Kilner instinct

IF the size of your wage bill and transfer market spending power dictated a club's position, then Stockport County would not even be in the same league as Blackburn Rovers, never mind the same division.

But money is still not quite the be all and end all in football and the two sides will meet at Edgeley Park tomorrow on virtually equal terms.

All of which means both could well just miss out on the promotion play-offs this season.

For Rovers, that would equate to a footballing disaster. For County simply a hard-luck story.

And the side which exists in the shadow of the two Manchester giants would still be able to take great consolation from the fact that they are continuing to match the best of the rest that the North West can offer.

They do it through getting remarkable value for money.

Manager Andy Kilner, a former Burnley winger whose appointment to follow Gary Megson was something of a shock, deserves most of the credit.

And County skipper Mike Flynn is the first to pay tribute to the methods of a man who, in turn, hands the plaudits to the players for the fact that they have been able to keep pace with clubs like Rovers.

Flynn, who will be 31 next week, has been an absolute giant for County in around 300 League appearances after giving Preston North End excellent service. He is one of a couple of survivors - Jim Gannon being another - from the County team which gave the ultimate knockout blow to Ray Harford's hopes of a longer managerial reign back at Ewood in October 1996.

And he is a typical Stockport man, never short-changing his manager and club. Flynn believes Kilner's style of management has enabled the club, 16th last season, to develop and progress.

Megson, it seems, had imposed something of a straitjacket on his limited resources.

"The main thing that's changed since last season is that the players are allowed to express themselves to a greater degree," said the skipper.

"Andy Kilner has picked up on the fact that we had one or two players who seemed apprehensive about trying new things in case they didn't come off.

"But the gaffer has addressed that and the lads have a lot more freedom and encouragement."

Kilner could yet lead County to a coveted play-off spot. Even now, he has justified his appointment but says he expected County's progress rather than hoped for it.

"We started the season as relegation favourites and I think we have surprised a few people," he said.

"But the players have not surprised me. "I always knew what they were capable of.

"We are on the verge of the play-off positions and I have only spent £100,000."

What if the 'unthinkable' happened and County did go up? Kilner, clearly, is already prepared.

"We know if we went up we would come straight back down," he confessed.

"But going up for one season would probably be worthwhile for a club of our size.

"We are just aiming to win as many games as possible and, if we can reach the play-offs, it will be a massive bonus and just reward for the players who have been magnificent this season."

That is a dream Rovers need to spoil by winning tomorrow.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.