Stockport County manager Dave Challinor has called on some of his fans to do better following heartbreak in the League One playoff semi-finals.
The Hatters have had an impressive first season back in the English third tier, landing just outside of the automatic promotion places and only narrowly missing out on making the final two following a disappointing penalty defeat on Wednesday night.
County hosted Leyton Orient at Edgeley Park for the second leg, an outfit that has displayed similar defiance in the division throughout the campaign, but conceding a sloppy early goal saw the home side scratching to get into the contest until there was only around a quarter of an hour left to go.
Ultimately, Challinor and his squad equalised and took the game to penalties, but it was the performance from a section of the supporters that he was just as frustrated with, as fans could be seen leaving the ground mid-shoot-out. Here’s what he had to say on the matter.
In a word, he felt they “deserved better’. What do you make of his comments?
A notably hoarse Challinor was left frustrated by some fans’ lack of faith, noting that several supporters began exiting the stadium whilst the penalty shoot-out was still going on.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 49-year-old coach described it as the so-called County faithful “giving up”, reluctantly adding that he’d seen similar instances “throughout the course of the season”.
Insisting that if his players let their belief sleep and called it a day early like some of those in the stands, then the club “wouldn’t be in the position that [they] are.”
ADVERTISEMENT
He also touched upon missing some big chances in the dying minutes of the 90 and extra time – that Isaac ‘Tanto’ Olaofe one, in particular – but as he told BBC after the game, “it might not have been [their] time”, and there’s a case to be made that may not quite be ready for the Championship just yet.
That being said, he and his backroom aren’t waiting around to make up that ground, insisting that all the staff will be straight back in to prepare for next year.
As for the winning spot-kick, it was scored by Manchester United academy product Ethan Gailbraith and former Salford City loanee, who dispatched it with great aplomb to send Orient into the playoff final.
ADVERTISEMENT
LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS!!!!
Ethan Galbraith won the game for Leyton Orient against Stockport County as they book their place at Wembley in the League One Play Off final! 👏#LOFC#StockportCounty pic.twitter.com/mfOmMdlTNN
— Attacking Football (@AttackingFooty) May 14, 2025
Orient are marching into the decisive tie at Wembley under the stewardship of Moston-born manager and another United graduate, Richie Wellens, who also played 87 times for Oldham Athletic before finishing his career at the likes of Salford and Macclesfield Town.
Much like Challinor at County, Wellens’ managerial record thus far has been an impressive one and were he to see the East London club promoted, it would undoubtedly be one of, if not the biggest, achievement of his coaching career.
The 45-year-old hailed his team as a “special group” and has every faith they can go all the way against either Charlton Athletic or Wycombe Wanderers in the final.
Featured Images — Charlie T (via WikiCommons)/Stockport County (screenshot via YouTube)
Sport
Manchester Storm’s ‘own and loan’ scheme returns for 2026/27
Danny Jones
Manchester Storm have relaunched their much-loved ‘own and loan’ programme once again ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Having gone from a cult favourite option for die-hards to an increasingly popular choice among their growing number of supporters, it’s a great way for fans to get their hands on what could go on to be priceless collectables.
Set up over a decade and a half ago, the initiative has gone on to be replicated by multiple clubs in the Elite Ice Hockey League, across the country, and indeed beyond.
For anyone unclear on what exactly this scheme means for them, here’s all you need to know.
The own and loan sponsorship is essentially an opportunity not only to support the club and your favourite player, but to essentially reserve a valuable piece of match-worn memorabilia.
Put simply, fans can buy a squad member’s jersey and then loan it back to them for the season.
The shirt – be it home, away, created for cup tournaments or a special limited-edition sweater (of which MCR Storm have designed many over the years) – will then be worn throughout the course of the campaign before being given back to the owner, i.e. you.
Not just simply buying the shirt, but helping back the team’s talent, it’s one of the most direct ways people can contribute to the club.
The Greater Manchester side pioneered the push for this initiative here in the UK in the early 2010s, and with the local side now set to return to the AO Arena, where their journey began way back in 1995, you can expect plenty to mark the comeback with a special sponsored jersey.
Anyone who purchases an away strip will have their name featured throughout home games for the duration of the season – not a bad gift or way to secure a potential future collectors’ item.
You can see every player available to sponsor and find out all the information you need right HERE.
For regular matchgoers at the ‘Storm Shelter’, we’re sure it’ll be bittersweet to say goodbye to Planet Ice Altrincham, but just how excited are you about heading home to the AO Arena later this year?
Featured Images — Manchester Storm (publicity picture)/The Manc Group
Sport
League One set for an all-Greater Manchester playoff final as Bolton book trip to Wembley
Danny Jones
It’s official: we’re all set for a fully Greater Manchester League One playoff final as Bolton Wanderers are the latest to secure a return to Wembley against Stockport County.
The resurgent old Lancashire club clinched their spot in the knockout conclusion of the third division with a single strike in the second leg of the semis, and it wasn’t a bad finish, either.
Beating Bradford City 2-0 on aggregate, Bolton will now play familiar regional rivals Stockport, with Wanderers set to clash with County in a decisive derby once again.
Bolton‘s instinctive volley from Chelsea youth product and former Hull City man, Xavier Simons, resulted in some very satisfying limbs at Valley Parade.
The home fans did have plenty to cheer on the night, with efforts from Metcalfe, Power and Wright all either hitting the woodwork or being deflected just past it.
They thought they were level in the tie at one point after Kayden Jackson put the ball in the back of the net, but it was ultimately ruled out.
Agonising stuff for the Bradford supporters to burst into bedlam before the flag was raised for offside.
Many supporters will argue that the key moment came somewhat against the run of play, but The Trotters won’t care one bit as they book another trip down to the capital.
You can watch the rest of the highlights, including those scenes in the away end, down below.
Speaking even before the game, head coach Steven Schumacher told Sky Sports: “It’s a club we believe is bigger than this division, but this division is not easy to get out of.
“The expectation and the demand to get to the Championship is there, and once you’re in the building and you feel the mood when you win games, when you lose games, you can sense that this is a club that is desperate to get out and get to the next level.
“When you look at the size of both Bolton and Bradford and how well they are supported, both clubs are probably too big to be in League One. But that’s where both clubs find themselves, and one of us has got to find our way out of it if we can.”
You’d dare say he can practically smell promotion via the playoffs now; the local side has come quite a way since the lows of administration in 2019 and the bottom tier of the EFL – not without some heartbreaks in previous playoff finals – but could he be the one to get them back where they belong?
In case you missed the action from the other game, you can see more HERE, and to hear Schumacher’s thoughts after the decisive result, look no further…
Danny Jones -
15th May 2025 
