[36] In March 1946, Stockport hosted Doncaster Rovers in a League Three North Cup match which lasted 203 minutes, and is considered the longest professional football game.

[39][40] During the 1964–65 season, Stockport chairman Vic Bernard re-introduced the royal blue strip,[30] and hired former Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann as the club's general manager to improve its image.

[48] In the 1992 Associate Members' Cup Final, Bergara became the first South American to lead an English team at Wembley; Stoke City defeated County 1–0.

[33] The 1996–97 season proved to be the most successful in the club's history: Stockport finished second in the Second Division and reached the semi-finals of the League Cup, in which they eliminated three Premiership teams before losing 2–1 against Middlesbrough over two legs.

[57] Former England international Carlton Palmer was appointed in November 2001,[58][59] but he failed to save the club from relegation to the third tier that season.

A new company, Cheshire Sport, was established,[62] which combined ownership of Stockport County, Sale Sharks and the Edgeley Park stadium.

[citation needed]In 2005, after reportedly losing £4 million in operating costs,[63] Kennedy handed ownership of the club to the Stockport County Supporters' Co-operative.

[66][67] He led the club to safety in 2005–06,[68] and sustained a promotion challenge the next season but eventually missed out on the League Two play-offs on goal difference.

[70][71] In April 2009, Stockport County was placed into administration due to a loan to a creditor of around £300,000, and a tax debt of £250,000 to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

[72][73] Two months later, County's administrator, Leonard Curtis, announced terms had been agreed with the Melrose Consortium—headed by ex-Manchester City player Jim Melrose—for the sale of the club.

[79] Before the start of the 2010–11 season, the new owners pledged to "rebuild the club from top to bottom",[80] and appointed Paul Simpson as manager.

[94] The club regained sole tenancy of their Edgeley Park stadium for the first time in nine years in 2012, after Sale Sharks relocated to Salford City Reds' new ground.

[113][114] Managed by Dave Challinor (appointed in November 2021),[115][116] County topped the National League in 2021–22, securing promotion back to the EFL after an 11-year absence.

[117] In their first season back in League Two, 2022–23, Stockport finished 4th and reached the play-off final, losing to Carlisle United 5–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw at Wembley.

It was altered in 2006 to resemble the town's arms more closely, including the Latin motto Animo et Fide, which loosely translated means "With Courage and Faith".

The medals hanging from the lion's rampant (which represented Cheshire and Lancashire, owing to Stockport's location astride the River Mersey which forms the historic border between the two counties) were removed.

Stockport County Supporters' Co-operative used the blue on white cross from the 1978 badge as the main identifier in their company logo.

[156] By 1902, County required a larger ground and moved to Edgeley Park, then home of the rugby league club Stockport RFC.

[33] In late 2000, chairman Brendan Elwood considered moving Stockport to Maine Road, the home of rivals Manchester City.

The potential move was unpopular with supporters, and protests were staged after it was suggested that the club would change its name to Man-Stock County.

[159] Maine Road was demolished in 2004 to make way for a housing estate, and Edgeley Park was then shared with Sale whose parent company, Cheshire Sports, owned the ground.

located around 7 miles (11 km) from Edgeley Park, Stockport County has always vied with top-level clubs for local support.

As a result, County moved all their home games to Friday evening, which generated larger crowds and extra business in surrounding pubs and restaurants.

[173][174] It is possible this attendance was a result of County's association with their affiliate team, and Tiger Stars' name change to include 'Stockport' two years before.

[189] Some famous Stockport County fans include darts players Tony O'Shea and Nathan Aspinall, singer-songwriter Daz Sampson, Blossoms bassist Charlie Salt, and Manchester City and England under 21 defender, Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

O'Shea has written articles in the club's matchday programme and has also worn County's colours in all of his televised darts matches.

[191][192] They also organised the 'Players Fund',[193][194] which paid the wages of young players,[195] and gave the Stockport County Supporters' Co-operative shares in the club.

[193][196] The group transformed the club's Legends Lounge into the Stockport County Museum, which was opened by former player George Haigh on his 102nd birthday.

According to a survey in 2003, County supporters include more distant clubs Burnley and Stoke City among their main rivals for more historical reasons.

[244] The other players involved were: Robert Clare, Michael Rose, Ashley Williams, Gareth Owen, Stephen Gleeson, Jason Taylor, Adam Griffin, David Poole, Damien Allen, Anthony Pilkington, Tony Dinning, Dominic Blizzard, Liam Dickinson, Adam Proudlock, Tes Bramble and Anthony Elding.