Next Rochdale manager contenders

Rochdale will be preparing for life after Jim McNulty amid reports the Dale manager is the frontrunner to be named the new boss of Stockport County.

McNulty orchestrated Rochdale's return to the Football League in remarkable fashion last season as his side banished the heartache of missing out on the National League title by winning promotion via the play-offs.

Rochdale's ascent under McNulty has caught the attention of Stockport, who are searching for a successor to Dave Challinor after the long-serving manager decided to step down following their loss to Bolton Wanderers in the League One play-off final.

If McNulty decides to trade Spotland for Edgeley Park, we've assessed the contenders in the frame to replace the 41-year-old.

Next Rochdale manager contenders

Andy Butler

One side Rochdale had to overcome in the National League play-offs was Andy Butler's Scunthorpe United and the 42-year-old has earned an array of plaudits for the work he's undertaken at Glanford Park.

Butler guided the Iron to promotion from the National League North in his debut season before leading the club to a fifth-placed finish last term, where their promotion aspirations were ended at the hands of Rochdale.

The former Walsall and Doncaster Rovers defender signed a new contract with Scunthorpe in March, but the opportunity to build on the foundations McNulty has set with Rochdale upon their return to the Football League may be too difficult to turn down.

Luke Garrard

Rochdale defeated Boreham Wood in the play-off final in the latest blow to Luke Garrard's aspirations of guiding the Meadow Park club into the Football League.

It was the second promotion final defeat in eight years for the Wood, but Garrard is more than deserving of a shot at a Football League managerial role given the transformative impact he's enjoyed at the club.

Garrard's ability to make Boreham Wood better than the sum of its parts is testament to his man-management skills and tactical acumen, but he might require persuasion given his long-term association to the Hertfordshire outfit.

Jason Taylor

There's been a trend of clubs opting to promote from within when they feel a coach has demonstrated aptitude to fulfil the managerial role and the infrastructure is adequate for them to succeed.

Huddersfield Town have done it with Martin Drury, Lincoln City with Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw and Rochdale could also do it with one, if not both of McNulty's assistants: Jason Taylor and Matt Done.

Providing the pair don't follow McNulty to Edgeley Park, Taylor would offer valuable continuity despite his managerial inexperience.

Chris Agutter

Sutton United were mired in relegation trouble prior to Chris Agutter's arrival in October and despite an underwhelming end to the campaign, their revival under Brighton's former youth team manager was impressive.

The highly-regarded coach first ventured into management with Hastings United, who he guided to the Isthmian Premier Division title, but returned to coaching with a spell at Stevenage before heading back to Brighton's academy.

Agutter embarked on a second stint as manager of Hastings where his work caught the attention of Worthing, who he guided to their best-ever season in the National League South before taking the job at Sutton.

Agutter's teams have had a discernible attacking identity throughout his managerial career and the 42-year-old has all the attributes to make the step up to the Football League.