Dave Challinor is set to leave Stockport County after nearly five years at the club, eSPORTY understands.
The Englishman took over at the League One club in November 2021 when they were ninth in the National League.
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He immediately ended their 11-year absence from the English Football League that same season.
The Hatters were then promoted to the third tier at the second time of asking – as League Two champions in the 2023/24 season – having missed out via the play-offs 12 months earlier.
However, the play-offs would become something of a nightmare for Challinor in the two years that followed.
Stockport lost to Leyton Orient in the semi-finals last term, before getting thumped 4-1 by Bolton Wanderers in this season’s final seven days ago.
And now Challinor, the fifth-longest serving manager in the EFL after a reign of four years and 209 days, is expected to leave imminently.
The 50-year-old is currently being linked with the vacancy at Blackburn after Michael O’Neill’s exit.
O’Neill had been juggling the Rovers job as an interim boss alongside his role as Northern Ireland manager since February.
He successfully guided Blackburn to safety in the Championship before confirming he would not continue in the role.
Summer of change
The EFL managerial merry-go-round is already in full swing.
Championship side Bristol City announced the appointment of Michael Skubala on Friday.
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Skubala left Lincoln City weeks after getting them promoted to the second tier as League One champions.
Elsewhere, Southampton could be on the hunt for a new boss with Tonda Eckert under investigation following the Spygate saga that saw Saints booted out of the play-offs.
A decision is yet to be made on the German’s future after he took full responsibility for the cheating operation.
And in the Premier League, the biggest managerial news of the summer has perhaps been confirmed already.
Arne Slot was sacked by Liverpool on Saturday with Andoni Iraola expected to replace him.
The Reds are already in talks with Bournemouth boss Iraola, who has confirmed he will leave the Vitality Stadium this summer.
