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Stockport County are looking to go one better this season and achieve promotion from League One, but their financial situation could well get in the way according to one expert.
Many neutrals will be well aware of Wrexham’s incredible rise through the EFL, but not enough is said about Stockport County’s own trailblazing run of late.
After winning the National League in 2021/22, Stockport then spent a couple of seasons in League Two before winning that title, too.
In their first season back in League One, Stockport were pipped to the post for automatic promotion by Phil Parkinson’s side and couldn’t make it through the play-offs.
So, can they make the jump to the Championship this time around? And how much will it cost to chase that success?
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Stockport County may not be able to back Dave Challinor in January
We spoke exclusively to our in-house finance expert Adam Williams about the situation at Stockport County and what the future may hold for the League One outfit ahead of the January transfer window.
Williams said: “In their last set of financial statements, Stockport County made a £7m operating loss. That covered the 2023-24 season. We haven’t got their 2024-25 accounts yet, but it is clearly going to be another big deficit.
“For every pound the club loses, that’s a pound the owner Mark Scott has to find from his own pocket. He has already put £11m in via equity, which is money he won’t be getting back.
“So when you generate £1.5m from a player sale like they did with Tanto Olaofe, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be reinvested – at least, not in the form of new, fee-paying signings. You have to cover the wage bill first and other overheads. After that, it’s down to the generosity of the owner.”
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Dave Challinor can get promoted without more spending
So, it sounds like Dave Challinor will have to scrape by in January. That is unless Mark Scott feels like being generous once more.
That said, Stockport landed in third place last season. The impressive start to the campaign for Louie Barry obviously helped, but County still managed that feat without the Aston Villa loanee in the second half of the season.
This season, Stockport have loan signings like Ben Osborn, Nathan Lowe, and Owen Dodgson. It’s hard to deny Challinor’s squad is now stronger than it was in 2024/25.
Stockport’s transfer business has improved the squad, that’s for sure. There’s absolutely no reason why they can’t go above and beyond and secure automatic promotion this term.
While the likes of Cardiff City and newcomers Bradford City look dangerous, the League One promotion race is wide open. Plymouth Argyle and Luton Town are sub-par, while Leyton Orient have fallen away after their success last season.
This can be Stockport’s year, with or without January spending. They just have to keep grinding away and making themselves difficult to beat, and we know Challinor will do just that.