Darren Moore is not in contention to take over at Stockport County following confirmation that Dave Challinor has left.
The former Sheffield Wednesday boss was linked with the vacancy at Edgeley Park over the weekend, and alongside David Artell was tipped as one of the leading contenders to succeed Dave Challinor, whose exit from the Hatters has been confirmed.
Two Ruled Out As McNulty Enters Frame
However, according to the Manchester Evening News’ Stockport County reporter Sam Byrne, Moore will not be taking over at the League One playoff-finalists and neither will more left-field candidate Steven Gerrard.
Having been out of employment since his exit from Port Vale in January, the ex-Jamaica international has been tipped with other vacancies in the EFL, having come forward as a brief contender to succeed Conor Hourihane at Barnsley.
Sky Sports News reporter Peter Smith has revealed three new contenders for the County role, with Jim McNulty being the current favourite following Rochdale‘s promotion to League Two.
The 41-year-old followed a similar path to Challinor with the Dale, taking over the club in 2023 and helping the club recover from their relegation, ultimately putting them back into the EFL this season after beating Boreham Wood in the National League playoff final.
Two more established names in League One have also been linked with a switch in Leyton Orient‘s Richie Wellens and Stevenage chief Alex Revell.
Are Any New Names A Right Fit?
With Darren Moore now ruled out, three new names have come to the fore in addition to Grimsby Town boss David Artell, but whether they would fit in seamlessly at Edgeley Park could be in the air.
Alex Revell’s successful approach at Stevenage has rightly earned him plaudits for getting a lower budget side into the playoffs, but his direct and set-piece focused tactics feels at odds to what the current crop of players at Stockport County can play.
Richie Wellens might be a closer match to Challinor and would translate much better to the squad, with his attacking-based approach at Brisbane Road handing Dom Ballard and Charlie Kelman the League One Golden Boot over the past two campaigns.
With players like Kyle Wooton and Malik Mothersille at his disposal, that front-footed approach that Wellens could bring should keep them in playoff contention, and with a much stronger defence than the one he has at Orient, could be the key if promotion is the short-term aim for a new manager.
Jim McNulty is a much more intriguing, and perhaps riskier appointment to make than some of his rivals for the Stockport role. An inexperienced head coach, having only stepped into the dugout in 2023 as a player-manager, he is perhaps on the same path Challinor has led County down with Rochdale.
With a 50% win record since his permanent appointment at Spotland, the former Tranmere Rovers player would have won promotion easily in many previous years, but York City managed to pip them to the title.
McNulty would be an appointment made too soon for a club like Stockport, and definitely an option for the future if he is able to keep Rochdale’s forward momentum going and translate that to a successful season in League Two.
