This morning saw an historic moment before Stockport County’s final League match of the season as Uruguayan ambassador Mr Cesar Rodriguez Zabala reveals the statue of former manager Danny Bergara alongside members of Danny’s family.
It will be the first statue of any former County player or manager to be placed at Edgeley Park; a fitting tribute to the iconic Uruguayan, who is widely recognised as the most beloved manager in the club’s history.
Danny spent six years in charge at Edgeley Park having taken over in 1989, inspiring a whole new generation of County fans to fall in love with the club as his side won promotion from Division Four as runners up in 1991, before going on to reach Wembley four times in two years. He was the first foreign manager ever to lead an English club out at the national stadium.
In total he was manager of Stockport County for 349 games, winning 156 of them, as he transformed the club from Division Four strugglers to a side on the verge of the First Division. He was inducted into the Stockport County Hall of Fame in 2004 and remained a much-loved figure at Edgeley Park until his tragic death in 2007, just a day after his 65th birthday.
Danny’s legacy at Stockport County Football Club lives on, however, and to this day the chant ‘Danny Bergara’s Blue & White Army’ can be heard sung home and away by the County faithful. The Uruguayan flag still hangs proudly at Edgeley Park, and this statue is a further step in recognising his legendary status at the club.
The life-size statue, created by award-winning sculptor Hannah Stewart, is the end result of over two years of fundraising by the Co-Op and Help the Hatters, with over £50,000 raised to fund its creation.
Supporters Co-operative Vice-Chair, John Giles said:
“It’s been over two years now since we first floated the idea of a statue for Danny, and we’re delighted to finally be able to reveal the finished product ahead of such an important game for the club on Monday.
“It was agreed that a statue would be a fitting tribute to the manager that really put Stockport County on the map, and provided the platform for the fantastic 1996/97 season and five subsequent seasons in the Championship. We have worked closely with the Bergara family throughout the process, and they were delighted with the proposal and finished product. We then presented the idea to the football club, and they kindly agreed to support us, with Mark Stott generously donating £10,000 towards the cause.
“We have been working on a fundraising campaign for the statue and the County family has come together to help raise the required funds. We’d just like to thank everyone who has helped us reach our target – it just goes to show the special place that Danny still holds in the heart of every County fan.
