Stockport County Ladies have more than doubled their previous attendance record, as 737 fans turned out for their recent 3-0 triumph over local rivals FC United.
Their previous record stood at 310, against Leeds United in 2022.
Steve O’Hara, the manager of the Division One North side, said: ‘’I think it is massively important with the growth of the women’s game. We normally play at Stockport Sports Village, so to play at Edgeley Park on Mother’s Day was just fantastic. Not only for the staff and the players but also for everyone’s families to witness that as well.’’
O’Hara, who took control of the side in January of 2022, is hoping that the attendance will motivate the side in the run-in to the end of the season.
‘’We felt we were in the title race before Christmas, but after Christmas we lost two games to two rivals and that sort of scuppered our plans. But we have our own internal targets that we are still on course for.
‘’We’re in a cup semi-final which is really exciting because we have lost in the final for the last two years. But the team that beat us two years running, we knocked them out in the last round. So, we’re in a really good position and hopefully we can go on and win that.’’
Following 20 years working in the men’s game, O’Hara’s appointment at Stockport was his first management position with a women’s side, however, it is clear to see that he is taken by the game and the growth it is experiencing.
‘’The attendances are growing, the participation is growing, which is fantastic. There’s no secret that it’s off the back of the Euros with the Lionesses. The game has grown exponentially since then and its great to see and to be involved with. You can feel the buzz inside the women’s game, its absolutely fantastic to be a part of.
‘’It’s completely different. In the men’s game it’s a lot of blood and thunder, a lot of shouting and screaming to get players going. In the women’s game you’ve got to be tactful, you’re dealing with a lot of emotions.
‘’All they want to do is learn from you and make themselves better. The girls have been absolutely superb with me and all they want to do is achieve results on a Saturday. When I first went in, I tried the blood and thunder but that just didn’t work and I quickly had to change my approach, now we have a really good bond in the changing room. We get good results and we play some fantastic football which is great.’’
Next year, O’Hara is hoping his side will be in prime position to make a promotion push up to the third tier.
‘’When I took over I had a three year plan to challenge for promotion at the end of that three years which will be at the end of next season. Nothing has changed along those lines. We will look at trying to achieve promotion to tier three and then try and stay in that division, that’s the ultimate goal at the moment and then after that who knows?’’
The side currently sit sixth in the Division One North table, and look forward to a Cheshire FA County Cup semi-final against Crewe Alexandra this Sunday.