Stockport County manager Dave Challinor is being labelled as “top class” after he decided to dedicate his team winning the League Two title to young fan George Thompson, who sadly passed awayin 2021, honouring him in a truly touching tribute.
The former defender, who made a century of appearances for the club back in his playing days before ultimately returning to Edgeley Park as head coach back in 2021, saw his high-flying and free-scoring side seal the League Two title in a 5-2 win over Notts County on Tuesday night.
Promotion was already secured this past weekend but Challinor has insisted from the start that his squad only wanted to go up one way: as champions. More importantly, he wanted to provide the fans and one local family in particular with something extra special to remember.
With a trophy lift and more jubilant scenes still to come this Saturday, the 48-year-old made sure to mark the celebrations in the best way possible by asking lifelong supporter and father Dave Thompson if he could borrow a very meaningful flag that has become so important to the entire County fan base.
There’ll be more to come but bloody hell. When your manager comes over asking for your boy and takes him to dance with the champions.
After the final whistle blew and the team went over to celebrate in front of the travelling fans who made the weeknight journey to Meadow Lane in Nottingham, the manager wasted no time in picking out Dave in the crowd and carrying the flag made in memory of his late son George over to his squad.
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George Thompson was a loyal County fan and regular matchgoer who tragically died after being hit by a train back in October 2021 at the age of just 18, only a month before Challinor was given the job.
The young fan struggled with mental health for several years before his death and had already been rushed to hospital once after previously trying to step in front of a train in September. He had described lows as being like battling through “thunderstorms” and sadly decided to take his own life.
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Ever since his dad has been helping raise money for mental health and suicide prevention causes such as the Mentell Charity formed by fellow Stockport locals. In August 2023, Dave and his other son Will set themselves the challenge of boxing for as many minutes as possible over 24 hours in honour of George, who loved combat sports.
The Thompson’s boxing challengeGeorgeCounty x MentellCredit: Family handout/Dave Thompson (via X)
A gut-wrenching local story that the Hatters have taken deep into their hearts, the personalised St George’s Cross is carried to virtually every County game and to see it held aloft by the players clearly hit home for all those involved, let alone just the Thompsons.
Reacting in the immediate aftermath as Challinor came over to grab the flag, George’s dad simply said: “I have no words. If you saw the end, then you know”.
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Not only was it a championship-sealing win but Notts County also happened to be the last away game the youngster ever attended, with Dave going on to thank the Chester-born coach for “creating something so, so special” and a moment he’ll never forget.
As expected, the heartfelt gesture moved countless SK natives and more, with people labelling the moment “superb”, and “Just beautiful” as well as having brought them to tears, not to mention hailing Challinor as “absolutely top class” and “a special man in charge full of empathy and decency”.
In his own words, “Cheers,thank you.” Doesn’t quite seem enough but to you DC, @1DaveCon@clinthill29 Lord Stott, Sir Steve Bellis and all of the players and staff, as a family we are forever with you. Thank you for tonight. I’ll never forget that moment. G would have loved it. pic.twitter.com/HrjYi5Q4Zf
As for the man himself, he has come out to declare winning League Two with the Hatters as “the greatest achievement” of his career to date, crediting the likes of club legend Paddy Madden – who scored his second hattrick in four games – and fan Graham Allsopp, who currently lives in France but sent him a ‘lucky gold pen’ at the start of the season which has clearly worked wonders.
That’s now two promotions with County for Challinor and seven promotions all-told as a manager, with this being his first-ever EFL title and County’s first in the football league since 1967. Quite the achievement indeed for a club that languished in non-league for over a decade.
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You can watch his post-match interview after County’s in full down below and we look forward to seeing them back in the third division next season.
🗣️ "To lift the trophy in front of 10,000 fans will be a great place to be"
✅ Champions ✅ Madden hat-trick ✅ Third title in five years
Featured Images — Stockport County (via YouTube)/Dave Thompson/@Bomberobates (via X)
Sport
Manchester City’s Stadium Tours are back for the summer and bigger than ever
Danny Jones
Manchester City stadium tours are back for summer 2026, with more to see from the home of the Blues than ever, and with 15% off all tickets until the end of August, too.
It’s safe to say that Man City are going through a HUGE period of change right now: embarking on a new era under Enzo Maresca following the dynasty of Pep Guardiola, vast redevelopments of the wider Etihad Campus, a new club hotel, and the expansion of the North Stand – now named after said Catalan coach.
With that in mind, there’s so much new stuff going on over in East Manchester and arguably more of it all happening in one place than we can recall in recent memory, making it the perfect time for Cityzens to return to the famous home ground – indeed, your Etihad debut if you haven’t made one already.
Giving you greater access to areas usually reserved for players and staff only than ever, this exclusive, interactive and virtual tour will take you through the very bones of the storied sporting arena, all the way through to pitchside.
Fans can explore the dressing room and follow in the footsteps of their favourite City players as they walk through the iconic glass players’ tunnel, before walking out into the open air and sitting in the dugout to take in that incredible view.
You can also try out the latest ‘Beyond the Blue Moon’ experience – an immersive VR adventure that sees supporters journey through Manchester City’s past, present, and future.
Following on from Pep lending his likeness, using innovative technology, you can now even have the chance to put your questions to Erling Haaland in the Press Conference Room.
There aren’t many teams on the planet that offer this level of stadium tour, let alone just here in the UK, so it’s no wonder they remain award-winning almost every single year.
Whether you’re a lifelong City fan, a football lover or visiting this wonderful place we call Manchester for the very first time, there’s something for everyone.
For instance, with The Medlock Hotel and accompanying Medlock Square already lining up its maiden events, the City Football Group (CFG) are once again committing to make the wider Etihad Campus an all-year-round entertainment destination.
That being said, plenty of people online have been generating a lot of buzz about the aforementioned Medlock’s new stadium-view rooms since clips appeared on social media.
Pitch view rooms coming to the Radisson Blu Medlock Hotel at #ManCity’s Etihad Stadium. 🤯
As for the tickets themselves, the club have also taken steps to keep the cost affordable.
Standard prices start from just £32 for adults and only £20 for under-16s, with larger family packages available from £60.
BUT, with the 15% discount mentioned earlier, adults currently cost just £27; kids go for just £17, and those family passes start from just £51.
You can find all the options when it comes to stadium tour passes and grab the type of admission that suits you right HERE.
Speaking of tickets, City have also been met with praise for the introduction of new discounted seats for local residents; find out all the details below.
René Meulensteen names the ‘ideal’ signing that Man United appear to be overlooking
Danny Jones
Ex-Manchester United coach René Meulensteen has named the one key signing that he feels the Red Devils are missing out on by not pursuing this summer.
The former Man United assistant, who served under Sir Alex and has recently returned to the backrooms of the English football pyramid, has given his verdict on what he thinks his old club still needs in terms of reinforcements.
Chatting with TipmanTips, the 62-year-old identified the backline as a persisting problem area for now full-time manager Michael Carrick, insisting that they could do with another central defender.
The footballer in question is his fellow countryman, Micky van de Ven – fresh from a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur – who has surprised many by not securing his next big-money move so far in the transfer window.
We are delighted to announce that Micky van de Ven has signed a new contract with the Club!
Speaking in an exclusive interview, he said his Dutch compatriot wouldn’t just be a great rotation player but a starter coming into the 2026/26 season.
“I still think they’re vulnerable at the back”, says Meulensteen, “and that’s one thing Michael is going to have to sort out as soon as possible when the season starts. Finding a centre-back partnership that works and getting some consistency in the back line will be key.
“Harry Maguire is coming off a good end to last season, but he needs some complementary centre-backs next to him, and then also on the right-hand side next to him with Mazraoui and Dalot not really doing anything.”
“I would have been looking at Micky van de Ven from Spurs before he signed a new deal. He’s powerful, he’s quick, he’s got great experience in playing as a left centre back in the Premier League, and he would have given United a very different dynamic in their defence.
He rounded off the recommendation, however late, by arguing that were Maguire to be a mainstay first-choice centre-half for Carrick this season, “van de Ven would’ve meant you wouldn’t have to worry about his lack of pace in behind, as he can cover so much ground recovering.”
As for who they have brought in so far, they’ve managed a well-balanced, albeit limited number of young and experienced talents, including the surprise return of greatest-ever goalscorers (currently 13th on the all-time list at still just 28) in Marcus Rashford.
While he did go on to cite the likes of Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke as a viable alternative, it’s fair to say he would be high up on the shortlist of many fans – and not just United.
On the other hand, we’d once again reiterate that we include ourselves among those stunned that he hasn’t had more suitors floating around of late, especially given he was one of the few bright lights among a side that nearly got relegated last term.
Would you have him as another CB option, Reds?
As for the one-time United assistant, he has recently been introduced to Stockport County FC supporters as the latest addition to the technical staff in an admittedly curious new position…
Danny Jones -
17th April 2024 
