On Wednesday evening Stockport County announced Dave Challinor had left League Two Hartlepool United to return to the National League, but where does he rank amongst the division’s other managers?
Dave Challinor poses as the new Stockport County manager - Credit: Stockport County Football Club
By Amos Murphy
Challinor returns to National League with County
With five promotions to his name in 10 years as a manager, one of Stockport’s driving factors in identifying Challinor as their number-one target was down to his ability to improve the fortunes of clubs he’s been at.
Successful in climbing the divisions with both Colwyn Bay and AFC Fylde, perhaps Challinor’s finest moment in the dugout to date was last season’s National League playoff win with Hartlepool.
Many believed the playoff win over Torquay United at the backend of the 2020/21 campaign would’ve been Challinor’s final game as a manager in the National League, with his decision to drop down a division coming as somewhat of a shock.
Experience at the helm crucial for County
Tasked with taking an under-performing County side from their current position in 10th, all the way up the table and into promotion contention will not prove a simple task for the 46-year-old manager.
Whether he will be able to fix the problems at the Hatters remains to be seen, yet he does arrive at Edgeley Park with a wealth of fifth-tier experience, having managed 169 games in the National League already.
Comfortably of the most experienced managers in the division, with only Boreham Wood’s Luke Garrard (261) and Grimsby’s Paul Hurst (245) currently having overseen more games in the fifth-tier.
But what about everyone else?
In terms of a number of wins, it is once again Hurst (120) and Garrard (93) who pip Challinor (75) to the post, with the new Stockport boss third in the list of National League victories.
However, when comparing winning percentages, Challinor sees his position drop down significantly, as there are seven other managers above the Chester-born coach.
Leading the way as the manager with the highest win percentage is currently Chesterfield boss James Rowe, who has taken three points from 57% of the matches since taking charge of the Spireites in November 2020.
The 38-year-old has earned plaudits for the job he has done with the Derbyshire club, yet he has not reached his half-century of National League matches, with the highest winning percentage for a manager to have taken charge of over 50 games being Alan Devonshire of Maidenhead United at 52%.
Full list of National League managers’ winning percentages
Data is accurate as of 03/11/2021
| Club | Manager | P | % |
| Chesterfield | James Rowe | 47 | 57 |
| Maidenhead United | Alan Devonshire | 139 | 52.5 |
| Torquay United | Gary Johnson | 137 | 51.09 |
| FC Haifax Town | Pete Wild | 93 | 47.3 |
| Grimsby Town | Paul Hurst | 245 | 47.2 |
| Solihull Moors | Neal Ardley | 79 | 46.8 |
| Notts County | Ian Burchnall | 30 | 46.6 |
| Stockport County | Dave Challinor | 169 | 44 |
| Dagenham & Redbridge | Daryl McMahon | 128 | 40.6 |
| Bromley | Andy Woodman | 90 | 40 |
| Yeovil Town | Darren Sarll | 90 | 40 |
| Eastleigh | Ben Strevens | 123 | 39.8 |
| Dover Athletic | Andy Hessenthaler | 119 | 38.6 |
| Boreham Wood | Luke Garrard | 261 | 36.7 |
| Southend United | Kevin Maher* | 3 | 33.3 |
| Wrexham | Phil Parkinson | 12 | 33.3 |
| Altrincham | Phil Parkinson | 55 | 32.3 |
| Woking | Alan Dowson | 92 | 31.5 |
| Weymouth | Brian Stock | 56 | 26.7 |
| Wealdstone | Stuart Maynard | 37 | 18.9 |
| Aldershot Town | Mark Molesley* | 6 | 16.6 |
| King's Lynn Town | Ian Culverhouse | 55 | 16.3 |
*Taken charge of less then 10 games
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