Opening Statement
• Commitment to Regulation 128
• Fan Engagement Approach
• Timeline of Fan Engagement Activity
• Fan Advisory Board (FAB) and Demographic Insights
• Commitment to Heritage items
• Commitment to update fans
• Supportive fan group statement
• How fans can get involved
• Contact details
experience that extends far beyond the 90 minutes of a matchday. As we look forward to the 2026/2027 season, our focus matures into a data-driven connection. By understanding your behaviours, your ticketing journeys, and your matchday preferences, we are building an infrastructure that rewards your fierce loyalty, respects your time, and customises your matchday.
As someone proud to lead operations at this historic club, I am continually inspired by the passion that surrounds Stockport County. My background in hospitality and managing large customer-focused businesses reinforces my belief in the power of exceptional experiences and strong community ties. In 2026/2027, we aren't just looking at data points - we are using digital transformation to strengthen the physical bond between the club, the players, and the Stockport community.
Thank you for your continued, unwavering support. We look forward to an ambitious 2026/2027 season, on and off the pitch, and to sharing this journey with you all.
Yours Sincerely,
Gavin Bailey Chief Operating Officer
Stockport County FC agrees to comply in full with EFL Regulation 128 and its requirements regarding Supporter Engagement.
Regular, meaningful communication with supporters is vital. We achieve this through various active channels such as official supporters' groups meetings, working group sessions, social media, targeted digital newsletters, and fan forums.
The Club also pledges to consult directly with fans regarding any Heritage Items that may be in scope for consultation, such as any matters linked to the Club’s name, badge, stadium, and other foundational areas of our historic identity.
Proven Milestones;
• Upgraded Ticketing Platform: The introduction of a brand-new ticketing system designed to streamline buying processes, eliminate digital friction, and make accessing Edgeley Park smoother than ever.
• Integrated Loyalty Framework: A newly launched fan loyalty system that recognizes and rewards your year-round dedication, tracking both your stadium presence
• Tiered Membership Scheme: An all-new official membership structure built specifically to bring you closer to the club, offering exclusive behind-the-scenes access, player interactions, and tailored benefits.
• In-House Matchday Operations: A major shift toward employing dedicated Stockport County staff rather than relying on external agency workers. By building an in-house team, we ensure that the people serving you on matchdays truly understand the club's values, culture, and fanbase.
• In-Game Text Service: Real-time text feedback line operational for supporters to flag matchday issues or safety hazards immediately.
• Edgeley Park Inclusivity: A fully operational quiet room providing a safe, calm, and controlled environment for fans on matchdays.
• Friendly Benches Initiative: Combating local isolation and building mental well-being links within our local neighbourhoods
• Fanbase Surveys: Regular distribution of matchday feedback forms and targeted season-ticket holder polls to accurately guide club capital investments.
• County Collective: The active inclusion of our external Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
"We Said, We Did"
The 2025/2026 season built effectively on our historic promises. We expanded direct fan access, implemented technical upgrades to optimise matchdays, and pushed our community presence far beyond the stadium walls.
Objective 1: Enhance the Matchday & Club Experience We promised to deliver seamless ticketing transitions, barrier-free physical access to Edgeley Park, and deeper nextgeneration inclusion. In response, we stabilised our digital ticketing platform integration, distributed winter blankets to wheelchair spaces, and scaled the Junior Fan Forum to amplify younger local perspectives. Crucially, we also took action by bringing specialised junior fan events directly into the community. As a result, we greatly reduced ticket office queues on matchdays, empowered our junior supporters to contribute directly to family concourse ideas, and deepened our grassroots bond with families town-wide
Objective 2: Community and Inclusivity Integration We committed to forming meaningful partnerships that bridge the gap between football, diversity, and the local town. Over the season, we maintained the Free School Tickets Programme, distributing over 1,000 tickets to local children. We also delivered a highly successful International Women’s Day event that celebrated female impact across sport and business, managed community-led pitch hires, and hosted vital Academy fixtures right here at Edgeley Park. This allowed local groups and the club's future stars to experience playing on the historic main turf, welcomed a new generation of families into the stadium, and significantly elevated the profile of women's football and civic engagement.
Objective 3: Unifying the County Family We aimed to break down internal barriers to create a truly integrated football club. To achieve this, we fully integrated Stockport County Women into the official County family, providing them with equal elite-level backing and synchronized, club-wide cross-platform visibility. This milestone has solidified a unified club identity across all of our teams, expanded our active
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Q&A with Supporters Co-Op
Junior Supporters Christmas Event
Q&A with Supporters Co-Op
Season Ticket Holder Event
Junior Supporters Q&A
To keep our engagement strategies grounded in data, the FAB reviews the evolving composition of our matchday population. Our current stadium and local demographic benchmarks show:
• Racial & Ethnic Diversity: Approximately 8.5% of our matchday attendees identify as coming from diverse Black, Asian, or Mixed-Heritage backgrounds, a figure we are actively growing through deep engagement with Stockport's changing community networks.
• Gender Representation: Female season ticket holders and regular match-by-match buyers now account for 25% of our stadium population, supported by the rising profile of Stockport County Ladies.
• Age Metrics: Our fan base shows exceptional multi-generational stability: 20% of our active data profiles are junior supporters under the age of 16, while 15% represent senior fans over the age of 65.
Should there be any changes or updates to the Club’s FEP we will communicate these clearly and promptly to fans, explaining the reasons behind the changes and how they align with the Club’s objectives. As previously outlined, transparency and accountability are key, so the Club is open to feedback and engagement from fans on the FEP and its progress.
The Club’s leadership will provide regular updates on the performance of the FEP, including any successes or challenges faced, and how these are being addressed.
We welcome any feedback across a range of our established engagement areas such as our fan forums or surveys and encourage supporters to get in touch by the following methods.
Email – slo@stockportcounty.com
Text /Whatsapp - 07724 792893
Telephone – 0161 266 2600
Supporters can get involved in Stockport County’s Fan Engagement Plan by reaching out to our designated contact person or senior staff member responsible for fan engagement. The Club will provide opportunity for feedback, suggestions, and ideas on how together we can improve the fan experience across the multiple areas of engagement detailed across this FEP.
Supporters can also join established fan groups or participate in club events and initiatives, to help shape the Fan Engagement Plan and make a positive impact on the overall fan experience.
To read more about the Club’s established supporters’ group, please click here. To see contact details for relevant staff, please click here.