Up to date: 1 Might 2025 2:29 pm
Stockport County’s exceptional resurgence beneath Dave Challinor continues, with the membership getting ready to back-to-back promotions. Heading into the ultimate fixture of the season, they sit third within the League One desk and have secured a spot within the playoffs. An unimaginable achievement of their first season again at this degree because the 2009/10 marketing campaign.
County enters the playoffs in sturdy type. They’ve misplaced simply as soon as of their final 12 outings and are extensively thought-about amongst the favourites for promotion. However whatever the marketing campaign’s eventual consequence and what league the workforce will function in subsequent season, supervisor Dave Challinor’s impression has been extraordinary.
When Challinor took the Stockport job in November 2021, The Hatters have been ninth within the Nationwide League, 10 factors adrift of the highest spot. Now they sit on the cusp of the Championship.
Identified for his tactical acumen and promotion-winning pedigree, Challinor is establishing a repute as one of the crucial profitable managers in English soccer’s decrease leagues. In his 15-year managerial profession, his workforce has completed under the playoff locations solely as soon as, through the COVID-affected 2019/20 marketing campaign and has achieved seven promotions throughout 4 golf equipment.
Throughout his enjoying days, he was famed for his lengthy throws and performed as a central defender within the Soccer League for Tranmere Rovers, Stockport County, and Bury. He started his managerial profession as player-manager at Colwyn Bay in 2010, guiding them to promotion in his debut season. He later loved additional success with AFC Fylde, incomes three promotions and an FA Trophy, and led Hartlepool United to promotion from the Nationwide League in his first full season.
A Historic Turnaround
Challinor was a proficient tactician, however few would’ve predicted the success he would obtain together with his new membership when he returned to Stockport County in November 2021.
He inherited a workforce that was struggling within the Nationwide League and orchestrated a exceptional turnaround. In his first season, he led Stockport to the Nationwide League title, securing promotion again to the Soccer League after an 11-year absence. He led the workforce on a unprecedented run, profitable 20 and drawing 1 of 21 video games from December to March, propelling them to the highest of the league. Unsurprisingly, Challinor’s management earned him the Nationwide League Supervisor of the Season award for the 2021–22 marketing campaign.
The next season, Stockport reached the League Two play-off ultimate however have been narrowly defeated on penalties. Nonetheless, followers of the membership didn’t have to attend lengthy to see their facet promoted. The 2023/24 season was historic for Stockport County. Beneath Challinor’s management, the workforce gained the League Two title, securing their first EFL division crown in 57 years. In the course of the marketing campaign, the workforce gained a membership document 13 straight wins in all competitions and equalled the fourth-tier’s document of 12 consecutive league wins in the identical run.
A Defining Period
Within the final 3 league campaigns, Stockport’s worst end was dropping the playoff ultimate on penalties. Really a exceptional time to be a supporter of the membership, having spent the 11 prior seasons watching your facet compete outdoors of the EFL. If Challinor can lead his workforce to their 3rd promotion in 4 seasons, he’ll cement himself as a membership legend and have taken The Hatters on one of the crucial exceptional runs the soccer league has seen.
In only a few quick years, Dave Challinor has turned Stockport County from a struggling Nationwide League facet into a longtime contender for promotion to the Championship. His monitor document speaks for itself, and at simply 49, a relative junior within the managerial world, Challinor has many extra seasons to encourage constant success.
Challinor has already written a brand new chapter within the membership’s historical past. Ought to he full the climb to the second tier, it is not going to solely be a defining second for Stockport County however an exclamation mark on one in all English soccer’s most compelling managerial tales.
