In a surprising turn of events, Josh Dacres-Cogley has officially joined Stockport County, signing an 18-month contract with the club. This right-back previously made 126 appearances for Bolton Wanderers over a span of two and a half years, during which he scored four goals.
This season, Dacres-Cogley played 18 times for his team under manager Steven Schumacher. However, he found himself lower in the selection hierarchy, trailing behind teammates Cyrus Christie and Jordi Osei-Tutu. His last notable appearance came against Port Vale in the Vertu Trophy on Tuesday night, marking his return after a hiatus since the disappointing 4-0 FA Cup loss to Swindon Town at the beginning of December.
Expressing his delight at the acquisition, Stockport's manager Dave Challinor commented on how Dacres-Cogley’s availability came as a pleasant surprise. "We are thrilled to have Josh join our squad," he stated. "He has been on our radar for quite some time, and honestly, we didn’t expect him to be available. Adding him to our team is fantastic news.
His extensive experience at this level, especially with a club that has high expectations, makes him an ideal fit for our requirements as a right-back or wing-back. I know he’s eager to embrace the upcoming challenges, and we are excited about the possibility of achieving success together."
Additionally, Jonathan Smith, the head of recruitment at Stockport, highlighted the significance of this transfer: "We are pleased to bring in a player we have monitored closely for a long time, even dating back to his tenure at Tranmere.
His physical capabilities are outstanding, and he clearly understands the demands at our current level. This move addresses a position that we have specifically targeted for improvement. Dacres-Cogley's consistent availability has also been remarkable over an extended period, making this a sensible decision on multiple fronts."
Dacres-Cogley becomes the fifth first-team player to depart during the January transfer window, joining fellow players Will Forrester, Victor Adeboyejo, Tyler Miller, and Teddy Sharman-Lowe. It seems likely that more players will exit as Schumacher works to refine his squad for the latter part of the season. Nevertheless, Schumacher has assured fans that the club is actively seeking new talents to enhance the team’s quality.
So far this transfer window, Wanderers have signed three players: goalkeepers David Harrington and Jack Bonham, along with promising young talent Lewis Temple from Ireland.
