Stockport boss Challinor signs new three-year deal
Dave Challinor has won 114 of his 207 games with Stockport - a 55% win ratio
- Published
Stockport County manager Dave Challinor has signed a new three-year contract with the club.
Challinor, whose existing deal was due to expire in 12 months, will now be with the Edgeley Park outfit until the summer of 2028.
The 49-year-old has been in charge of 207 games for the Hatters since joining from Hartlepool United in November 2021.
In that time, Stockport have won both the National League and League Two and they finished third in League One last season.
"Last season gives me even more motivation to improve and aim to meet the shared objectives we have," he told the club's website, external.
First, fourth, first, third
Challinor's spell has been one of the most successful in Stockport's history with the team finishing no lower than fourth in any of the last four seasons.
He had already secured three promotions in non-league with Fylde and had taken Hartlepool into the English Football League only a few months earlier when he was appointed at Edgeley Park with the team ninth in the National League.
Six months later, in May 2022, the Hatters won the title to end an 11-year spell in non-league.
They then finished fourth in League Two 12 months later only to lose on penalties to Carlisle United at Wembley in the play-off final.
Challinor's team recovered from that to top the table in the next season, which included a record-equalling fourth tier run of 12 successive victories.
They needed little time to adjust to League One, earning a club-record 87 points at that level only to be beaten by Leyton Orient on penalties in the play-off semi-final last month.
Challinor is driven to bring Championship back to the club for the first time since 2002.
"We've had great success, excitement, ups and the odd down over this period," he said.
"Next season will undoubtedly be tougher than the last, and we have to continue to develop and move forward as a club year-on-year.
"But we still remain positive that together we can achieve what we all want, and importantly what the original plan was – Championship football."