Darren Moore has emerged as a leading contender to take charge at Stockport County should Dave Challinor depart for Blackburn Rovers, with the promotion specialist seen as an ideal fit for a club reeling from the agony of a Wembley play-off final defeat.
Challinor, 50, is understood to be the frontrunner to replace Michael O’Neill at Ewood Park following Blackburn’s managerial vacancy, leaving Stockport needing to plan for life without the man who transformed the club from National League obscurity to the cusp of the Championship. His potential exit comes at a painful moment — just days after Stockport were beaten by Bolton Wanderers in the League One play-off final, a result Challinor described as “a sliding doors moment” as he weighs up his future.
Moore, 52, has been seeking a return to management since leaving Port Vale last year and his record of delivering promotions makes him an attractive proposition for a club with obvious ambitions. He guided Port Vale up the division a year ago and performed one of the most celebrated promotions in recent Football League history when he steered Sheffield Wednesday back to the Championship from League One in 2023. His CV also carries the sting of controversy — he was sacked by West Bromwich Albion in 2019 with the team sitting fourth in the Championship and still in contention for promotion, a decision that drew widespread criticism at the time.
Grimsby Town manager Dave Artell has also been mentioned as a candidate under consideration at Edgeley Park, though Moore is understood to be the more prominent name in the frame at this stage.
Challinor spent just over four years at Stockport, overseeing a remarkable rise through the football pyramid that saw the club return to the English Football League and establish themselves in League One. The play-off final defeat to Bolton will have added a layer of unfinished business to his legacy at the club, and his next move — whether to Blackburn or elsewhere — is expected to become clearer in the coming days.
