Paddy Madden has said farewell to Stockport County after announcing that he will leave Edgeley Park this summer, bidding an emotional goodbye to his teammates and the adoring fans who have already as a “club legend”.
The Irishman joined County in March 2021 and won the National League title in his first full campaign with the club, going on to net a total of 65 goals in 155 appearances for the Hatters, including four hat-tricks in all competitions this season alone.
Scoring 17 times for County throughout their promotion-winning year, his second with the club in just three short seasons, not to mention grabbing six assists, he was without a doubt one of Dave Challinor‘s most crucial players and has been ever since he arrived in Stockport.
Jumping on social media after the club announced that their captain and fellow fan favourites Myles Hippolyte, Ryan Croasdale and several others will depart following their contracts expiring, Madden was full of nothing but positivity about his time in blue.
— Stockport (C)ounty (@StockportCounty) May 7, 2024
Madden writes: “Stockport County, thank you so much for an amazing three years, me and my family have loved every minute of it. Being your captain was an honour. To play a part in getting such a big club back in the EFL and then into League One has given me memories I will never forget.
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“To my teammates I had the honour of sharing the pitch with, I couldn’t ask any more from all of you, you kept your standards high from day one and that kept us on track to reach our goals.
“To the coaching staff, thank you for pushing the squad every day and to the staff behind the scenes a big thank you for your hard work, it doesn’t go unnoticed.
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“Last but not least, thank you to you County fans for the amazing support from the first day I arrived. I’m over the moon to see the club back in League One, you all deserve it so much for sticking with your club in the dark days. Up the County.” It’s no secret how much the fans are going to miss their captain either.
Paddy Madden will go down as *the* signing of the Mark Stott era.
Dropped down two leagues at the time, constantly set the tone, scored goals, worked unbelievably hard, understood the club, connected with the fans, and came in clutch at the biggest moments.
Paddy Madden made himself a County legend in just three years.
The worst decision Stockport County has made in recent times is letting go of club legend Paddy Madden, 10th all-time goal scorer. A leader who brings much more than just goals. His next club is getting a very good player. He He deserved whatever he asked for.#StockportCounty
The failure to extend his stay hasn’t gone down well with everyone.
Paddy Madden will always be a County legend but never appreciated how quickly he has got to his goal tally when compared to his Scunny and Fleetwood goals per game ratio @CountyPodcast@HattersMatterspic.twitter.com/Om3eWVMM19
As for the club themselves, despite attempting to sign a new deal for the 34-year-old – who now goes down as County’s 10th all-time leading goalscorer and is still the third most prolific in the history of the third division (114) – they said that “both parties could not come to a satisfactory agreement.”
Madden is now being linked with a move to Chesterfield FC who have just climbed out of the National League as County’s number nine did back in 2021 and would be set to join Will Grigg up front, who sits just four in front of him in all-time League One goals.
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Reacting to his bittersweet departure, the Hatters added: “It’s not goodbye, it’s see you soon. The defining signing of the Mark Stott era, and forever a Stockport County legend. Thank you so much for everything, Starman.”
While the Hatters will no doubt miss out on his experience as they return to League One after 12 years away, they’re still in very good hands up front with top scorer Isaac ‘Tanto’ Olaofe managing 22 goals this season and they have plenty of strong candidates for a replacement captain too.
Featured Images — Stockport County (via Instagram)/Paddy Madden (via Twitter)
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Pep Guardiola admits he will miss Jürgen Klopp ‘a lot’ as Liverpool boss leaves club after nine years
Danny Jones
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confessed he will miss fellow coach and long-time rival Jürgen Klopp as he officially left Liverpool after nearly a decade this weekend.
The German football manager, who ended the Scousers’ 30-year wait for a first-division title and won them two more European cups, departed the club after nine years on Sunday following the final day of the 2023/24 Premier League season.
Having been given an emotional send-off by the Anfield faithful and delivering a heartfelt speech to the city he’s come to call “home”, Guardiola was obviously asked his thoughts on his final chapter in his post-match press conference.
While the focus was obviously on winning a record fourth league title in a row, a visibly emotional Pep did go on to admit, “I will miss him a lot”.
🗣️ "I will miss him a lot. Jurgen has been a really important part of my life."
Pep Guardiola CLOSE TO TEARS talking Jurgen Klopp, & not because his farewell overshadowed Man City winning the league. 😉
Clearly moved by the question and by taking in the years they’ve shared on the touchline, the 53-year-old said of his former Premier League and Bundesliga rival: “Jurgen has been a really important part of my life. He’s [taken] me to another level as a manager. I think we respect each other incredibly”.
He went on to add, “I have the feeling he’ll be back and I just want to say thank you so much for his words… he knows personally that behind me there a lot of things that this club provides me… he’s helped me with him and he’s been a huge competitor in my life”.
Even speaking prior to the game, Pep was already full of admiration for his opposite number, telling Sky Sports last week that not only will he miss Klopp but going so far as to claim that “football needs him, as well as naming his teams amongst those who he often struggled to unlock.
Safe to say the home crowd gave him a momentous send-off in his final appearance as the Liverpool manager, though he made certain he’ll be back to visit the city and Anfield again in the future.
Liverpool looked like he might be able to keep his side in the title fight right until the last but it ultimately went on to become a two-horse race, with the Blues beating him and Arsenal to the post once again.
Whether you’re behind ‘enemy lines’ here in Manchester or you’re just curious to hear what he said, you can watch Klopp’s farewell speech in full down below.
Regardless of the rivalries, you have to admit, it’s been great to watch the two coaches duke it out for the best part of a decade.
We’re sure Pep isn’t the only one in Manchester that’ll miss Klopp. Whoever you support, he’s been a massive character in English football.
Manchester City fans criticised for ‘absolutely vile’ amounts of litter after Premier League title win
Danny Jones
Swathes of Manchester City fans have been criticised after obscene amounts of litter were left scattered across Cutting Room Square in Ancoats.
The unfortunate scenes were captured after Man City lifted their fourth consecutive Premier Leagueon Sunday, 19 May, securing the record-breaking title on the final day.
Since the popular city centre square is one of those closest to the Etihad Stadium, City fans obviously partied hard following the impressive achievement but disappointingly left large piles of litter behind them.
Filming the state of the area after City supporters began to clear out, one TikTok user said, “The amount of rubbish left in Ancoats by football fans is absolutely vile”.
As you can see, the floor and countless outdoor benches were covered in empty cans and bottles as the camera pans to show bins overflowing.
While you can only see a few City shirts left in the background, similar complaints have been made in previous years and there were also reports of the nearby Cotton Field Park in neighbouring New Islington being forced to close early after being ‘overwhelmed’ by fans and litter.
Although there are plenty of comments arguing that the “council should put more bins out. Simple” and that “this only happens one day a year”, just as many have condemned the behaviour as “feral”, “horrendous” and “so depressing to see”.
Others brushed it off by simply quipping, “Make Ancoats rough again”, “That’s how [it] looked 10-15 years ago anyway” and “This is actually from Barry Manilow. There’s no way City would get this many people out”.
Supporters were also criticised for invading the pitch after full-time – and trying to before the whistle had even been blown, in fact.
With a domestic double-winning title parade still set to take place next month, the chance of similar scenes of rubbish as thousands of City fans descend on the city centre is very likely.
The Blues take on Man United in another consecutive Manchester derby FA Cup final and just the second in the competition’s history.
Here’s hoping the levels of litter in and around Wembley will be less shocking.
Danny Jones -
9th May 2024 
