Stockport County eye 45-year-old as Dave Challinor replacement | OneFootball

The Hatters have identified a potential replacement for Dave Challinor.

Stockport County are set for a summer of change after falling at the final hurdle in their quest to secure Championship football.

The Hatters finished third in League One for a second successive season, and while they went one better by reaching the play-off final, they succumbed to a 3-1 defeat to Bolton Wanderers.

That result seems to have triggered a potential managerial change as Dave Challinor's future at the club has been cast into serious doubt.

Now, reports suggest that Stockport are looking to League Two for their next boss and are targeting a man who also suffered play-off heartbreak this season.

Grimsby Town manager Dave Artell in frame to replace Dave Challinor

It has been a truly outstanding time at Edgeley Park as the Hatters have gone from the National League North to League One in the space of just six years.

Challinor has been an integral part of the club's success, achieving two promotions to take Stockport to the heights of League One, but has been unable to take them to the Championship despite coming so close.

Yesterday, talkSPORT reported that the 50-year-old is set to leave Edgeley Park after five years at the club, and it has not taken long for further reports to emerge about who his replacement might be.

Grimsby Town boss Dave Artell is one of the names in the frame to become the next Stockport boss, according to Alan Nixon.

He notes that the 45-year-old has done a big job for the Mariners by guiding them to the League Two play-offs and could be trumped by a move up the divisions.

Nixon echoes reports that the Hatters and Challinor are set to split shortly after what has been an incredible journey up the football pyramid.

Furthermore, he states that Artell is a similar type of manager in terms of time served and could also be at the stage of his career where he needs to be challenged by a bigger club.

Would Artell be a good appointment for Stockport County?

The news that Challinor is set to leave Edgeley Park will certainly be disappointing for Stockport supporters, given the job he has done in taking them up the divisions, and they will be hopeful of another solid appointment.

Artell was appointed Grimsby manager in November 2023, with the club struggling in League Two following their promotion from the National League, and he did a magnificent job in turning around their fortunes.

That season, the Mariners finished in 11th, and while the club struggled the following campaign, Artell kept them in the division before making significant progress.

Grimsby finished the 2024-25 season in ninth, the club's best standing in nine years, and this term they went even further by reaching the play-offs only to narrowly lose to Salford City over two legs.

Artell does have previous in League One, having managed Crewe Alexandra in the division for two campaigns, having got them promoted, before they were relegated in 2022, and he would surely want another bite at the cherry.

While fans would surely want Challinor to stay, they can be encouraged by Artell's records at Crewe and Grimsby if he is to be considered for the Stockport position.