Opposition Lowdown: Dave Challinor's Stockport County

10/29/2024 08:04 AM

Reading will be looking for their fourth consecutive win when they travel up to Stockport for a Tuesday evening game under the lights. Join us as we take a closer look at the opposition. 

Form

Stockport County were promoted last season after finishing champions of League Two, four points ahead of runners-up Wrexham. They secured promotion to the third tier in only their second season back in League Two, having won promotion to the Football League in 2022 after finishing as champions of the National League.

They currently sit in mid-table, 12th in the league following four wins, six draws and only two losses so far. Those two losses have come against Leyton Orient and Lincoln City.

County's recent form has been mixed, having seen one win, three draws and one loss in their last five games. They come into Tuesday's match off the back of a 1-2 away defeat to Lincoln City, their first loss in six games.

The two sides last faced each other in the 1997/98 season, when Reading claimed a 1-0 win at Elm Park after a Trevor Morley penalty, before Stockport hammered the Royals 5-1 at Edgeley Park.

The boss

Dave Challinor: Challinor became Stockport manager in November 2021, taking over from Simon Rusk, who was sacked after only nine months in charge.

Challinor had a 17-year career as a player and was a centre-back who represented the likes of Tranmere Rovers, Stockport County and Bury. He ended his career with Colwyn Bay but became their player/manager in 2010.

He went on to manage AFC Fylde, where he spent eight years, helping the club to secure promotion to the National League North in 2014 and then to the National League in 2017. He guided Fylde to the National League playoffs in 2018 and 2019 and won the FA Trophy with the side in 2019.

Challinor then went on to manage Hartlepool, where he spent two seasons, guiding them back to League Two via the playoffs in 2021. He joined Stockport the following season and returned County to the Football League, after finishing as National League champions.

He led the side to the playoff final in their first season back in the fourth tier, but County lost to Carlisle United. However, Challinor guided the side to League One last season, finishing as League Two champions. The 49-year-old likes his sides to play with high intensity and dominate possession.

Squad

Stockport prepared for life back in the third tier with the signing of 15 players. They paid transfer fees for Manchester City under-21 midfielder Lewis Fiorini and Drogheda goalkeeper Andrew Wogan, while also completing the signings of Crawley Town goalkeeper Corey Addai, right-back Jay Mingi and winger Jayden Favrier, who both signed from Colchester United.

Former Royal Oliver Norwood signed on a free transfer following his release from Sheffield United, along with fellow midfielders Lewis Bate and Callum Connolly, defender Sam Hughes and winger Jack Diamond. County also completed the loan signings of left-back Tayo Adaramola (Crystal Palace), midfielder Tyler Onyango (Everton) and forwards Louie Barry (Aston Villa) and Michael Mellon (Burnley).

A total of 10 players left Edgeley Park, including goalkeeper Jordan Smith, defender Akil Wright, midfielders Myles Hippolyte and Antoni Sarcevic and striker Paddy Madden.

Defenders Kyle Knoyle, Macauley Southam-Hales and Ryan Rydel and midfielder Will Collar are all expected to miss out on this game through injury.

Predicted lineup

Addai, Connolly, Hughes, Pye, Fevrier, Touray, Bate, Norwood, Bailey, Olaofe, Barry

Key player

Louie Barry: Forward Barry signed for Stockport during the summer, joining on a season-long loan from Premier League Aston Villa. He spent 10 years in the youth setup at West Bromwich Albion, before signing for the Barcelona academy in 2019.

Barry spent six months in Spain before then signing for the Aston Villa youth team. He made his first-team debut for Villa in an FA Cup tie with Liverpool in 2021 and scored on his debut. That was his only appearance for Villa so far, but Barry has gone on to play first-team football during a number of loan spells, representing the likes of Ipswich Town, Swindon Town, MK Dons and Salford City.

He joined Stockport on a season-long loan last season and made 22 appearances for County, scoring nine goals. The 21-year-old started his second loan spell with the club this summer and already has seven league goals to his name so far, making him joint-top-scorer in League One.

Barry has represented England at every level from under-15 to under-18 and has 14 Three Lions goals to his name across the age groups. He can play as either a centre-forward or winger and is a strong dribbler and finisher.

One to watch

Lewis Bate: Midfielder Bate signed for Stockport this summer, joining on a free transfer after the expiry of his contract at Leeds United.

Bate started his youth career at Chelsea but signed his first pro deal at Leeds in 2021. He made his league debut in 2022 in an FA Cup game against West Ham and went on to make an additional four first-team appearances for Leeds.

Bate has had loan spells at Oxford United and MK Dons, where he spent the second half of last season, making 22 appearances for the club.

He was named Stockport captain shortly after joining the club this summer and has made 10 appearances for County so far. The 22-year-old has represented England at under-17, under-18 and under-20 levels and has one Three Lions goal to his name.

Bate is a defensive midfielder who is a strong tackler but also an effective passer of the ball.