Stockport’s new signing cheekily mocked by former teammates with transfer accusations

Stockport’s new signing Fraser Horsfall has been cheekily mocked by his former teammates with transfer accusations on Instagram.

The League Two newcomers completed the purchase of defender Fraser Horsfall, who according to manager Dave Challinor is a potential game-changer who could easily be a Championship player.

However after seeing the player had switched clubs, his now ex-teammates from Northampton playfully took the mick..

It was a free transfer of the 25-year-old, joining the fourth tier side after Stockport won last season’s National League title.

Welcome to County, 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹!

We are delighted to confirm the signing of the highly rated defender on a free transfer from Northampton Town, with the 25-year-old signing a three-year-deal.

Great to have you on board, @Fhorsfall!https://t.co/TjycAxQZIr

— Stockport County (C) (@StockportCounty) June 27, 2022

They have already been installed as bookies’ favourites to get a second successive promotion, and it is sure to get tasty with Northampton also hoping to go up after missing out following Bristol Rovers’ thrashing over Scunthorpe then the Cobblers lost in the playoffs.

Stockport were taken over by local businessman Mark Stott in 2020 and he has invested plenty into the playing squad and club infrastructure, enough to help them finally return to the EFL and more recently Stott announced he had cleared the £7.7m debt the club owed him.

They are back in the Football League after an 11-year absence but the signing of Horsfall is a clear indication they know what they want and aren’t just making up the numbers.

After posting on Instagram, a number of Northampton players responded with some mocking, sarcastic comments claiming that money was behind the move.

Striker Sam Hoskins said: “All th£ bЄ$t mate.” Defender Aaron McGowan wrote: “All the Be$t”. Midfielder Mitchell Pinnock added: “My $kipp£r.” Emmanuel Osadebe, also got involved and replied with some money bag emojis.

Stockport manager Dave Challinor praised Horsfall as a ‘huge coup’ and said he can be a ‘Championship defender’.

“Fraser is a player I’ve tracked for a long time, since his time at Huddersfield, through loan and permanent moves to Kidderminster and Macclesfield and onto Northampton, but to get him now after the season he has just had and the options he had to weigh up is a huge coup for us,” he said.

“Over the past couple of seasons he’s established himself as statistically the most dominant defender in League Two, has excellent leadership qualities and is a threat in both boxes with nine goals himself last season.

“I believe we can give him the platform to show the side of his game that I first noticed when he came onto the scene, something that he’s maybe not been required to show over the last few years.

“Not only is he undoubtedly a fantastic defender, but he is very comfortable in possession of the football and we believe that he can develop into a Championship defender as a minimum with his drive and determination, and the help and advice we can give him. I’m sure he’ll be a big player for us and will give us know how of the league and what’s required to be successful in it.”

Stockport director of football Simon Wilson added: “Fraser was a top target for the club this summer and many people have worked hard to make this deal happen.

“We believe he brings a number of qualities to our group that we think will help us as we compete at new levels. Our references suggest he is another hard working and grounded person, who will fit in well with the values of our squad and I wish him all the very best during his time with us.“

Fans reacted as Stockport’s new signing gets cheekily mocked by former teammates with transfer accusations…

@St0ckport: give us the trophy already 😩😩😩

@WrexhamAFC4: Cracking signing that fair play

@Mathew_scfc: Have to give credit to Wilson and Co for getting all these players on free. Maybe abit of luck too but outstanding business.

@imwacca: no luck just £

@Mathew_scfc: Love itttttt

@GazScFc: We’re gonna win the league we’re gonna win the league 😂

@otcountyculture: Statement signing 👏 welcome Fraser

@LukeThoday: Fair play lads decent signing that will be interesting to see how he handles himself without the back line he had last season, for me was a quality player but does have a mistake in him, great leader too. Will be missed at Northampton but not the end of the world losing him 🙌🏻

@joe_ntfc: If you lot don’t win the league with the money you’ve spent it’s embarrassing. Fair play you’ve got a right player on your hands

@philtheglass: What money spent?

@Stew2205: Not necessarily transfer fees but the wages and signing on fees being offered are huge.

@philtheglass: We haven’t broken our pay structure with any of the signings so far, don’t know where these stories of us offering huge wages has come from

@Stew2205: I guess that depends what your pay structure was to start with. Reliably informed Horsfall has nearly doubled his wages and received substantial signing on fee, which given NTFC are hardly worst payers in L2 is a lot of money.

@JonnyPickerin98: What a fucking signing. Love that everyone will be fighting for their position next season.

@ben_rigden: 🐍🐍

@Havoc11uk: The Northampton fans are well, er, lets say, quite salty

@ian_townsend: It’s your Billy big bollocks fans telling us what a massive club you are now you’ve got a few quid , you were playing brackley a couple of years ago 😂

@naggerpagger: Good luck to the lad. Hopefully he continues the form from last season and not from when he first signed for us. He turned into a more than decent L2 ‘enforcer’ his only real errors were when he got caught trying to play out from the back.

@torky2: Pleased with that plenty of defensive cover now, Collar signing extension is great news and means our midfield trio all signed up! Think we may need another keeper but happy with squad. Still don’t think be as easy as some say but looking good 💙

@OfficialScottyT: Cannot blame him joining a bigger club.

@davidstowelltv: Fraser Horsfall should be a very good #stockportcounty signing in my book.
▪️ Solid at the back
▪️ Dangerous from set-pieces
▪️ Enjoyed his best ever scoring season last season (9 gls in 53, from centre-half)
▪️ Good age (25)
▪️ #NTFC rec overall: 12 goals in 100