Stockport County’s Season and Performance

Stockport County concluded the previous season in third place within League One, marking their return to the third tier. They were five points behind second-placed Wrexham. The team faced Leyton Orient in the playoff semi-finals but fell short of reaching the final after a 3-3 draw on aggregate, ultimately losing on penalties.

This season, Stockport is performing strongly, currently sitting in fourth place within the league. They are six points away from the automatic promotion spots. Their recent form has been inconsistent, with two wins, one draw, and two losses in their last five games.

The team’s away performance has been more consistent than their home form, accumulating 21 of their 39 points on the road. They recently played a 0-0 draw against Northampton Town on New Year’s Day.

The two teams met earlier this season at Edgeley Park, where they ended in a 1-1 draw. Jack Marriott scored an equalizer in the 72nd minute, canceling out Kyle Wootton’s first-half goal.

Manager Dave Challinor

Dave Challinor took over as manager of Stockport in November 2021, succeeding Simon Rusk, who was dismissed after just nine months in charge.

Challinor had a 17-year playing career, primarily as a center-back, representing clubs such as Tranmere Rovers, Stockport County, and Bury. He retired with Colwyn Bay and later became their player-manager in 2010.

His managerial journey began with AFC Fylde, where he spent eight years. During his tenure, he secured promotions to the National League North in 2014 and to the National League in 2017. He also led the team to the National League playoffs in 2018 and 2019 and won the FA Trophy in 2019.

Challinor then managed Hartlepool, guiding them back to the Football League via the playoffs in 2021. He joined Stockport the following season and helped the club return to the Football League by finishing as National League champions.

He led the side to the playoff final in their first season back in the Football League, although they lost to Carlisle United. However, Challinor secured promotion back to the third tier the next season, with the Hatters finishing as League Two champions. Last season, they achieved a strong third-place finish in League One.

Challinor prefers his teams to play with high intensity and dominate possession.

Team News and Predicted Lineup

Oliver Norwood, a former Royal, has recently returned from injury and is expected to start in the match against one of his former clubs. Midfielder Lewis Bate is likely to miss the game due to ongoing injury recovery.

Predicted lineup: Hinchliffe, Olowu, Hills, Pye, O’Keefe, Osborn, Norwood, Moxon, Mothersille, Diamond, Wootton.

Key Player: Kyle Wootton

Kyle Wootton, wearing the number 19 jersey, signed for Stockport in June 2022 from Notts County. He began his career in the youth team at Scunthorpe United and made his professional debut in 2014 during a League Cup game against Reading.

Wootton had several loan spells while at Scunthorpe, making 78 appearances and scoring 11 goals. He joined Notts County on loan at the start of the 2019/20 season, with the deal becoming permanent in January 2020. He stayed at County for nearly three years, scoring 52 goals for the club.

Since joining Stockport in 2022, Wootton has netted 50 goals, including nine this season, making him the club’s top scorer. At 6 feet 3 inches tall, he is a strong presence in the air.

One to Watch: Brad Hills

Brad Hills, wearing the number 15 jersey, joined Stockport on a permanent basis in August of last year, following a successful loan spell with the club the previous season.

Hills started his career in the youth setup at Norwich City and had a loan spell at Accrington Stanley before making his debut for the Canaries in 2024. He made four more appearances for Norwich before joining Stockport on loan for the second half of the previous season.

The 21-year-old has made 33 appearances for County and has one goal to his name. He has also represented the England under-20 side and earned four caps with the Young Lions.

Hills is a ball-playing center-back who can also play as a full-back when needed.