2 new inbounds this week?

[McCullochisGod]

Must be bloody hard to convince anyone to come. Anyone who's good enough to get us out of this mess will most likely want to avoid us like the plague.

Exactly and all the half decent players will have clubs. Massive week eh...!!! Twitters a wonderful thing....

[nw6pie]

Must be bloody hard to convince anyone to come. Anyone who's good enough to get us out of this mess will most likely want to avoid us like the plague.

It was interesting earlier this season when Joey Barton recalled a young kid from FC United of Manchester because they were losing all of the time and he considered it bad for the player’s development. You could argue a relegation scrap is “character-building” for a rookie, but there is the counter-argument that losing (like winning) becomes a habit.

I guess it comes down to Neal Ardley’s contacts and reputation. Has he forged a decent enough reputation in the game to be trusted with players if we’re looking for loans? Or, as seems to be more and more the case, does he have a good agent who has good players on his books he can send his way?

We keep hoping new players will be our salvation, but we also have to expect more from the current batch of 30-odd. If they can play like they did against Bury, why not every week? I know it’s clutching at straws, but it may be all we have to cling to. Let’s hope we fluke a result at Yeovil, because February is looking particularly daunting (Lincoln, FGR, Mansfield, Newport and Tranmere).

[Chicken Balti Pie]

Must be bloody hard to convince anyone to come. Anyone who's good enough to get us out of this mess will most likely want to avoid us like the plague.

Could help in a strange way. We need players who want to fight, anyone willing to jump into a relegation battle you'd think has a battling spirit so it at least narrows the target list to players we need? Look at the new keeper, he seemed to positively relish the fight in his interview. O'Brien comes across as a fighter and the way he plays and was shouting certainly shows he's up for the fight. We have the quality players, we need fighters beside them and our position might just help us in that regard

[Notts78]

It’s a conundrum for any player. If it’s a loan deal then getting ‘games under your belt’ is better than playing reserve or U23 football. If we get relegated they still end up at there parent club.
For players like O’Brien who sign contracts, in this case for 18 months, he knows he will be getting paid for those 18 months, so does it really matter what League he is in? Yes I am sure his preference is to play as high as possible. Did it stop Adam Rooney going from Scottish Prem to English none League? Has it stopped Green leaving Lincoln to play in the Conference? Notts will be an attractive proposition whilst we pay decent cash out.
3m is not sustainable, but nor is a 35+ playing squad.
So players looking at our position should be shifted on, players looking to play for NCFC should be seriously considered.

[Pietastic]

What turned it round with the Great Escape? We were utter sh**te then before we became great. Not sure it was influx of players but rather we reached a tipping point and began to win win win.

[Big Bob]

Must be bloody hard to convince anyone to come. Anyone who's good enough to get us out of this mess will most likely want to avoid us like the plague.

If the money is right they'll play for anyone

[gozzie321]

I am sure there are players queuing up, what young lad doesn't want to play for a professional club. But Ardley knows it's ***** to get the right ones in, our league status depends on it.

[nw6pie]

What turned it round with the Great Escape? We were utter sh**te then before we became great. Not sure it was influx of players but rather we reached a tipping point and began to win win win.

The home form has been key every time we've performed a great escape. Under Nolan we only lost once at home after he joined in 2017 (and that was against champions-elect Portsmouth); under Derry in 2013-2014 we won our final five home games of the season (and this was a team that had been thumped 5-1 at home by Walsall in January); and in the original great escape season of 2001-2002, we again won our last five home games in a row.

What's noticeable in that last fantastic run is that we also started keeping more clean sheets (6 in the last 10 games) and also had some great performances away from home (4-0 at Bury; 1-0 at Peterborough; 2-2 against promotion-bound Brighton, from 2-0 down, thanks to Marcel Cas' great volley).

In 2007-2008, when we finished 21st, we won our last two home games 1-0 (including that Richard Butcher goal against Wycombe), but again got better at keeping clean sheets (again, 6 in the last 10 games).

The luckiest escape was most definitely in 2005-2006, when we won only 1 of our last 16 games (that stat sounds familiar) and scraped a 2-2 draw with Bury on the final day of the season.

What's interesting (to me at least) is how many of the League 2 sides in that 2006 season are either no longer in the league or have been relegated and bounced back - two-thirds (16 out of the 24). Carlisle, Bury, Northampton and Notts are the only ones still in L2, albeit having spent some time in L1.

On the plus side, 7 teams who subsequently went down and returned: Lincoln City, Bristol Rovers, Mansfield, Grimsby Town, Macclesfield Town, Cheltenham Town, Oxford United. If we get relegated, I think we will share a unique "honour" with Oxford and Luton: the only winners of a major trophy to be relegated from the Football League (us the FA Cup, the other two the League Cup).

On the down side, these teams were subsequently relegated and have yet to resurface: Torquay (currently top of National League South); Wrexham (National League); Stockport County (National League North); Darlington FC (National League North); Chester City (National League North); Rushden & Diamonds (dissolved); Boston United (National League North); Leyton Orient (currently top of National League) and Barnet (National League). (Tranmere also get relegated, in 2015, and came back this season.)

[LesBradd4England]

The home form has been key every time we've performed a great escape. Under Nolan we only lost once at home after he joined in 2017 (and that was against champions-elect Portsmouth); under Derry in 2013-2014 we won our final five home games of the season (and this was a team that had been thumped 5-1 at home by Walsall in January); and in the original great escape season of 2001-2002, we again won our last five home games in a row.

What's noticeable in that last fantastic run is that we also started keeping more clean sheets (6 in the last 10 games) and also had some great performances away from home (4-0 at Bury; 1-0 at Peterborough; 2-2 against promotion-bound Brighton, from 2-0 down, thanks to Marcel Cas' great volley).

In 2007-2008, when we finished 21st, we won our last two home games 1-0 (including that Richard Butcher goal against Wycombe), but again got better at keeping clean sheets (again, 6 in the last 10 games).

The luckiest escape was most definitely in 2005-2006, when we won only 1 of our last 16 games (that stat sounds familiar) and scraped a 2-2 draw with Bury on the final day of the season.

What's interesting (to me at least) is how many of the League 2 sides in that 2006 season are either no longer in the league or have been relegated and bounced back - two-thirds (16 out of the 24). Carlisle, Bury, Northampton and Notts are the only ones still in L2, albeit having spent some time in L1.

On the plus side, 7 teams who subsequently went down and returned: Lincoln City, Bristol Rovers, Mansfield, Grimsby Town, Macclesfield Town, Cheltenham Town, Oxford United. If we get relegated, I think we will share a unique "honour" with Oxford and Luton: the only winners of a major trophy to be relegated from the Football League (us the FA Cup, the other two the League Cup).

On the down side, these teams were subsequently relegated and have yet to resurface: Torquay (currently top of National League South); Wrexham (National League); Stockport County (National League North); Darlington FC (National League North); Chester City (National League North); Rushden & Diamonds (dissolved); Boston United (National League North); Leyton Orient (currently top of National League) and Barnet (National League). (Tranmere also get relegated, in 2015, and came back this season.)

The National League is a tough league. History tells us teams do not generally bounce straight back. What you have to consider is the ultimate fate of those teams.
For some their is the acceptance of why they are relegated and the fierce determination to regain league status. fans and communities rally round, attendances can increase and clubs and their true supporters become stronger. Think of Lincoln, Luton, Tranmere and even Mansfield, who eventually returned. The likes of Wrexham, Leyton Orient continue to enjoy stronger support than they did in later league days and winning if not promotion seasons.
Even further falls into Conference North and South has served to galvanise clubs like Stockport and Torquay with no massive reduction in spectators.
I'd rather my money be spent on a 20 man squad earning their £800-£1000 per week which is about average for the National League than pay an bloated squad of 38, most of who never kick a competitive ball all week
Do not be mislead by the term "league football" there is little difference in quality. This is just snobbery.
Whilst it would be devastating to be relegated, it is how we approach it that would be of most importance.
The one thing I know about Notts County, is the fan base is sound for around 3,500 irrespective of relegation. A winning team no matter what standard draws casual supporters. I am confident a winning (not necessarily) a promotion winning team would average 4500-5000. Spend the income wisely, employ a manager comfortable in those surroundings (we have one) and we can begin to look upwards not down.

[i961pie]

The home form has been key every time we've performed a great escape. Under Nolan we only lost once at home after he joined in 2017 (and that was against champions-elect Portsmouth); under Derry in 2013-2014 we won our final five home games of the season (and this was a team that had been thumped 5-1 at home by Walsall in January); and in the original great escape season of 2001-2002, we again won our last five home games in a row.

What's noticeable in that last fantastic run is that we also started keeping more clean sheets (6 in the last 10 games) and also had some great performances away from home (4-0 at Bury; 1-0 at Peterborough; 2-2 against promotion-bound Brighton, from 2-0 down, thanks to Marcel Cas' great volley).

In 2007-2008, when we finished 21st, we won our last two home games 1-0 (including that Richard Butcher goal against Wycombe), but again got better at keeping clean sheets (again, 6 in the last 10 games).

The luckiest escape was most definitely in 2005-2006, when we won only 1 of our last 16 games (that stat sounds familiar) and scraped a 2-2 draw with Bury on the final day of the season.

What's interesting (to me at least) is how many of the League 2 sides in that 2006 season are either no longer in the league or have been relegated and bounced back - two-thirds (16 out of the 24). Carlisle, Bury, Northampton and Notts are the only ones still in L2, albeit having spent some time in L1.

On the plus side, 7 teams who subsequently went down and returned: Lincoln City, Bristol Rovers, Mansfield, Grimsby Town, Macclesfield Town, Cheltenham Town, Oxford United. If we get relegated, I think we will share a unique "honour" with Oxford and Luton: the only winners of a major trophy to be relegated from the Football League (us the FA Cup, the other two the League Cup).

On the down side, these teams were subsequently relegated and have yet to resurface: Torquay (currently top of National League South); Wrexham (National League); Stockport County (National League North); Darlington FC (National League North); Chester City (National League North); Rushden & Diamonds (dissolved); Boston United (National League North); Leyton Orient (currently top of National League) and Barnet (National League). (Tranmere also get relegated, in 2015, and came back this season.)

Not forgetting Orient, Halifax, Barrow, Workington, Southport, Aldershot, Gateshead, Scarboro' and Chester.