Wrexham AFC player has the potential to make Stockport County envious heading into League One
Andy Cannon came through the Hatters’ youth system and has emerged as one of Wrexham’s star performers this season
When Wrexham AFC face rivals Stockport County at the Racecourse on the final day of the season, there will be very little at stake for either side.
The Red Dragons have secured one of three automatic promotion spots on offer in League Two, while the Hatters have already been confirmed as champions.
The two clubs have enjoyed a healthy competitive rivalry in recent years which will no doubt continue next season.
Which team is better prepared for life in League One remains to be seen, with both Phil Parkinson and Dave Challinor likely to be well-backed again during the summer transfer window.
However, if there’s one player in red on Saturday who Stockport fans might wish they had on their side as they head up a division, then it’s Wrexham midfielder Andy Cannon.
Born in Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester, Cannon’s association with Stockport goes right back to his youth days.
According to the club’s official website, he joined the club’s academy in 2003 at the age of eight and stayed there for seven years.
That was until they entered administration and subsequent cost-cutting measures meant it had to be closed down.
The talented youngster was then quickly snapped up by Rochdale, where he made more than 100 appearances, followed by spells at Portsmouth and Hull City.
After struggling to find game time with the Tigers in the Championship, Cannon was loaned out to Stockport in March 2022.
The midfielder really shone for the Hatters in the run-in as they pipped Wrexham to the National League title that season.
However, after initially returning to Hull, it was their rivals who would move fastest to secure his signature permanently after impressing Parkinson.
He joined the North Wales club on a two-and-a-half-year deal in December 2022 to bolster their own hopes of being promoted to League Two as they fought a close battle with Notts County.
An energetic presence in midfield, Cannon had an instant impact at Wrexham, making 16 league appearances as they lifted the National League title with a record-breaking 111 points.
The start to life in League Two wasn’t an easy one for the 28-year-old as the Red Dragons initially struggled to get to grips with going up a level.
Cannon himself experienced a dip in form and was caught in possession in dangerous areas on several occasions by opponents.
The turning point came when the midfielder was sent off after coming on as a substitute against Crawley Town in October last year after putting in a late challenge on Adam Campbell.
After serving a three-match ban, he came back refreshed and looked much calmer on the ball, even when called upon to stand in for George Evans in a deep-lying role.
