The county is flying on the pitch.
The Greater Manchester club, who are 10 points clear at the top of the National League, decided to fly to Eastleigh on the south coast for their league game on Saturday.
Manchester United were criticized for opting to fly for their 100 mile trip to Leicester last year, despite being in the fifth tier.
It is the first time that County have traveled by air, with a club spokesman saying that 27 players and staff had taken the flight, which was significantly cheaper than rail travel.
The club said that after a long away trip to King's Lynn Town and back on Tuesday night, it helped with the players recovery and preparation to be able to fly to Saints in 45 minutes.
It was a great experience for the boys, who were then able to enjoy a training session at Totton feeling fresh and fit, and was also a reward for their record-breaking run that has seen them win 19 and draw one of their last 20 games.
Stockport County is committed to being an environmental friendly football club, and on reducing the impact on the environment. The club would have sought alternative travel arrangements had a commercial flight not already been scheduled to leave Manchester on Friday morning.
At elite sport level, clubs argue that flying reduces travel times and aids recovery.
Stockport County owner Mark Stott - who bought the club in 2020 - also owns the majority share in non-league outfit Stockport Town. The North West Counties Football League First Division South side also flew overseas to their fixture at FC Isle of Man this weekend.
The decision to fly drew a lot of reaction on social media, with fans stating the club would fly where they wanted, while others claimed the National League side were doing things they couldn't do.
Some on social media questioned the move from an environmental standpoint, stating it was not kind to the planet, while others pointed out the fact the commercial flight would have made the journey anyway.
It is about seven miles from Edgeley Park to Manchester Airport, and 1.5 miles from Eastleigh's Silverlake Stadium, meaning a quick transfer to the ground.
Some of the players at the club grabbed the chance to take pictures with Kevin de Bruyne at the airport, if it wasn't enough to please them.
The Hatters have seven wins in a row on the road. They hope the run of results is maintained on the trip.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
