Disgruntled football fan ditched club of 16 years for Hearts after ticket row
A fuming football fan has ditched his club of 16 years for Hearts over a tiff at the box office.
Gordon Cundill originally from Edinburgh who spent his life in Manchester after moving to England at 13, has supported Stockport County for 61 years.
The 74-year-old even had a part in writing the chorus of the fans anthem, the Scarf My Father Wore after being inspired by his Rangers fan grandad and the Sash.
But a bust-up at the ticket office has prompted the life-long fan to give away his scarves in a pub and turn his back on the club for good.
The pensioner went to the Edgeley Park ground to buy three tickets for himself and friends for the opening home game of the season but was left in dismay after being asked for a few personal details to obtain the tickets.
Gordon told the Manchester Evening News: "I phoned and said can I just come and buy some tickets and they said 'yes, no problem'. There were only four people in front of me and it took 15 minutes to get to the front of the queue.
"I asked for some tickets and they said, yes, sure, what's your account numbers. I said I didn't have any. The club said you had to join a ticketing account - they wanted your name, address, telephone number, email address and probably inside leg measurement.
"I said I'm not bothering. This is too much like Big Brother. I wanted three tickets and the person in the ticket office said 'well just phone your friends and get their details off them'.
"I explained one was a prison warden and I don't think they would appreciate me ringing them up at work and the other was a bus driver - did they expect him to stop driving the 192 on the A6 and give me all his details."
"I just walked off. I am not going to bother. The money I save by not watching County I will use to watch Hearts."
Yesterday he went for a pint at the Stockport pub, Petersgate Tap, in his Hearts shirt, and gave away a dozen County scarves to fans. "It was the way I was treated, like an imbecile - which made my mind up."
He played a part in writing a chorus of the County anthem "The Scarf My Father Wore".
The pensioner explained: "My grandad was a Rangers fan and he taught me the tune. I thought it was a good tune and changed it. Then other lads came in and we got three verses and the chorus. I wrote the chorus.
"We were living as a family in the Edinburgh area and my mum and dad separated. My mum came to live in the Manchester area and I went with my dad to Blackpool. But my dad died in front of me with a heart attack and my mum had to pick me up and take me back to Stockport where she was living.
"People at school were telling me I should support United or City but my mum said 'no you support the local team' and that's why I have supported County ever since - and Hearts as well."
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He went on to add: "My first game, at Edgeley Park, was November 14th 1964 against Wigan Athletic in the cup, first round, and we won 2-1. Wigan were non-league at the time. Over the years I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly watching them.
"Friends more than anything have kept me loyal to the County. I have friends who I met in 1966 and I still see them today - socially as well as at games. I think my best memory was when Brett Angell scored after three minutes and we hung on for 87 minutes to beat Chesterfield away and get promotion.
"The finest player I have seen play for County was George Best - even though he only played three times in home games." Gordon is keeping a shirt worn by Jimmy Fryatt - a friend and Stockport player who scored 28 goals. Mickey Flynn was an absolutely brilliant player for Stockport."
A spokesman for Stockport County said: "This isn't a story we'd be looking to comment on directly. Any conversations between the Club and supporters remains private, from our point of view."
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