Dave Challinor, the manager of Stockport County, is preparing his team for a League One playoff semi-final first leg against Stevenage on Saturday. With an unparalleled record in promotion battles, Challinor has seen it all in his 16 seasons as a manager.
A Remarkable Record
Challinor's teams—Colwyn Bay, Fylde, Hartlepool, and now Stockport—have finished in a playoff spot or higher in 15 of his 16 seasons. The only exception was in 2019-20 when he changed clubs mid-season. This will be his 12th playoff experience, spanning from the Northern Premier League to League One.
"I've been through absolutely everything," says the 50-year-old former centre-back, who played 91 times for Stockport. "I've won and lost eliminators, won and lost semi-finals and finals, won and lost on penalties. I've even had goalkeepers score against me."
Old-School Management
Challinor is described by his players as an old-school manager who demands high standards. Veteran midfielder Oliver Norwood, who came through Manchester United's academy under Sir Alex Ferguson and played for Chris Wilder at Sheffield United, appreciates Challinor's style.
"He makes demands of you, he doesn't accept rubbish, he demands that players drag everything out of themselves to be successful," Norwood says. "Sometimes players may not like the truth being told. The game has changed a lot, and people are a lot more sensitive, but there's still a place in football for holding people accountable."
Playoff Preparation
Challinor's key message this week has been to remind his players that form counts for little in the playoffs. Stockport finished third in League One, similar to last year when they dominated Leyton Orient but lost on penalties after missing two gilt-edged chances in extra time.
"You're in a four-team tournament where any team can have an argument to say they deserve to get promoted," Challinor says. "But it's not about deserving—as we found out last year. We played really well but sometimes things can go against you. Hopefully this year will be our year."
Having lost twice to Stevenage this season and securing a top-six spot only on the final day with a 3-1 win at Barnsley, Stockport are perhaps less fancied than last year. However, Challinor remains focused.
"This is very much a separate entity," he says. "We've played 46 league games and finished third in the table—fantastic. We now move to a four-team competition to become a Championship team. It's almost like the 46 games don't count for a great deal."
Ambition and Growth
It would be a new frontier for Challinor, who has never managed in the Championship, and for Stockport, whose last spell in the second tier came 24 years ago when Challinor was a player. Since arriving in 2021, Challinor, along with owner Mark Stott and chief executive Simon Wilson, has guided the club from the National League North to the brink of the Championship.
"Behave like a big team" is one of the messages printed on the walls at Stockport's Carrington training ground. "This was a blank canvas and in terms of success it couldn't have gone any better," says Challinor. "It's almost been followed to the dot, which is a massive credit to him [Wilson]. Everything that's needed to be ticked off has been, really."
Expect the Unexpected
Challinor's vast playoff experience helps him remain calm. "The playoffs can bring all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff. When you've not been involved in them before that can be a shock. Everything is on the line here. There are so many things that go on, I think you have to expect the unexpected."
Incidentally, Challinor's Hartlepool team came through a playoff tie when a goalkeeper scored against them, beating Torquay on penalties in the 2021 National League playoff final despite conceding a 95th-minute equaliser. He really has seen it all.
