Stockport County Supporters' Co-operative
A Stockport-based supporters' trust and co-operative formed to represent fans and safeguard the future of Stockport County Football Club.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Stockport County Supporters' Co-operative is a football supporters' organisation associated with Stockport County Football Club in Greater Manchester, England. It is recognised as a supporters' trust by Supporters Direct and was created to give supporters a democratic vehicle through which they could participate in the governance, financial future and community role of the club. The organisation's most consequential period began in early 2005, when Stockport County owner Brian Kennedy indicated that he wanted to sell the club. Supporters responded by beginning the formation of a trust capable of taking control. After making a formal offer in March 2005 and negotiating for approximately three months, the trust assumed control of the club on 8 July 2005. This made it one of the relatively unusual examples of supporters taking direct ownership of a professional football club in England. The takeover was undertaken in difficult circumstances. Kennedy had retained ownership of Edgeley Park, Stockport County's traditional home, after repossessing the stadium for use by his rugby union club, Sale Sharks. The football club therefore had to operate as a tenant and had comparatively limited assets and revenue. The trust negotiated an agreement allowing County to remain at Edgeley Park, but the arrangement constrained the club's finances and made reacquiring the ground one of the trust's central long-term objectives. The trust's ownership period included efforts to improve football performance, strengthen the club's relationship with the local community and maintain essential infrastructure. Jim Gannon was appointed first-team manager after a disappointing start to the club's first season under supporter ownership. The trust also sought to preserve the club's training base at Manor Farm when serious repair needs threatened the lease. Supporters and local businesses were asked to contribute labour and money, helping secure additional time for the required work. Financial pressures ultimately overwhelmed the ownership model. A loan taken out in July 2008 contributed to Stockport County entering administration in May 2009, amid circumstances described as close to bankruptcy. The trust lost its controlling role, and the club was later rescued by The 2015 Group, which acquired full ownership. Following the loss of control, the organisation changed its name from Stockport County Supporters' Trust to Stockport County Supporters' Co-operative and no longer ran the football club. The co-operative's stated purposes remain centred on supporter representation, community participation and the promotion of football. Its constitutional aims include encouraging supporter representation on the club board, ensuring that the club considers the views of supporters and the surrounding community, broadening local support, preserving professional football facilities in the area, supporting youth development and making the organisation open and democratic. Among its later initiatives is the SCAN, or Stockport County Appearance Number, scheme, which assigns a sequential number to each player making a senior professional debut for the club. The scheme links present players with the historical record of County appearances and provides a supporter-focused archival project.
History
Stockport County Supporters' Co-operative developed from a supporter movement seeking a direct role in the future of Stockport County Football Club. The immediate catalyst came in early 2005, when Brian Kennedy, then the club's owner, disclosed that he wished to sell. Supporters began organising a formal trust and submitted an offer to take control in March. Negotiations lasted around three months and included obstacles near the conclusion, but the trust completed the takeover on 8 July 2005. The new ownership structure inherited a club with a weak asset base. Edgeley Park, where Stockport County had played since 1902, was not included in the takeover because Kennedy retained the stadium for his rugby interests, including Sale Sharks. County therefore remained at the ground under a tenancy agreement. The loss of stadium ownership reduced the club's independent revenue and made the trust's ambition to regain Edgeley Park a difficult financial project. An arrangement gave the trust a ten-year option linked to repayment of debt associated with the stadium, while portions of transfer income and annual profit were directed toward reducing that liability. In February 2008, the trust obtained a loan offer that could have supported a stadium purchase if it could raise a substantial deposit. The trust also tried to build a more competitive and community-connected club. After a poor beginning to the first season under supporter ownership, Jim Gannon was installed as first-team manager. The organisation's broader aims were set out through registered rules. These included securing supporter representation on the club board, encouraging democratic elections, consulting fans and the local community, increasing support for the club, maintaining professional football facilities, supporting the club's school of excellence and promoting football as a recreational and community activity. Infrastructure problems exposed the limits of the club's finances. Before the 2008–09 season, the Manor Farm training facilities required substantial repairs. The landlords, identified as former County chairman Brendan Elwood and Trafford Borough Council, could exercise a lease break clause if the work was not completed. Because the expenditure had not been budgeted, the trust appealed to supporters and local businesses for money and volunteer labour. Work completed before the initial deadline helped secure a three-month extension. A loan taken out in July 2008 contributed to a severe deterioration in the club's financial position. Stockport County entered administration in May 2009, in a period of near bankruptcy, and the supporters' trust ceased to control or operate the club. The club was subsequently saved by The 2015 Group, which acquired the entire shareholding. The organisation then adopted the name Stockport County Supporters' Co-operative, reflecting its continuing supporter and community role rather than ownership of the football club. In its post-ownership form, the co-operative has retained an interest in representation, heritage and supporter participation. Its SCAN scheme gives every player making a senior professional debut for Stockport County a unique appearance number, placing new players within the club's historical sequence. The organisation's published identity and historical significance therefore rest less on commercial products than on democratic fan organisation, community advocacy and the experience of attempting supporter ownership of a professional English football club.
- 2009
Administration ends supporter ownership
[1]Stockport County entered administration in May, ending the trust's role in operating the club.
- 2008
Training-ground appeal
[1]The trust sought financial and practical help to repair Manor Farm training facilities and prevent a possible lease termination.
- 2005
Supporters begin organising a trust
[1]The proposed sale of Stockport County led supporters to organise a formal trust intended to secure control of the club.
- 2005
Supporters' trust assumes control of Stockport County
[1]After negotiations with Brian Kennedy, the trust completed its takeover of Stockport County on 8 July.
Products and positioning
A democratic, community-oriented supporters' organisation focused on fan representation, the long-term security of Stockport County and the preservation of football's local social role.
Supporter heritage and statistical initiative
SCAN (Stockport County Appearance Number) Scheme
The SCAN scheme assigns a unique number to every player who makes a senior professional appearance for Stockport County. It provides supporters with a structured way to place debutants within the club's historical appearance record and functions as an archival and fan-engagement project rather than a conventional commercial product.
Membership and representation
Supporters' trust membership
Membership represents the co-operative's democratic base and supports its stated objectives of consultation, supporter representation, community involvement and the long-term development of football in Stockport. Specific membership pricing and current benefits are not established by the supplied sources.
Marketing campaigns
- 2008Manor Farm training-ground repair appeal
Stockport · United Kingdom
The trust appealed to supporters and local businesses for donations of money and time to repair deteriorating training facilities and protect the club's lease.
Outcome. Work completed before the original deadline contributed to a three-month extension of the lease timetable.
- 2005Supporters' ownership campaign
Stockport · United Kingdom
Supporters organised a trust and made an offer to acquire Stockport County after Brian Kennedy indicated that he wanted to sell the club. The effort culminated in the trust taking control in July 2005.
Outcome. The trust owned and operated the club until the administration of 2009.
Brand decisions
2009
Continue as a supporters' co-operative after loss of club controlStrategyBackground
Administration ended the trust's ownership and operational involvement in Stockport County.
Action taken
The organisation changed its name to Stockport County Supporters' Co-operative and continued as a separate supporter body.
Aftermath
The 2015 Group became the club's full owner, while the co-operative focused on supporter representation, community objectives and heritage work.
2008
Seek to regain ownership of Edgeley ParkStrategyBackground
The trust controlled the football club but not Edgeley Park, which remained owned by Brian Kennedy and was shared with Sale Sharks.
Action taken
The trust pursued an option to reacquire the stadium and obtained a loan offer subject to raising a deposit.
Aftermath
The club's financial crisis and subsequent administration prevented the trust from restoring stadium ownership.
Debt associated with the stadium and required deposit. £4,500,000 debt; £1,000,000 deposit sought → The cited material states that contributions reduced the outstanding reacquisition requirement to £3,600,000 (2005-2008)
2005
Take control of Stockport CountyStrategyBackground
The club was offered for sale while supporters were concerned about its future and the loss of local influence.
Action taken
The newly formed trust made a formal offer and completed the takeover on 8 July 2005.
Aftermath
The trust became the club's controlling owner but inherited limited assets and a stadium tenancy.
Recent events
- 2009
Stockport County enters administration[1]
Bankruptcy
Stockport County entered administration in May 2009 after severe financial difficulties. The event ended the supporters' trust's involvement in running the club.
- 2008
Trust confronts training-ground repair threat[1]
Other
The trust warned that Manor Farm training facilities required urgent repairs or the club risked losing its lease. Supporters and local businesses were asked to provide funds and practical assistance.
- 2005
Supporters' trust takes control of Stockport County[1]
Other
After a supporter-led formation effort and negotiations with owner Brian Kennedy, the trust assumed control of Stockport County on 8 July 2005.
The 2015 Group takes full ownership of Stockport County[1]
M&A
Following the club's administration, The 2015 Group rescued Stockport County and became its 100 percent owner, while the supporters' organisation continued separately under its co-operative name.
Sources2 sources
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