Cheers. It's been a problem for over a year now though which is a massive worry. The club say they have reviewed and are doing all that they can, and it's somewhat self perpetuating with ACL injuries meaning you always have 2-3 out long term then the ones that return after a layoff are at increased risk, but by now you wonder if it's just bad luck. We've got pretty much everything else right off the field though and have invested plenty. A little having had our fair share of loans. I wonder if the gaps in the EFL have narrowed, particularly with promoted clubs from the NL to L2 and L2 to L1 doing very well of late. We seem to pick up PL youngsters rather than Championship - maybe because wage contribution isn't less of a concern for the PL clubs too?

Haha. He's going nowhere. Ben Hinchliffe. County legend. Former long haul lorry driver (and missed a game when we were part time because he couldn't get any more time off), over 300 games for the club and our most "capped" GK. Triple champion of the NLN, NL and L2. Now 36 and when he sees out his 2-year deal at the club he'll get his testimonial. Ageing like a fine wine. Golden glove winner last season but not the tallest or best vs crosses (as you see for the 5th) and the club have signed 2 GKs to start the transition. Minor uproar when he didn't start of our first league game. It's happened before though and he's always displaced his challenger.

Bit easier when it's the League Cup and expected but thanks(!) and good luck for the rest of the season too.

Well that was interesting.... and predictable, in that we couldn't even manage to go this game without another injury. Anyways, well done on a professional performance (and not scoring double figures) and good luck for the next round. I hope we meet again some time soon (the Championship ideally....) and we're in a position to make it a proper game in front of a packed EP (whether Edgeley or Ewood or both).

The comeback is on!

We've got 12 senior, outfield players out injured. The same as we've got available and some of those are only just fit so have been rested. It's not pretty, it's not what we'd like but the vast majority will understand it.

Call it a draw lads?

And we lose one of the senior players we have left....

He would if he was fit!

Mapengu, Williams and Redshaw all Academy lads, 16-17. Gardner, also 17, is the son Jamaican footballer, Ricardo Gardner, and I think his godfather is Usain Bolt! He's in our first team squad but really for the club grown slot - excited in preseason but made his debut Saturday. Okeke 19, also an exciting youngster.

10 changes for us. I've not heard of 2 of the kids starting, let alone on the bench. Wish us luck!

Thank you. Yeah we've played some good stuff under Challinor. Intensity is probably the common denominator and we've had a really successful press and lively midfield when we have played well. We used to be very "get it wide and cross it" but consciously transitioned last year in preseason to a team with more pace who can take on players, like Barry and Olaofe. He loves the word "control" so we try and keep but we also aren't afraid to go more direct. Not sure how much of that you will see tomorrow if we play a bit of a makeshift XI though.

Yeah and big plans to come. Plans for a 20k stadium in motion and redoing 3 of the stands - the first being the open Railway End which is just shit - apologies if you end up there for the game. We rent Carrington currently, which is great, but the owner wants to build our training ground in Stockport. We seem to be doing the right things in the community and trying to rebuild the youth setup too. That gives me hope we'll become semi-sustainable as currently we're spending an awful lot to invest. Fan support is on the up too though and we capped out at 6,500 season tickets this season. Championship in 7 years was the goal when Stott took over in the National League (though a lot of the groundwork was laid by Jim Gannon getting us out of regional football in the NLN). It's now Championship in three years. It's doable but this will be the biggest challenge yet. Personally, I'm just trying to enjoy the journey after 3 relegations in 4 seasons, administration and opening day away trips to Spennymoor or facing (and losing to) Bradford Park Avenue, Vauxhall Motors etc.

Depends who you ask! The owner and manager have mentioned targeting the POs. The owner is very ambitious and Challinor has never finished outside of the POs in his managerial career! We were a bit more realistic at the Fans Forum given the amount of relatively big clubs at this level and spending. 10-12th would be a good achievement for me, especially with our injuries. Somewhere midtable if the injuries don't dry up. For some, anything above a relegation battle is baseline; others think we have a good chance at the POs given the momentum behind the club and where Orient, Stevenage and Northampton finished last season. Re Challinor. Depends on the above. The question marks about him have been whether he can do it a higher level and with not one of the biggest budgets, so a good performance this season would answer a lot of those. He's well backed here and part of ambitious project but if someone like Bolton or yourselves came in for him, I think he'd go. He nearly went to Charlton last season.

Interesting. Sounds like exactly the sort of player we would look for. The manager is a big fan of pace at wingback and we brought in Adaramola from Palace on the other side, before Travis took him out!

Well he's not our player; being recalled in Jan to player higher was expected last season then he did his ACL. Reportedly Championship clubs were interested this preseason but he chose us (he's very vocal about liking it here - suspect it's because it's the best football he's played in a while). If he lights up L1, I can see January recall to test him in the Championship but really what he needs is an interrupted season and 20+ goal return. So hopefully he manages that with us...

Broadly. We had a Fans Forum just before the season started and their names came up, of course. Sounded like a bit of pragmatism on both sides - we needed bodies with our 2 preseason games in 2 games, they wanted to stay fit and keep themselves in the shop window. For Norwood too there was a comment along the lines of he wants to play as high as possible so I suspect he's out of our price/aspiration range currently. For Gayle, maybe, but we seem keen to transition to playing with wingers and we've got some good options as the central striker - especially if Mellon(on loan from Burnley)'s injury isn't as bad as first feared. Still another 2+months though. Sounded like we were looking for short term deals to fill in gaps due to injuries so I wouldn't say no. There's budget left apparently but U23 loans probably more likely. We brought in a kid from Everton Friday. Still think we could do with a permanent, first choice RB though.

Haha. Depends on their "age profile". We're trying to buy/loan younger then develop now we're not one of the big spenders in the division - admittedly we could be top 10 though. We brought in 12 preseason and said that was our planned business done but have also said there's budget left and we're looking to respond to the injuries. A RB/RWB is really a must. We have one coming off an ACL injury from last year that's ahead of schedule (and a good player) but won't be available for 2-3 months at best, then will have barely played in the last year (Southam-Hales). Another reliable one that looked set to be our regular, after missing most of the second half of last season with a bleed on the brain following an aerial challenge (yes - that's right!), who has just done his knee and is out for 4 months. Then a couple of players who can fill in (Mingi, Collar, Fevrier) but their preferred positions are elsewhere. A combative midfielder who can also pass wouldn't go a miss either. I suspect it will be loans if we bring anyone in, unless we move on Powell. We've got 3 keepers. That's the one position without injuries! Maybe we could play 5-aside Tuesday with rolling goalies....?

He's shit. You wouldn't want him at all.... (We love him and he says he loves playing for us. Nasty ACL injury cut out 60% of his L2 season last year but the first 15 games he was electric. May get a half as, although he played Saturday, he's reportedly 3 weeks behind where we'd like him to be with doing his preseason with Villa and the later EPL start. Equally can see us wrapping him in cotton wool though.)

County fan in peace. We've got 11 out injured - including Adaramola for 2 months thanks to your captain kicking him in the friendly... - so 12 fit outfield, senior players. Though maybe 2 of those back for next Saturday and 2 shortly after. In that scenario the manager has already confirmed youth and academy players will be involved. Suspect they'll be a handful of first teamers starting as there are some who didn't make the XI yesterday (where we lost another to be being kicked late on) and others still building minutes from their own injuries in preseason. We've really struggled with injuries for the last year or so! 7 knee injuries currently. Normally I think most of the fanbase would like us to go for it. It's an exciting fixture - gone are the days of tier 7/8 teams in the FA Trophy - and it's first season in a while when league promotion isn't the expectation but our injury situation just doesn't allow it. Suspect everyone will be happy if whoever makes it out there puts in a decent account of themselves and no one gets injured. I wouldn't read too much into the preseason game for the same reason as we were chopping and changing all preseason. If you are anywhere near full strength I suspect it will be a long night for us - it could be anyways.