Fan's Eye View: No 203: Stockport County

It was one of the most widely-posed trivia questions of recent weeks: which English team is still challenging for four domestic trophies? The answer, of course, was Stockport County, the perennial lower-division strugglers, and even if the question has now been rendered obsolete by last week's FA Cup defeat at Birmingham, we were until then the most successful side in cup football in England this season. And we're now in the semi- finals of a major competition for the first time in our history.

It's a tremendous position for little old Stockport to find themselves in. Normally, we play the role of "little club plugging away gamely in the shadows cast by the two Manchester giants." (OK, City's shadow isn't cast too far these days, but it still reaches Stockport, believe me). This season, however, has been a revelation for County fans.

Strange as it may seem, with success still being pursued on three fronts, the job of the manager, Dave Jones, was widely held to be only slightly more secure than Alan Ball's on the morning of 14 September last. Prior to that day, County were lying second bottom of the Second Division, had lost four out of six games, drawn the others, and scored a single measly goal. A prolonged relegation battle, it seemed, was the only thing we had to took forward to this season.

No doubt fearing for his employment, Jones reportedly called in his senior pros to thrash out what was wrong. After what is usually referred to as "a frank exchange of views," we beat Plymouth 3-1 on that fateful Saturday, following which the collective sigh of relief from Edgeley Park measured nine on the Beaufort Scale, and caused ships in the North Sea to list alarmingly. And then our season started - and how. In the 30 League and cup games since that first win, we've only been beaten twice. Included in that run are victories at Ewood Park, Bramall Lane, the Victoria Ground, Stoke, and now The Dell, as well as a draw at Upton Park. At Edgeley, we've beaten West Ham in the replay, drawn with Southampton and massacred promotion-chasing Millwall a fortnight ago to such an extent that the receivers were called in.

So what made the difference? It's impossible to say, quite frankly. No signings were made, the squad, which was widely regarded as one of County's strongest ever, has simply started playing to the level which had been anticipated in the close season, leading most of us to assume that the first half-dozen games were merely an aberration, and that the real County have been on display in the 30 games since.

It could also be argued that we have not really got any absolutely outstanding players. That's not to belittle any of them; what I mean is they're all good (and if you think that's simply the blinkered ramblings of a supporter, well, you're right, but take a look at that 30-game record again). Of those that do stand out, Luis Cavaco, our Portuguese winger, has reportedly caught the eye of Ruud Gullit, full-back Sean Connelly has reportedly been looked at by Liverpool, and star striker Alun Armstrong has reportedly interested just about everyone. But to highlight those players is to do a massive disservice to the rest of the team. At the moment, it's simply impossible to pick out anyone playing badly.

It's hard to believe we'll actually win the Coca-Cola Cup, of course; Stockport County just isn't that kind of club. I'll be quite happy, however, if, when the inevitable happens and, say, a further two of the four bubbles burst, the one still floating represents the Second Division championship. Promotion to the First Division will be the only fitting conclusion to such an amazing season.