive in - with a crowd of 54 no problems of being hemmed in !

Inside, as the rain pelts down, the clubhouse is in the top left corner and next to me are two stands, one a covered terrace, the other a 100 seater. All four sides are tree lined with hedges in lovely surroundings set in a residential area with new builds mixed with older houses - a warm up area faces the stands, behind a hoarding advertising Liz Ashfield Andy Faulkner Stamp Dealers ... truly a first ☺

I sit next to the Badgers' laconic announcer, and directly behind the wife of Lions' manager, Matt Jansen. The Badgers, 'A Team Built On Community Spirit', are in green and white (rather than black and white !), Stockport in change all yellow, with mascot, manager's son, Freddie, and only able to name three academy teenagers and Jansen, who turns 44 this month, as substitutes.

Stockport create the early openings - Geffry Ehote, Max Greenhalgh and Kieran Kennedy pass up presentable chances and there is little from Brocton - Cam Osborne firing straight at Josh Schofield. Osborne is later substituted after breaking a finger in an innocuous challenge.

On 18 minutes Leandro Tanswell Vargas (Leo) threads the ball through a sea of legs, as the Lions appeal for a penalty, and Stockport lead. Four minutes later Limpitshi Bongwanga (Henry to his team mates !) doubles the advantage with a firm header. Aside from Jamie Walsh's deflected effort for the Lions, and ever worsening weather conditions, that's it to the break which sees Stockport two up.

The second half sees Brocton as disjointed as a plate of spaghetti, barely conjuring up a meaningless opportunity, let alone a meaningful one. After a bad miss from Henry, Leo cuts inside and his deflected shot goes over the Badgers' keeper Tony Allsopp on 69 for 3-0. Henry rifles home eight minutes later to make it four, whilst the Badgers' best effort, in the embers of the game, is a sharp shot blocked by one of their own men....

Just time for Lions' sub Thomas Beckett ('I thought he was dead') to waste two glorious chances - but credit to Allsopp who also produces a wonderful save from Walsh. It finishes 4-0 to Stockport, but it should have been double figures and hat tricks for Leo and Henry... The announcer proclaims the final score as 'Brocton 0 Stockport Town 2', is roundly ridiculed, corrects himself, and assures us he has actually been watching the game....