Reading’s league campaign continues this Saturday with an away game at Stockport. Join us as we take a closer look at the opposition.
Form
Stockport County finished third in League One last season in their first outing back in the third tier, five points behind second-placed Wrexham. They faced Leyton Orient in the playoff semi-finals but missed out on a place in the final on penalties after drawing 3-3 on aggregate.
They have had a relatively strong start to the current season, sitting eighth in the league after four wins, three draws and two losses. They come into this weekend’s game off the back of a 0-1 away win at Rotherham United, with Kyle Wootton scoring the winner.
Stockport claimed the double over Reading last season, winning 4-1 at home last October, before following up with a 3-1 win at the Select Car Leasing Stadium back in January.
The boss
Dave Challinor: Challinor became Stockport manager in November 2021, taking over from Simon Rusk, who was sacked after only nine months in charge.
He had a 17-year career as a player and was a centre-back who represented the likes of Tranmere Rovers, Stockport County and Bury. Challinor ended his career with Colwyn Bay but became their player-manager in 2010.
Challinor went on to manage AFC Fylde, where he spent eight years, securing promotion to the National League North in 2014 and then to the National League in 2017. He guided the side to the National League playoffs in 2018 and 2019 and won the FA Trophy in 2019. Challinor then went on to manage Hartlepool, where he spent two seasons, guiding them back to the Football League via the playoffs in 2021.
He joined Stockport the following season and guided County back to the Football League, after finishing as National League champions. He led the side to the playoff final in their first season back in the Football League, but County lost to Carlisle United. However, Challinor secured promotion back to the third tier in 2024, with the Hatters finishing as League Two champions.
The 49-year-old likes his sides to play with high intensity, while dominating possession.
Squad
Stockport signed 10 players over the summer with five joining on permanent deals and five signing on loan.
Permanent additions included defenders Joseph Olowu, who joined from Doncaster Rovers; Tayo Edun, who signed from Peterborough United; and Arttu Hoskonen, who came in from Cravovia; while Brad Hills also arrived from Norwich City. Striker Malik Mothersille was bought from Peterborough for a club record fee.
Loan signings included defenders Corey O’Keeffe (Barnsley) and Tyler Onyango (Everton), midfielders Owen Dodgson (Burnley) and Ben Osborn (Derby County) and striker Nathan Lowe (Stoke City).
Predicted lineup
Hinchliffe, Olowu, Hills, Pye, O’Keefe, Osborn, Bailey, Norwood, Andresson, Diamond, Wootton
Key player
26. Oliver Norwood: A familiar face to Reading fans, Norwood joined Stockport last August, signing a permanent deal following the end of his contract at Sheffield United.
The midfielder started his career at Manchester United, joining the Red Devils academy at the age of seven. He never made an appearance for United but had loan spells at Carlisle United, Scunthorpe United and Coventry City.
Norwood made a permanent switch to Huddersfield Town in 2012 and spent two seasons at the Terriers. He then joined Reading in 2014, making 92 appearances, scoring five goals and claiming 18 assists.
After two years in Berkshire, Norwood joined Brighton & Hove Albion on a permanent deal, and while there he also had loan spells at Fulham and then Sheffield United. He signed for the Blades permanently in January 2019, where he stayed for five and half years, making 252 appearances, scoring 11 goals.
Norwood has also represented Northern Ireland and won 57 caps, before retiring from international duty in 2019. The 34-year-old is a creative-midfield playmaker with a great eye for a pass, who is a strong set-piece taker and likes to shoot from distance.
One to watch
15. Ethan Pye: Defender Pye joined Stockport in 2021, having spent time in the academy at non-league Hyde United and Rochdale.
He joined County when they were in the National League and spent time on loan at Spennymoor Town and Gateshead, racking up 60 first-team appearances across the two loan spells. He became a first-team regular upon his return to Stockport in the 2023/24 season and played 35 league games in their League Two promotion campaign.
Pye has gone on to make over a century of appearances for County, scoring two goals for the club, while also being named young player of the season at the end of the last campaign.
The 22-year-old is a central defender, who usually plays on the left-hand side of defence, having also played as a left-back earlier on his career.
Category: General Sports
