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‘Best signing of the summer’: Stockport County fans react to Dave Challinor’s new contract

With the wonders he's worked at the club, he's not going anywhere any time soon.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 18th June 2025

Stockport County fans are buzzing with their first and arguably ‘biggest’ signing of the summer, as manager Dave Challinor has penned a new contract at Edgeley Park.

The majority of match-goers in Stockport have fallen in love with Challinor over the past few years, with the former County centre-back having now spent nearly four years as the boss and overseeing one of the best periods in their history during that time.

With seven promotions across four different clubs, three of those coming at Edgeley Park, he’s been touted as one of the EFL‘s most underrated and quietly successful coaches in recent times.

All that being said, and with the 49-year-old now signing a new deal at the club, supporters like those behind the popular The Scarf Bergara Wore fan podcast have said, “Could be the best signing of our summer, that” – a similar sentiment has been echoed in pretty much everyone’s reaction.

As you can see, while some jokingly said they were waiting to hear former Aston Villa loanee Louie Barry had been re-signed, the overwhelming consensus is that this is “superb news” for the thriving Greater Manchester side.

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Having only just missed out on yet another promotion, which would have seen SCFC back in the Championship after more than two decades (having last spent time in the second division during the 2002/23 campaign, lasting just one season), keeping him tied down wasn’t a certainty.

The Chester-born ex-pro turned manager has attracted plenty of interest since his heroics at AFC Fylde and now at Stockport County, but owner and Vita Group founder, Mark Stott, as well as CEO Simon Wilson and the rest of the board were more than ready to reward his efforts with a new three-year deal.

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If all goes to plan, this will see him remain at the club until at least 2028 if they make it into the Championship as planned, who knows how much longer after that.

Speaking on the new contract, Dave Challinor said via an official club statement, “I’m delighted to extend my stay at the Club beyond the end of the upcoming season. Last season gives me even more motivation to improve and aim to meet the shared objectives we have.

“I’m still highly ambitious, and feel that what we have built here over the last three-and-a-half years makes County somewhere that I want to continue to build, alongside my staff, players and everyone involved at the Club.”

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‘Chally’ went on to add: “Last season gives me even more motivation to improve and aim to meet the shared objectives we have.

“I’m still highly ambitious, and feel that what we have built here over the last three-and-a-half years makes County somewhere that I want to continue to build, alongside my staff, players and everyone involved at the Club.

“A manager’s tenure at any football club is getting shorter and shorter, and I feel proud to have been at Edgeley Park for as long as I have. That comes from the trust placed in me by Mark and Simon to come in and have a positive impact, and I thank them both for that.”

Happy, Hatters?

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Featured Images — Ceaton89 (via Wikimedia Commons)/Stockport County (via Instagram)

Sport

Salford Red Devils granted another adjournment over unpaid debts

Danny Jones Danny Jones Salford Red Devils given 2 more weeks by HMRC unpaid debts

Salford Red Devils have been given one more adjournment and yet another stay of execution, being given another two weeks to find the money to cover their unpaid debts.

The local rugby league side, which has been wrapped in all manner of struggles both on and off-pitch over the past year or so, reportedly needs to pay around £700,000 to HMRC alone and still owes roughly £5 million in total to various creditors.

Earlier this month, the Red Devils were officially relegated from the Betfred Super League, leaving Salford supporters not only even more furious but also dropped by the top tier themselves, despite having one of the best fan bases in the country.

To no surprise, regular matchgoers, neutrals and even rivals alike have expressed their continued disappointment with the club, mainly at the lack of transparency and clarity from the organisation throughout this long, drawn-out process.

Updating fans on social media, this is all the information they have communicated at this time: “Salford Red Devils can confirm that HMRC have granted the club a two-week adjournment, providing additional time in which to secure the necessary funds.

“We would like to reassure supporters that we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a positive resolution. Further updates will be shared as soon as possible.”

It’s worth noting that the current owners have reiterated that they inheited around £3m in existing debt before they took over the club, but assurances over their own investments have still come to nothing; meanwhile, with many still waiting on wages, players and staff alike have now left.

Having been propped up by loan players and emergency loans, the team is now closer to a skeleton crew than it is an outfit capable of competing in the premier division.

Either way, the outrage remains and is only growing stronger. One user wrote on X: “A good approach by them if they was legit would be to engage and bring in The 1873 to bridge the communication black hole (they created).

“The problem with that is if they did it would expose them for what they are… Extortionists using the club as a vehicle.”

More alarm bells were raised recently when assistant coach and Krisnan Inu – who was also director of the company set up to take over the business – withdrew himself from a key position behind the scenes.

Eyebrows raised as key coach and director of the company set up to buy Salford Red Devils resigns

Speaking of The 1873, the outspoken supporters trust took no time at all in issuing a response of their own, adding: “The judge presiding over today’s case has adjourned by 14 days. This adjournment has dragged the uncertainty on even longer.

“Every delay makes planning for 2026 harder and keeps the club stuck in limbo when it desperately needs clarity and direction.

“The fans, the players and the future all deserve better — The 1873.”

You can see the rest of their statement in full down below, but for now, what do you make of this seemingly neverending saga, Salfordians?

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Featured Images — Anthony Parkes (via Geograph)

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Andy Aspinall issues update on Tom’s eye poke injury and calls for changes in the UFC

Danny Jones Danny Jones Tom Aspinall dad Andy shares update on eye poke injury

Andy Aspinall – father of Manc martial artist Tom Aspinall – has shared a lengthy video interview on his son’s YouTube channel discussing the latest regarding his son’s eye injury.

More importantly, as a concerned parent, he’s also called for better safeguarding and/or tighter rules in the UFC regarding fouls and, in particular, eye poking.

In case you missed it, this past weekend, the Greater Manchester MMA star took on French fighter Ciryl Gane in his first title defence since being named the undisputed heavyweight champion. Unfortunately, the main event match had to be cut short after Aspinall was left unable to see following an eye poke.

Although this is an illegal move in the sport, not only could it not be proved whether it was accidental or perhaps even intentional, as some have speculated on social media, but the only outcome was for the bout to end in a no-contest. Updating fans online, Andy reiterated priorities, dubbing this “just a job”.

As you can see in the main clip above, Andy says that the Atherton-born fighter still “can’t see anything” out of his right eye, describing his sight as little more than “just grey”; meanwhile, his left eye is said to be at roughly 50% vision, having struggled to get more than a few rows down on a Snellen chart.

Essentially, the short version is that after the pain of the controversial eye poke, the muscles in his eye still aren’t healed and will be going for even more eye tests, including an eye test.

However, arguably the most salient points to take away from the video were those regarding his son’s overall welfare and the safety of the sport, as it is clear that Andy was talking chiefly as an understandably worried father rather than his coach.

“For me, everything is about his health. It’s not about the fighting – that’s just what he chose to do as a job”, he says, also clarifying that he isn’t accusing Gane of any ill intent, personally, and that the referees need to have more powers when it comes to fouling.

He also reminded those watching that the Wigan native has a wife and three kids to think about, stating, “This is just a job that he’s doing at this period in time, and he’ll do another job”, before going on to add, “What [will] it take?” for the UFC to get stricter around fouls like these.

You can watch the most recent update on Tom Aspinall from his dad, Andy, in full down below.

Andy Aspinall also had plenty to say in terms of what the UFC can do to better protect fighters/improve the rules.

Andy also made a point of suggesting once again that Tom should maybe turn to boxing instead of MMA, not only because of the added safety measures but because of the bigger paydays.

Do you think the UFC needs to be more stringent when it comes to not only protecting its fighters but also the rules and punishments surrounding serious fouls, such as eye pokes?

AND, alternatively, do you think Tom Aspinall would be well-suited to a boxing ring?

In the immediate aftermath of the injury, he was the first to admit that “this is a dangerous f***ing sport”; whether or not coming this close to permanent damage has made him reconsider, only time will tell.

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Featured Images — Official Tom Aspinall (screenshots via YouTube)

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