Stockport County manager Dave Challinor is set to oversee his 605th game as a senior manager in the EFL Trophy final at Wembley. This contrasts sharply with Luton’s Jack Wilshere, who will be in charge of just his 39th senior game.
Clash of Managerial Experience
The EFL Trophy final pits Challinor, 50, against the 34-year-old Wilshere. Challinor’s experience includes five titles, three play-off final promotions and an FA Trophy. He also won the League Two title with Stockport in 2023-24, following National League success in 2021-22.
Wilshere, a former England international, took the Luton job in October 2025 after a brief interim spell at Norwich. The upcoming final will be his first experience managing in a final.
The match presents a contrast between an experienced manager and an ambitious newcomer.
Luton’s Perspective on the Final
Wilshere acknowledged the significance of leading Luton out at Wembley. He recognised the club’s recent hardships, referencing their previous Wembley appearances. Luton played at Wembley in 2012, losing a National League play-off final to York City.
Luton’s recent journey has included relegation from the Premier League in May 2023 and a subsequent relegation. They currently sit 10th in League One, three points outside the play-off places.
Wilshere sees the EFL Trophy final as an opportunity to build confidence as they aim for promotion to the Championship. He highlighted the strong fan support, expecting 30-35,000 fans at Wembley.
“It’s a step because we know there’s more to do and there’s still a big part of the season to play and we’ve still got ambition in the league,” Wilshere said.
Previous Encounters
Luton beat Stockport 3-0 in November. The two sides also played out a 1-1 draw in a previous match.
Wilshere hopes that winning the final would be “a big step on the road to where we want to get to.”