Play-off permutations: Dave Challinor fumes as Stockport miss chance to seal play-off place

We check out the League One play-off permutations after Dave Challinor fumes as his Stockport side miss chance to seal a play-off place.

Going into Tuesday’s game, Stockport, who currently sit 4th, needed to take just a point against Port Vale to clinch a play-off place.

But a 2-1 defeat sees them remain three points ahead of 7th place Luton, but both have the same goal difference, meaning Stockport can still be caught.

Stockport, Bradford, Stevenage, Luton and Plymouth are all in contention for the remaining three spots on the final day.

FINAL DAY FIXTURES:
Barnsley (13th) v Stockport County (4th)
Bolton Wanderers (3rd) v Luton Town (7th)
Exeter City (21st) v Bradford City (5th)
Northampton Town (24th) v Plymouth Argyle (8th)
Stevenage (6th) v Wigan Athletic (16th)

WE have the chance to do the FUNNIEST thing ever Saturday 😭❤️ https://t.co/IizacdIx0g pic.twitter.com/snmfE8Sm1l

— cooky_44 (@Cooky_Bfc) April 28, 2026

As per ESPN, Stockport need at least a draw against Barnsley to claim a play-off spot.

Bradford need a point at Exeter for a play-off place.

Stevenage can secure a play-off place with a win against Wigan.

Luton need to better Stevenage’s result, or beat Bolton and hope either Bradford or Stockport lose.

Plymouth need to win and hope Stevenage fail to do so.

Dave Challinor told BBC Radio Manchester: “I have to be careful with what I say because I’m fuming with the performance that I, and everyone else, watched.

“The mentality from after the game on Saturday to now, you’d love to sit there and says ‘I didn’t see that coming’. I did see that coming.

“Everybody thinking Port Vale coming here and we’d get an easy point that we need, I said to them before they went out, we’ve got to work for everything we get, and we were miles off it.

“We’re not going to set up to get a point because if that were the case we would have done that [against Port Vale].

“If we perform anywhere near how we did tonight then we’ll be relying on results elsewhere to ensure we’re in the play-offs.

“Whether we do or don’t get in, if we don’t have the mentality in a play-off game then you’ll be there making up the numbers and there’ll be no progression from any semi-final regardless.”

Here’s how fans reacted, with the League One play-off permutations clearer after Dave Challinor fumes as his Stockport side miss the chance to seal a play-off place…

@baghead325: we’ve just made port vale look like Barcelona. It can’t get much worse than that.

@Thes0nofg0d: Again that’s on DC no excuses for that shocking performance!!!

@Alex_Lipniski: Before the word ‘uncharacteristic’ is thrown around- M’field H, Northants A, Luton H, Stevenage H, Pboro A, tell me it isnt uncharacteristic for this group- simply been uncharacteristic for SCFC over the last 10 years. Midfield problems, squad regression- visible to the naked eye

@BillyBy17: Not good enough , they don’t seem to care , we’re 2-0 down to a team already relegated , Lewis Bate comes on and the most important thing to him is making sure he gets the captains arm band off Norwood, we don’t deserve to go up and questions need to be asked of everyone

@JimmyStevens88: Lost count of the times we’ve played like that this season. Been a really odd one, somehow find ourselves likely to be in the play offs without having any consistent periods of performances. Defensive injuries shouldn’t mean we attack like we did tonight, poor all round.

@lostinfens1: Shockingly bad display against a Port Vale side that deservedly won. Mothersille is a liability & Norwood needs to up his game. How there was only 4 minutes injury time sums up the County experience.

@bcafcwin: Can’t believe we’re not the only ones wanting to miss the playoffs this year. #BCAFC

@ClassicCounty: Yet again when we’re up against it we fold like a cheap suit! Really bad, probably need a point at Barnsley now and you wouldn’t fancy us after watching that. Even if we do make the play offs, we’re going to struggle. DC under huge pressure now. #stockportcounty

@Suddyyy: Crazy result that. One game to go and we’re the only team confirmed in the playoffs 🤯 #BWFC

@baghead325: After last nights performance, we don’t deserve to make the play offs, and IF we do, we’d get absolutely hammered in the fist 10 minutes of the first leg.

@quietisolation: No pace, passion or purpose tonight. We’ve consistently been inconsistent this season but that was really scraping the bottom of the barrel. Rather wish I’d stayed home. 🙁

@ScfcJb45892: No matter what league we are in next season, we could be in trouble with this group of players and management.

@rh0de5: Been poor pretty much all season. How we have stayed up there I’ve no idea. We even struggled to play it sideways at the back tonight. Fair play to vale and the travelling fans.

@lostinfens1: Shockingly bad display against a Port Vale side that deservedly won. Mothersille is a liability & Norwood needs to up his game. How there was only 4 minutes injury time sums up the County experience.