Stockport boss Dave Challinor namechecks Notts County and Wrexham in 2023/24 League Two admission | OneFootball

Stockport County boss Dave Challinor has admitted that League Two will be a different challenge next season after the additions of newly-promoted duo Notts County and Wrexham.

Challinor suggested the teams that have been relegated from League One are something of an unknown but also highlighted the threats that Doncaster Rovers and Gillingham will pose to his side's 2023/24 promotion hopes.

Carlisle United 1-1 Stockport County

County will be playing in the fourth tier again next season after losing the League Two play-off final to Carlisle United on penalties yesterday.

Stockport were fastest out of the blocks at Wembley and took the lead thanks to a Jon Mellish own-goal but Carlisle fought back into the contest and levelled through substitute Omari Patrick in the 84th minute.

Neither side could find a winner in the time remaining or in extra time while Cumbrians goalkeeper Tomas Holy proved the hero in the shoot-out to confirm their promotion to League One.

Dave Challinor on Stockport County's plans for 2023/24

County were going for back-to-back promotions in what was their first season back in the EFL, which will no doubt be what Wrexham and Notts County are targetting this term as they step up from the National League.

Speaking after the game, Challinor admitted that League Two would be a different challenge in 2023/24 with the newly-promoted pair as competition.

"The majority of that group will be together but, of course, we've planned for all eventualities in terms of where we were," he said when pressed on the plans for next season.

"We're set in terms of recruitment and where we'd like to strengthen if we could, and we're set for pre-season.

"League Two will be different next year the teams that are coming into it certainly from the National League, Wrexham and Notts County, are strong teams.

"The teams coming down are a bit of an unknown in terms of where they currently sit and what their focus will be.

"Then you've got Doncaster Rovers, big investment for them, and Gillingham, who invested in January and will likely go again, so it'll be a different dynamic next year.

"As you say our start was a tough one and in hindsight, you can look back and reflect and say did that cost us but I think regardless, you're judged over 46 games and we got 79 points.

"So we know next year that we're going to have to get upwards of 80, maybe even higher than 83, to make sure we guarantee ourselves in place in that top three."