Stockport County could face transfer decision sooner than anticipated on Bolton evidence | OneFootball

One of the Hatters’ lower-key summer deals had the biggest impact on the opening weekend against Bolton

Stockport County may soon have a decision to make on short-term signing Danny Andrew if his opening-day cameo is anything to go by.

The left-back signed for the Hatters at the beginning of August on a short-term contract as cover for the injured Tayo Edun, with loanee Owen Dodgson the only other player available to play that role.

Andrew was thrown straight in as a substitute in County’s first League One game of the season against Bolton Wanderers and had a vital impact, providing an incredible set-piece assist for Kyle Wootton to put the game beyond doubt.

Due to the very short-term nature of his current contract, and the impact he’s already shown he’s capable of with just a few minutes on the pitch, the 34-year-old’s future at the club will likely already be a topic of conversation at Edgeley Park.

Andrew made an impact against Bolton

Dodgson, on loan from Burnley, is undoubtedly the Hatters’ first-choice left-back with Edun out injured, but Andrew showed why defensive cover was needed, when he replaced midfielder Callum Camps in the 84th minute to create a back three to see out what was a cagey 1-0 game at that stage.

Primarily tasked with packing out the defensive unit, Andrew went one better by playing a leading role in County’s second goal of the game, sealing the three points in the first game of the season.

The Hatters were awarded a free kick on the left flank when Jordi Osei-Tutu pulled Wootton to the ground, and it looked in prime position for dead-ball specialist Ollie Norwood to step up and deliver.

That’s exactly what he did, but so did Andrew, with Norwood providing a dummy run before the defender swung a pinpoint cross with his left foot, perfectly finding the head of Wootton – with the striker barely having to jump, such was the accuracy of the delivery – nodding home County’s second and putting the game beyond doubt.

Coming in from the cold, having only been around his new team-mates for a matter of days, and given just a few minutes to make an impact on the game, it showed what an impact Andrew can still have at this level despite his advanced years.

County have a decision to make very soon

Andrew was only signed on a month-long contract to provide cover for Dodgson, then the only fit specialist left-back with Edun out injured, after completing the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) free-agent pre-season scheme and moving onto a successful trial with County.

Challinor has already confirmed that Edun’s injury is “not short-term”, opening up the possibility that his time on the sideline could well extend beyond Andrew’s current terms.

Andrew departing before Edun’s back would once again leave Dodgson to man that position by himself, with Ethan Pye, the only other player with any real experience in the role, required at centre-back.

Now, seeing the impact Andrew can have with limited minutes, and Edun’s timeline uncertain, it’s not unimaginable that County will soon be discussing extending the former’s time with the club.

It’s easy to imagine Dave Challinor wanting to keep Andrew around

It’s also easy to see why manager Dave Challinor would be keen to keep Andrew around.

The 34-year-old has 293 League One games on his CV and hasn’t played below the third tier since the 2016/17 season with Grimsby Town, so has a wealth of recent experience.

He is also comfortable at left-back and centre-back, not only providing cover for Dodgson and in central defence, but also allowing Challinor to switch between a back three and back four depending on the game state; precisely how he used Andrew against Bolton.

“He comes at an important time, and we feel his experience, leadership and adaptability of playing in different positions at this level will be really important over this period,” Challinor noted in Andrew’s signing announcement. “The short-term nature of the deal suits everyone at present and we’ll assess things over the period.”

Andrew’s acceptance of the month-long contract suggests that he is willing to take a supporting role in the side.

Having someone of his experience and adaptability in reserve, providing an older voice in an otherwise relatively young dressing room, and likely making few demands about minutes, is almost the perfect scenario for Challinor, and one that may even be worth extending when Edun returns.

Add in his wicked delivery, with towering poachers like Kyle Wootton, Nathan Lowe and, to some extent, Benony Andresson, in the frontline, and it’s a setup that appears to work for all parties.