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
Oldham Athletic have founded a brand-new deaf football club
Danny Jones
Oldham Athletic FC have just started a brand-new team for deaf players ahead of the upcoming 2026/27 season.
A dedicated side built around footballers with hearing impairments, it’s an uplifting show of accessibility by the Greater Manchester side.
While this is by no means a first, and we’re proud to say that there are multiple deaf football teams across the region and North West at large, having an EFL club of this stature and history get behind the initiative is a deeply moving development and statement of intent when it comes to helping key causes.
Officially confirmed this past weekend, OAFC are set to join the North League of the deaf football pyramid imminently.
Writing alongside the social media post, the Latics said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of Oldham Athletic Deaf Football Club.
“Oldham Athletic Deaf Football Club is a brand-new team that will provide deaf and hard of hearing players with the opportunity to represent the club and compete under the Oldham Athletic badge, competing in the North League of the Deaf football pyramid.”
Once again, they are not the first local outfit to develop a deaf football programme, with the likes of Radcliffe FC, Manchester Futsal, the Deaf Rhinos in Rochdale, and Greater Manchester Deaf FC all having helped pave the way for this particular sector of the beautiful game.
In yet another recent display of their grassroots work in action, Frank Rothwell’s community-driven club have also reaffirmed their commitment to developing more pathways for young talent:
🗓️ There are extra opportunities for Year 11 school leavers to join our Football Centre of Excellence this week.
⚽ Register now for our men's programme pre-season training on Tuesday 28 and Thursday 30 July with Chris Taylor. #oafc
Circling back to the new deaf football team, the statement goes on to read, “The new team marks another important step in OACT’s commitment to ensuring that football is accessible and inclusive for everyone across the borough.
“Through the creation of Oldham Athletic Deaf Football Club, the Trust aims to provide a welcoming environment where players can develop their skills, enjoy the game, and experience the pride of representing Oldham Athletic.”
If you or someone you know might be interested in getting involved with Oldham’s new deaf football team, you can find out more about the wider project in their full announcement HERE.
As for the mainline men’s team, you can see the highlights from their most recent pre-season game against nearby opponents and old Lancashire rivals, Bolton Wanderers, down below.
Featured Images — Oldham Athletic Football Club (publicity picture)
Sport
Luke Littler is challenging amateurs to beat him at darts as part of a live Netflix event
Danny Jones
In an unprecedented new sports event in the world of streaming, North West sports star Luke Little is offering people the chance to try and win a game of darts against him live on Netflix.
Best of all, he and the entertainment platform have put up a huge grand prize for anyone who can beat the Warrington wonder.
So, for any of you who fancy yourselves as Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor reincarnated when stepping up to the oche down at the local, or if you’re simply bold enough to throw your name in the hat, you’ll want to pay attention for this one…
Announcing the special one-off sporting event on Netflix later this year, Luke Littler has issued the call-out to see if anyone can best him in a game of 501 in front of millions watching at home.
Quite literally the opportunity of a lifetime for fans of the arrows, this exclusive livestream is like nothing that the media giants have done before.
Having dipped their toes into the likes of live boxing fights over the past few years, they’ve definitely got a few live events under their belt, but this exciting and crucially interactive series of matches feels like something genuinely new for Netflix.
Most notably of all, using the name of the popular darts game played not only live on telly at competitions throughout the year but also at countless pubs across the country to set the prize fee, a prospective winner could potentially win £501k this autumn.
Imagine: half a million pounds for one (admittedly very tough) game of darts.
The only major caveat aside from, you know, him being an absolute phenom and already a serial winner is he also happens to be in the form of his life – his words and virtually everyone else’s.
"This is the best version of myself… I'm playing SO WELL!"
Luke Littler listens to some of the records he's broken in his ridiculous World Matchplay campaign 🤯 pic.twitter.com/EVQSrHxSHf
Having smashed Gerwyn Price to defend his World Matchplay Darts title on Sunday evening, cruising to an 18-9 victory with so many 100+ visits and finishes that he broke the tournament’s record average, which has stood since 2010, anyone who does come up against him is currently praying for a miracle.
Price himself told Sky Sports that the youngster’s performance looked ‘effortless’, quipping, “I hope there’s nobody else like him coming through!”
Still only 19, the local lad is the toughest of tasks for even the best on the pro circuit, but if you still somehow fancy your chances, heats will be taking place in Manchester and London, where the top 20 players will get their shot at the man himself on Friday, 30 October.
You can find out all the important information and sign up right HERE.
For now, why not see just how good Littler is playing at the minute and watch back his highlights from a record-breaking final this weekend?
Not that he’s ever truly cooled off, but he really is on fire at the minute.
Danny Jones -
15th May 2025 
