"If you'd have told me when I was player-manager at Colwyn Bay and managing in a regional division that I'd be in a play-off final and fifth visit to Wembley as a manager playing for a massive prize, absolutely never would I have thought that would be the case."Dave Challinor has had an impressive managerial career, but almost a quarter of a century on from Stockport County's last spell in the second tier, he is one game away from leading them full circle back to the Championship.In 16 seasons as a manager, Challinor has managed Colwyn Bay, AFC Fylde, Hartlepool United and Stockport and has only finished outside the play-off places once during that period - which was also the Covid-interrupted 2019-20 season.He has wrapped up seven promotions as manager including one at Colwyn Bay in his first campaign in charge, two with Fylde, one with Hartlepool and two with Stockport.Not only that, but he has won four league titles to boot.Asked about his immense promotion record, Challinor was diplomatic in his assessment to BBC Radio Manchester: "A whole host of people work so hard and go through so much to give ourselves the opportunity and we've got that opportunity."So we have to do everything now to make sure we do what we can to grab it."Bolton Wanderers lost 2-0 at the start of the season to Stockport County and fought back to earn a point in a 2-2 draw in their most recent meeting in April [Shutterstock]Bolton's most recent chance of promotion back to the second tier came just two years ago, when they missed out on automatic promotion and entered the play-offs as most people's favourites for a return to Championship action for the first time since 2019.That year had seen Bolton go to the wall and almost go out of business altogether and the rebuild was delayed further by the start of their 2019-20 campaign being affected by a protracted takeover process.However they fought back to League One at the first time of asking in 2020-21 and with Ian Evatt in charge, the club looked alive once more as they reached the play-off semi-finals in 2022-23 and one stage further in 2023-24.Yet their lacklustre 2-0 play-off final defeat by Oxford at Wembley was put down to "fear" by Evatt and, after his exit the following season, Steven Schumacher arrived to try to restore some glory to the club.Asked whether things are different this time around, Bolton defender George Johnston told BBC Radio Manchester the mood in the camp is different ahead of this particular trip to Wembley."It almost felt like [before] 'right, that job's done, on to the next job'."But this time it's definitely half-job done and we're fully focused on the next game and to really celebrate once we do get the win."Dave Challinor (pictured here in 2003) played for Stockport County when they were relegated from the second tier in 2002 [Getty Images]It is 24 years since Challinor last experienced second-tier football with Stockport, during his playing days at Edgeley Park.Since their relegation from the old Division One in 2001-02, they have dropped out of the EFL to non-league and regional football before slowly clawing their way back up the pyramid in the 24 years since.In large part, that revival has been kick-started by owner Mark Stott, who took over the club in 2020."I played in the last Championship game that Stockport County played in, and from that point on, the supporters have been through relegations, promotions, administration, all sorts, with the club going back out of the Football League into the National League North," Challinor added."Since Mark came in six years ago, everything's been on the up since then, and we've got ourselves to this point."It would mean everything for us to be able to take it and from my perspective, we almost go full circle and take the club back to the Championship."Bolton beat Bradford to book play-off final'Dangerous' Bolton come full circle for play-off finalBolton will be without captain Eoin Toal for the trip to Wembley after he tore his hamstring during their semi-final second leg win at Bradford.Schumacher, who led Plymouth to the League One title in 2022-23, said the injury was a quite significant tear which will require rehabilitation."We knew at Bradford when he stepped forward and he had to come off. He said to me straight away it's a bad one, which it is," Schumacher said."It's quite a high-grade hamstring tear so he'll have to unfortunately miss the game, which is a big blow because he's been a good player for us and it's unfortunate for him to miss the last game of the season when he's been available for pretty much every game so far this year."But he's got a summer ahead of him trying to rehabilitate the hamstring."With a heatwave forecast to hit the country this weekend, Schumacher believes they are well prepared for the expected conditions."It's going to be hot, which will probably lend itself to having water breaks or whatever it's going to need to take, but the players understand what's coming," he added."The medical and performance team will make sure that they're all hydrated and fuelled up as best as possible, but we won't let that side affect our game-plan."Louie Barry - Barcelona to Wembley via nine loansAmazing to be one game from Championship - ChallinorStockport are preparing for their second trip to Wembley this season, having been beaten by Luton Town in the Vertu Trophy final last month."It's definitely of benefit," Challinor believes. "That doesn't mean you just turn up and win the game because you've been there six weeks ago."But all of the routine of what you go through, whether it's travelling on the bus, whether it's seeing the stadium for the first time, whether it's driving inside the underneath of the stadium to get to the changing rooms, we've experienced that."So if it is new, then it's not something we have to go through again without knowing what it feels like."To continue the full circle theme, Challinor's first game in charge of the club was against Bolton in the FA Cup, when they drew 2-2 and later won a replay at Edgeley Park - a feat made more impressive by the fact his side were in the National League at the time."To start my career here with the FA Cup tie back in November 2021, to now face Bolton in a play-off final at Wembley, there's always things in football that link up, this being a sort of key one," he added."We've had some brilliant battles and contests over the five years that I've been here, with obviously a local rivalry."We were a couple of steps behind them, we've caught up. But there's two really, really good teams that deserve to be where they are, that have both got match-winners in them."

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Pep Guardiola has made an honest admission after being confirmed to leave Manchester City after the Citizens' last game of the season against Aston Villa.The Spaniard has enjoyed an illustrious 10 years at the Etihad Stadium, winning 20 trophies and going down as the most successful manager in the club's history.In a candid interview reflecting on his decade in Manchester, Guardiola shared he regretted not giving England keeper Joe Hart an opportunity to prove himself.Hart was sent out on loan to Torino just weeks into the Spaniard's appointment, with Claudio Bravo coming in to replace him before Ederson the year after.TRENDINGStoriesVideosYour SayGuardiola told Sky Sports: "I want to confess, I have regrets. When you take a lot of decisions, a lot, lot of decisions, you make mistakes."But there is one regret that I have deep inside for many years, that I didn't give a chance to Joe Hart to be with me to prove himself how good a keeper he was."I should have done, not because all respect for Claudio, all respect for Ede who came in, they were important, but in that moment, I could have said: 'Okay Joe, let's try to do it together. If it doesn't work, okay, we'll change it'."But it happened. Life is sometimes I have to take decisions and sometimes I'm not fair enough."LATEST SPORTS NEWSThomas Tuchel tells dropped England stars 'teams win World Cups': 'My players are not selfish'Manchester United announce Michael Carrick will continue as club's head coachThomas Tuchel ditched Cole Palmer and Phil Foden 'because of their personalities'He continued: "Maybe with time then and learning But I regret it from that time."In that moment, I said: 'I believe in that'. Always I am stubborn in my decisions, when I believe in that. "When I have doubts, I talk with people, but when I'm completely sure, 100 per cent, I say: 'Guys, we have to do it in that way', and I have been at a club that has supported me absolutely in everything with that."Guardiola acknowledged managing human emotions is one of the toughest aspects of coaching, especially with players excluded from the team.He emphasised he has always approached this challenge with humanity and respect.The Spaniard said: "If in that I failed, I do apologise, but it never, never was my intention or the intention of the club."Guardiola will continue with the City Football Group, taking up the role of Global Ambassador.During his 10 years at City, he won six Premier League titles, one Champions League, three FA Cups, five League Cups, one Club World Cup, one Super Cup and three FA Community Shields.He achieved the infamous 100 points tally in 2018, an all-time Premier League record.After losing a Champions League final in 2021 to Chelsea, the former midfielder followed it up by winning the competition, beating Inter Milan in the final.He concludes this season with the League Cup and the FA Cup, leaving City as their greatest-ever manager.Enzo Maresca is tipped to replace Guardiola at the Etihad, having worked under him before stepping into the managerial world on his own.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

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