Stockport County publishes annual report for 2023/24 season

Stockport County submitted its annual report and financial statements for the year ending June 2024.

Highlights for the year include the club’s promotion to League One for the first time in 14 years, which also saw it equal League Two’s record of a 12-game winning run. Attendance at Edgeley Park during the season also rose, with over 214,000 supporters watching League Two games, and a record 10,334 fans packing Edgeley Park on New Year’s Day 2024 against Mansfield.

The club also saw continued improvements to its financial position, with income increasing to £9.2 million, and a fall its debts.

Simon Wilson, club CEO commented:

“The 23/24 season was another campaign for the club that will live long in the memories, as well as the history books. I personally won’t forget the estimated 25,000 people who lined the streets for our trophy parade—looking out to see friends and families together, male and female, old and young, sharing in another promotion as Champions, the third for the club in six seasons. These moments demonstrate what we can do together and the impact it has.

“This latest step for the club was brought about by the combination of incredible skill and effort from the staff, passion and commitment from the supporters, and, of course, the important investment and guidance from Mark. It is no secret how difficult the global financial climate is, and we could not grow at the rate we are without Mark’s support.

“After heartbreak in the play-off in 22/23, we targeted further investment in the first-team squad, staff, and infrastructure. This investment worked, as Dave and the team put themselves in an incredible position, occupying 1st place from October all the way until the end of the season. The title was secured with two games to spare and was eventually won by a 4-point margin with 92 EFL points—a new club record.

“At the same time, Mark’s vision has never just been about the first team winning. After a significant time out of the league and without the necessary funding to keep up, much progress has been required in the back end to ensure we can sustainably compete with our peers—not just today, but in future seasons.

“During this time, we have widened the scope of our Academy and Education programs, built out our club operations, including key roles such as Safeguarding, and improved our infrastructure further with IT, data, and more additions to come. In these challenging economic times, we have, of course, tried to limit the financial burden on our supporters and kept price rises to the minimum feasible. We were delighted to increase donations to the Community Trust and see the continued impact of this organisation across many key challenges in Stockport.

“In January 2020, upon acquiring the club, Mark Stott stated an ambition to reach the Championship within 7 years. Promotion in this record-breaking season, accelerated by Mark’s investment, means we arrive in League One ahead of schedule. Further, we arrive there as a real force—a significant player across all metrics—with a bright future ahead.”