He never played in the Derby first team, and was instead sold to Asa Hartford's Stockport County for a club-record £33,000 fee in October 1988. He struggled to break into the first team at the Fourth Division club, but found his shooting boots when new manager Danny Bergara took over in March 1989. During the 1989–90 season he scored four goals in one game against Hartlepool United, and finished the campaign with 23 goals in 43 league starts to become the division's top-scorer. However following defeat to Chesterfield in the play-offs he handed in a transfer request.