Mark Hughes Emerges As Contender For Stockport County Job After Dave Challinor Exit

Mark Hughes is in the running to become managerless Stockport County’s new boss after Dave Challinor’s shock exit on Monday, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.

Challinor quit a week after the Hatters lost 4-1 to Bolton Wanderers in the League One play-off final at Wembley, saying he “felt the time was right” to leave.

Expected to now take up a job with Championship Blackburn, the former Tranmere Rovers defender is also wanted by Rovers’ Lancashire rivals, Burnley.

If Challinor does land the Blackburn job, he could look to bring key utility man Kyle Wootton with him, with Rovers having tracked the player for several months.

So, for the first time since appointing Challinor in 2021, Stockport are looking for a new boss.

And 62-year-old Hughes is believed to be one of the contenders after ending 18 months at Carlisle by mutual consent.

Having failed to save the Cumbrians dropping into the National League, Hughes guided them to a third-place finish last season before Boreham Wood ended their play-off bid at the semi-final stage.

GLITTERING CAREER

Despite a glittering career as player and manager, the ex-Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and Welsh striker also has experience in the lower leagues.

Among others, ‘Sparky’ managed Blackburn, Manchester City, QPR, Fulham and Southampton before accepting the job as Bradford City boss in 2022.

In 2023, he guided the Bantams to the League Two play-offs but suffered semi-final heartbreak, ironically against Carlisle, who defeated Challinor’s County on penalties at Wembley. 

Hughes, while he has admirers at Edgeley Park, faces competition to become Challinor’s successor.

Martin Paterson, who guided Notts County to a League Two play-off triumph over Salford at Wembley recently, is another contender. Indeed, Ammies chief Karl Robinson, despite signing a new contract in February, could come into the reckoning.

He has a promotion from League One on an extensive CV, taking MK Dons into the Championship 11 years ago. He also took Oxford United to the third-tier play-off final before defeat to Wycombe Wanderers.