Stockport County conclude their pre-season schedule at Edgeley Park on Saturday when they host Preston North End in a friendly that will provide manager Jimmy McNulty with a final run-out before competitive action resumes.
New manager, fresh start
McNulty steps into the post after the long spell of David Challinor came to an end. The new boss is a familiar face to some supporters, having spent the 2008-09 season at Edgeley Park as a player. More recently he has earned his managerial stripes at Rochdale, guiding them through National League campaigns and, in the latest term, to a runners-up position before securing promotion via a playoff final against Boreham Wood.
For Stockport, who reached the League One play-off final last season, the appointment represents the start of a new chapter. The friendly against Preston is one of the final chances for McNulty to assess his squad in match conditions before the EFL Cup gets under way.
Form and fitness ahead of the competitive fixtures
The Hatters have enjoyed a positive pre-season so far, with two wins recorded in official friendlies: a 2-0 victory over Bristol City and a 1-0 success at Oldham Athletic. Those results will have encouraged supporters ahead of the EFL Cup tie against Doncaster Rovers.
Preston’s preparation has been more mixed. Their season started with a 4-1 win at Bamber Bridge, but that was followed by defeats to Sheffield Wednesday, Cambridge United and Bradford City, including close 3-2 losses in two of those fixtures. Manager Paul Heckingbottom will be looking for defensive improvements before his side travel to face Huddersfield Town in their opening cup match.
- Stockport friendlies: Win v Bristol City (2-0), Win v Oldham Athletic (1-0)
- Preston friendlies: Win v Bamber Bridge (4-1), then losses to Sheffield Wednesday, Cambridge United, Bradford City
- Up next: Stockport v Doncaster Rovers (EFL Cup); Preston v Huddersfield Town (EFL Cup)
| Club | Recent friendly form |
|---|---|
| Stockport County | W, W |
| Preston North End | W, L, L, L |
Players to watch
Young forward Malik Mothersille could force his way into McNulty’s starting line-up after scoring the winner at Oldham. New recruit Ben Osborn may begin life on the bench following his arrival earlier in the week, while former Manchester United and Hull City trainee Harry Wood—signed from Shelbourne—offers an additional midfield option.
At Preston, the squad additions so far include goalkeeper Lee Nicholls from Huddersfield Town and forward Jusef Erabi from Genk. Regulars such as Lewis Gibson, Ben Whiteman and Alfie Devine are all pushing for selection as Heckingbottom juggles fitness after a number of players exceeded 70 minutes in recent matches.
The friendly should offer clarity on selection dilemmas and allow both managers to tinker ahead of the opening competitive fixtures of the season.
