"Once the interest came in, it was always going to be an attraction.
The squad is an amazing squad of really talented players. It's almost an embarrassment of riches. If you look at the squad there are matchwinners throughout it. We want to showcase the talent that is in the squad, & there is absolutely stacks of that."

So money-bags club, close to DC's home, makes illegal approach to him, having already spent a great wadge of cash in assembling a squad which hasn't yet delivered the desired league placing. Pools' players may feel more than a bit aggrieved on hearing such profuse praise being bandied about.

I think DC, with his ethos & diligent approach, can get Stockport into the EFL, but the price of failure is high. I wish him well, but their whole "recruitment process" leaves a nasty taste & I don't think Raj could have done much about halting it, so let's hope he gets the compensation which is warranted - presumably the former owners would want a percentage of it

Stockport are the best equipped to smash that division.

Think back to when DC would tactically destroy Chesterfield / Notts County’s etc. We bottled a chance at the title when Sutton fell away. With the talent at his disposable, I’d lump on them going all the way.

You might be right, but Challinor hasn't managed a team of racing certs to win something before, the expectations will be massive and there's still only that one automatic promotion place. Wonder if the squad are a 'great group of lads' or if he'll have some clashing egos to deal with?

Has anyone ever got two different teams out of that division? He's definitely got the tools at his disposal but there are plenty of other good sides going well in the National League. Not going to be easy.

Stockports expectations will be running high, it’s one thing pulling a donkey out of the clarts, but hanging onto a thundering racehorse expected to win the race will be a whole new ballgame.
Enjoy.

So what are they doing half way down the National League?

just got a feeling he may have inherited one or two tools playing for them. could be something he has never encountered before with big ego players along side the bread and butter type of player. no bad as their previous manager was its hard to see why they have been performing so poorly as a team.

Well if he takes Stockport up this season.
I wudent be surprised to see him going to Wrexham next season.

Funny you should say that, but on their message boards, a name which escapes me, kept popping up which sounded awfully like the player who really runs things.
I could have misinterpreted it but.....

There appear to have been some 'undropables' in the SC squad. Be interesting to see what happens when/if he drops Rooney. Seems to be a bit Liam Noble like in his attitude and we know how that ended. It only takes a couple of rotten eggs in a squad to shatter team spirit. It may take him some time to turn that ship around.

Erm, you know that he managed Fylde, the original moneybags racing certs to win things?

Challinor did a fantastic job here, but was on his way out of the door from the moment the Chairman offered him peanuts to stay the day after the play off win.


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All I’m saying is, he’s a master at getting teams to play to their strengths. Aside from Oates we had no true match winners and he’s right, he’s got a hatful now. He’ll build a system and they’ll blow the vast majority away once he gets it going.

He dismantled teams tactically at non-league level and he’s now going to do that on steroids with what he’s got available to him.

Totally agree though. Grimsby, Notts, Wrexham, Chesterfield will all fancy their chances too.

Stockport are nailed on to make the play offs as a minimum, but as Pools showed last season, it's not the best teams on paper that win those knock out games, it's the teams that perform best on the day. And get any lucky breaks that are going!

They're cup ties when it comes down to it, and anything can happen in a cup tie.

What, Fylde of the National League North? The side he helped get relegated in 2019-2020? The omens aren't good for Stockport

Just out of interest does anyone know what went wrong for Challinor at Fylde? I know they lost the play off final and then the following season Challinor is sacked following some average results but why was this? Did key players leave? Did Challinor's magic touch just desert him? Did he "lose the dressing room"? Did he have a row with the chairman? It would be interesting to know.

Not nailed on at all they lost the other week to Barnet at home, then struggled for an hour against Dover, they were an average side last year and it looks like they are again.

The fact is ... hes a good manager with alot of good players to pick from in that side. He will no doubt fart about with formations and players for the first few games as he did us and then find a really good 11 (no doubt additions will come with as im sure he signed on that premise too, to be able to sign who he wants). I wouldnt put it past him to be at Wrexham this time next year ... balls in his court to keep adding 0's to his contract at the ridiculous expense of all the rich clubs that are somehow in the NL. The man may end up making himself into the go to manager for a promotion. Anyways i hope he gets them relagated after 2 shit seasons and spend all that feckers cash. NEVER SAY DIE UTFP !

Just out of interest does anyone know what went wrong for Challinor at Fylde? I know they lost the play off final and then the following season Challinor is sacked following some average results but why was this? /quote]

Some average results? Fylde were already in a relegation place when Challinor was sacked. Pools were 16th when Hignett got the push. To be fair, Raj and co. were spot on with their decision making - Pools were going nowhere with Higgy and DC's record as a manager up till that season spoke for itself.

Raj certainly did throw him a life line.
Ungrateful get.

Can only imagine DC getting the sack because of team performance and how much said team was worth / getting paid. Was Rowe / Croasdale still at the club at the point of DC leaving or had they already buggered off ?

Let's see how he gets on with the director of football,who will have a say on signings.Chalinor won't be ruling the roost,as he did here.
He'll also have to deal with the likes of Madden,Rooney & Sarcevic.

I can just picture the first meeting with the Director Of Football.
Right Dave, just so you know the system here................................ and then when he stops to take a breath, Dave butts in with but but but but but......at the interview you said...............................

The man has to justify his existence Davie boy and you will have to run everything past him and anything that works will be his idea and anything that doesn't work will be yours.
Have a word with a guy called Rusk and you will fully understand my drift.
Chortle chortle.

They got relegated because he was shown the door, And they brought in a EFL manager.

Nah

If Raj had treated him fairly, He would have been happy and stayed.

Can,t understand the Owners thinking, You buy a football club.
Spend loads of dosh getting it stable, Hire a manager who proves his worth over and over again.

Get promotion(which was the goal), Fans buy into it big style.
Then tighten the purse strings until the manager is almost choking.

And now play the hurting party.
Raj took his eye off the ball and now we are all paying the price.

PS: Can DC please take Mr Blue Suit with him, His interviews are Patronising. (never kicked a ball in his life)

He was shown the door because they were already in the bottom two with him. I don't know what went wrong for DC that season or why the Fylde chairman pulled the trigger so early. Maybe Dave Challinor isn't all that easy to work with if you're the one paying the bills?

But he did stay and signed a three year contract.
He would still be here if Stockport hadn't come a calling.
How has Raj tightened the purse strings against Challinor since he signed his new contract, which he was evidently happy to do, has he suddenly reduced his wages? It can't be on recruitment cos that was stopped by the transfer window closing. Raj has already told local radio that funds will be available in January. So in the last four weeks what has Raj done that makes you accuse him of choking Challinor.
I am trying to understand where you are coming from and what concrete evidence you have that the rest of us haven't got. Come on mate, give us a chance.

They were nailed on at the start of the season, so when are they going to get the hammer and start banging them in.

Pete Wild, Jim Goodwin, Barry Ferguson or Graham Alexander.


The latter has a point to prove.

Simon Wilson mainly. It seems he's had his wings clipped now so hopefully DC will have us back up the table in no time.

Don,t have a Hero, never have, never will.

But pleased to read you agree with me about Mr Blue Suit.

When you've been round the block a few times my friend you will instantly recognise the scenario I am portraying.

Ok so we’ll change it to ‘ex manager of your acquaintance’ how’s that?
As for Mr Blue Suit ...wasn’t he in Mr Ben

like everything in football do the fans know 100 per cent what simon wilsons full role at the club is. might be lots of guess work and will depend on fans feelings for him in the end.

Gary Johnson - Yeovil and Cheltenham. John Still - Luton, Maidstone and Dagenham.

Got lucky and found a nonleaguepaper today, always fun to look back at the national league now we're out of it. And guess, go on guess who's delighted Challinor left Pools? Adam Fecking Virgo!