Stockport landed the first psychological blow in the buildup to the League Two playoff final when six-month-old Lottie Simpson pledged her allegiance to the club over Carlisle. Dad Jake is head of performance at County, while Grandad Paul is the manager of their opponents, making Sunday a peculiar family affair at Wembley.
The teams reached the final in dramatic circumstances: Stockport advanced past Salford via penalties after a late equaliser from Jack Stretton, who started the season at Carlisle, while at Brunton Park, Ben Barclay, on loan from County, struck the winner against Bradford in extra time. There is no shortage of links between the two clubs but none is stronger than father and son.
