Spoke to O’Brien After The Game

[magpie2k4]

When the supporters bus dropped us off. The players bus was dropping the players off as well. Whilst walking behind the Pavis to get in our car, we saw O’brien about to get in his.

I had a two minute chat with him. In which I thanked him for trying his hardest. He seemed gutted by what has happened, but happy to chat. Here are a few things which were said:

I said he was my only consideration for player of the season, and he replied by saying he would much rather us have stayed up and others be known to be better than him.

He said he really likes it here and the manager wants him to stay. But it’s dependent on the budget. He then added that it’s not about the money for him and more about feeling wanted.. which I said I’m pretty sure all Notts fans want him to stay.

And that was about it. He seemed a really genuine bloke and the exact type of person we need next season.

What I found interesting was him saying the manager wants him to stay. That suggests to me that NA will be choosing the retained list. If that’s the case, then I’m assuming he will stay on as manager. It would be crazy to allow someone to make these decisions and then replace him surely?

I know I’m making assumptions on a very brief chat, but my gut feeling is to expect NA to lead the team out in August and maybe, hopefully O’Brien will be there as well.

[jscarr]

Ardley is probably planning on being here, but until the new owners are in, we won't really know. If Hardy does stay as chairman, I'd expect Ardley to stay as manager.

[drillerpie]

When the supporters bus dropped us off. The players bus was dropping the players off as well. Whilst walking behind the Pavis to get in our car, we saw O’brien about to get in his.

I had a two minute chat with him. In which I thanked him for trying his hardest. He seemed gutted by what has happened, but happy to chat. Here are a few things which were said:

I said he was my only consideration for player of the season, and he replied by saying he would much rather us have stayed up and others be known to be better than him.

He said he really likes it here and the manager wants him to stay. But it’s dependent on the budget. He then added that it’s not about the money for him and more about feeling wanted.. which I said I’m pretty sure all Notts fans want him to stay.

And that was about it. He seemed a really genuine bloke and the exact type of person we need next season.

What I found interesting was him saying the manager wants him to stay. That suggests to me that NA will be choosing the retained list. If that’s the case, then I’m assuming he will stay on as manager. It would be crazy to allow someone to make these decisions and then replace him surely?

I know I’m making assumptions on a very brief chat, but my gut feeling is to expect NA to lead the team out in August and maybe, hopefully O’Brien will be there as well.

Interesting post, thanks!

I agree he's exactly the kind of player we need but given we poached him from League 1 I imagine he'll be on a good wage.

[sidders]

Neil Ardley ... he de man. Ignore Gump and Paddy Pete, they're just emotional reactionaries. Ardley inherited a schitstorm but he has the experience, dignity and calm to see this through.
Yes, I am disappointed that he didn't complete the job he was hired for, but things were decadent beyond repair and he just didn't have the time.

[legs77]

Exactly Sid what can go wrong with the dynamic duo at the helm.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

I like O'Brien, he plays like he cared and put 100% in. It might not have come off for him always but always gave everything in my opinion. Really hope he stays, we have 30 of players, surely we won't resign Stead, Vaughan and Ward so that would surely make up for a large chunk of wages to keep the likes of O'Brien and Rose

[countygump]

Neil Ardley ... he de man. Ignore Gump and Paddy Pete, they're just emotional reactionaries. Ardley inherited a schitstorm but he has the experience, dignity and calm to see this through.
Yes, I am disappointed that he didn't complete the job he was hired for, but things were decadent beyond repair and he just didn't have the time.

No need to make excuses for Ardley's pish poor management this season, Squid. He's more than able to do that for himself, which seems to be the only thing he's decent at, actually. As for 'emotional reactionaries'. me and Pete were saying 12 games ago that Ardley would take us into non league unless we made a change, seems we were right and you and everyone else had their fingers in their ears.

[sidders]

Not so, Gump. I foresaw that we were doomed way before Christmas. Do I have to revive 'the benefits of being bottom?' one more time. This ship has had a rotten hull for years. At least it's in dry dock now and serious reconstruction attempted rather than a patch-up job. Cap'n Ardley will have learned a lot from his failure and, best of all, he knows exactly which players are worth keeping.
I like and read the posts of both you and Pete, but there is no doubt that since Ardley's appointment (which you opposed from day one) you have been a strident wrecking presence in the matter of Ardley's management and Hardy's ownership. No one's saying they aren't flawed individuals but hey they are both trying their best. Ardley is a decent human being and can steer this ship back into calmer waters.

[Scanlon's Hatrick]

When the supporters bus dropped us off. The players bus was dropping the players off as well. Whilst walking behind the Pavis to get in our car, we saw O’brien about to get in his.

I had a two minute chat with him. In which I thanked him for trying his hardest. He seemed gutted by what has happened, but happy to chat. Here are a few things which were said:

I said he was my only consideration for player of the season, and he replied by saying he would much rather us have stayed up and others be known to be better than him.

He said he really likes it here and the manager wants him to stay. But it’s dependent on the budget. He then added that it’s not about the money for him and more about feeling wanted.. which I said I’m pretty sure all Notts fans want him to stay.

And that was about it. He seemed a really genuine bloke and the exact type of person we need next season.

What I found interesting was him saying the manager wants him to stay. That suggests to me that NA will be choosing the retained list. If that’s the case, then I’m assuming he will stay on as manager. It would be crazy to allow someone to make these decisions and then replace him surely?

I know I’m making assumptions on a very brief chat, but my gut feeling is to expect NA to lead the team out in August and maybe, hopefully O’Brien will be there as well.

You must have been stood next to me then. I was privy to that conversation too.
Seems a decent bloke.
Appreciated the fans opinion of him and thanked us for our support.

[Bohinen]

As for 'emotional reactionaries'. me and Pete were saying 12 games ago that Ardley would take us into non league unless we made a change, seems we were right and you and everyone else had their fingers in their ears.

Everyone else?

[marky]

Who's this "everyone else" you speak of, certainly not me.

[countygump]

Who's this "everyone else" you speak of, certainly not me.

All the rest of the Ardleypologists............

[irishpete]

All the rest of the Ardleypologists............

You mean the nodding dogs & sid snott

[maddogslater]

Not so, Gump. I foresaw that we were doomed way before Christmas. Do I have to revive 'the benefits of being bottom?' one more time. This ship has had a rotten hull for years. At least it's in dry dock now and serious reconstruction attempted rather than a patch-up job. Cap'n Ardley will have learned a lot from his failure and, best of all, he knows exactly which players are worth keeping.
I like and read the posts of both you and Pete, but there is no doubt that since Ardley's appointment (which you opposed from day one) you have been a strident wrecking presence in the matter of Ardley's management and Hardy's ownership. No one's saying they aren't flawed individuals but hey they are both trying their best. Ardley is a decent human being and can steer this ship back into calmer waters.

I shall be waiting with my U boat to Torpedo Capitan Ardley if he try's to sail out of port with the good ship County, any survivors will be machine gunned in das wasser.

[navypie]

You mean the nodding dogs & sid snott

I don't consider myself a nodding dog just because I want Ardley to stay. I believe whoever Hardy( the man I blame ) appointed would have faced an impossible task. The damage was already done.

[countygump]

I shall be waiting with my U boat to Torpedo Capitan Ardley if he try's to sail out of port with the good ship County, any survivors will be machine gunned in das wasser.

Some focsle say owt.

[LaxtonLad]

HMS Notts County was torpedoed in August when Cap'n Nolan refused to recruit more shipmates in defence and this left the ship foundering in stormy waters. Two more helmsmen tried to steady the ship but failed. Some new recruits were signed on but much of the existing crew didn't want to get wet. The damage was done on Cap'n Nolan's watch, the gaping hole below the defence was just too much for the willing ratings to cope with. Admiral Hardy did a Nelson, stuck his eyeglass to his blind eye said "I'm baling out".

[sidders]

You mean the nodding dogs & sid snott

You can call me many things but a nodding dog I have never been. I'm not that keen on Sid Snot either but owt for a larf.

[countygump]

You can call me many things but a nodding dog I have never been. I'm not that keen on Sid Snot either but owt for a larf.

Sid Vicious or Sid Viscous?

[meoldlaner]

I hate this 'nodding dog' description of people who post a differing opinion to another. This forum is about opinions so respect that.
As for Ardley staying as manager, I am not sure we have seen him as a manager without shackles yet. His task was to save us from relegation but failed. His football tended to be a bit negative, but I can see that we weren't in a position to go gung-ho, as every time we attempted something like that we got punished. His recruitment was reasonable considering our position, Rose, Stubbs, O'Brien and CMS. Persuading Michael Doyle to come to Notts was no mean feat.
He does seem to have influence and how many times do we have to start again? So I suppose on that basis I would keep him.

[navypie]

I hate this 'nodding dog' description of people who post a differing opinion to another. This forum is about opinions so respect that.
As for Ardley staying as manager, I am not sure we have seen him as a manager without shackles yet. His task was to save us from relegation but failed. His football tended to be a bit negative, but I can see that we weren't in a position to go gung-ho, as every time we attempted something like that we got punished. His recruitment was reasonable considering our position, Rose, Stubbs, O'Brien and CMS. Persuading Michael Doyle to come to Notts was no mean feat.
He does seem to have influence and how many times do we have to start again? So I suppose on that basis I would keep him.

Woof woof.

[Elite_Pie]

I believe whoever Hardy( the man I blame ) appointed would have faced an impossible task. The damage was already done.

It wasn't. There were plenty of games left and we would have survived if we had managed lower mid table form. Ardley wasn't up to it and his record is abysmal. His biggest failure is that he couldn't motivate the team. I can't see that changing next season, so we need to get rid of him at the earliest opportunity.

[irish_pie]

It wasn't. There were plenty of games left and we would have survived if we had managed lower mid table form. Ardley wasn't up to it and his record is abysmal. His biggest failure is that he couldn't motivate the team. I can't see that changing next season, so we need to get rid of him at the earliest opportunity.

Is absolutely correct Elite... Macc and Wimbledon were in dire straights when new managers came in and they both survived... Just listening to their fans will tell you that the effort and commitment after the change was almost immediate... obviously it wasn't all plain sailing but they pulled it off... Ardleys record of 6 wins since November is quite shocking really... he was out of his debt when he came in and as a Wimbledon fan said he just needed to step away from football for a few months but he took the job anyway... a bad bad decision in a horrible season... I still wonder what would of happened if Kewell had lasted the season...

[marky]

What Ardley lacked was the general "new manager bounce" that pretty much any new manager gets, Nolan got it when he first came, even Kewell got 3 wins early on, just a couple of wins early on for Ardley would have made all the difference.

[countygump]

What Ardley lacked was the general "managerial competence" that pretty much any new manager should have, Nolan had it pre-bender, even Kewell got 3 wins early on, just a couple of wins early on for Ardley would have made all the difference.

There, fixed that for you.

[navypie]

Is absolutely correct Elite... Macc and Wimbledon were in dire straights when new managers came in and they both survived... Just listening to their fans will tell you that the effort and commitment after the change was almost immediate... obviously it wasn't all plain sailing but they pulled it off... Ardleys record of 6 wins since November is quite shocking really... he was out of his debt when he came in and as a Wimbledon fan said he just needed to step away from football for a few months but he took the job anyway... a bad bad decision in a horrible season... I still wonder what would of happened if Kewell had lasted the season...

Elite isn't "absolutely correct". He expressed his opinion, just like I'm entitled to express mine.

[forwardmagpie]

You can call me many things but a nodding dog I have never been. I'm not that keen on Sid Snot either but owt for a larf.

I call you ‘Voice of the Establishment’

[Elite_Pie]

Elite isn't "absolutely correct". He expressed his opinion, just like I'm entitled to express mine.

I agree with you shipmate, you are perfectly entitled to express your stupid opinion.

[forwardmagpie]

I agree with you shipmate, you are perfectly entitled to express your stupid opinion.

Agreed Elite, you carry on expressing your stupid opinions 😊

[Elite_Pie]

Agreed Elite, you carry on expressing your stupid opinions 😊

Don't worry, I will.

[navypie]

I agree with you shipmate, you are perfectly entitled to express your stupid opinion.

Thank you.

[forwardmagpie]

Don't worry, I will.

Good 👍

[optipez]

It's depressing that having listened to Hardy, read the conclusions of the Evening Post, heard that the players weren't fit from pre season and seen the dross that we recruited in the summer, the conclusion from NCM is its time to sack Ardley.
No owner, money, plan, replacement manager but phuck it , sack the manager.

[Elite_Pie]

It's depressing that having listened to Hardy, read the conclusions of the Evening Post, heard that the players weren't fit from pre season and seen the dross that we recruited in the summer, the conclusion from NCM is its time to sack Ardley.
No owner, money, plan, replacement manager but phuck it , sack the manager.

So what exactly has Ardley done to deserve being retained? Sol Campbell didn't get an easy ride, but he did the business.

[optipez]

So what exactly has Ardley done to deserve being retained? Sol Campbell didn't get an easy ride, but he did the business.

As I wrote on another thread, if we were to get Paul Hurst or Darryl Clarke I'd say fair enough but what's the odds of that happening? Sacking managers is easy but our record of appointing them is poor, our record of success is poor, of backing of them abysmal. We gave Kewell ten weeks, Fullerton six games, Short not much more.

We're in the deepest hole in our history and the only suggestion anyone has come up with is to sack Ardley. That's not a plan, that's a reaction. It's nihilistic and compounds our problems because the next mug will have to work with Ardley's players and want his own. More churn and it's all done on the presumption that we will have the revenue to keep funding it all.

So in answer to your question Elite, to me it's not about deserving, but about what makes sense for where we're at. More of the same just seems pointless.

[optipez]

When I say more of the same, I mean more sackings, more forty player seasons. Should have read the comment before posting!

[bridpie78]

As I wrote on another thread, if we were to get Paul Hurst or Darryl Clarke I'd say fair enough but what's the odds of that happening? Sacking managers is easy but our record of appointing them is poor, our record of success is poor, of backing of them abysmal. We gave Kewell ten weeks, Fullerton six games, Short not much more.

We're in the deepest hole in our history and the only suggestion anyone has come up with is to sack Ardley. That's not a plan, that's a reaction. It's nihilistic and compounds our problems because the next mug will have to work with Ardley's players and want his own. More churn and it's all done on the presumption that we will have the revenue to keep funding it all.

So in answer to your question Elite, to me it's not about deserving, but about what makes sense for where we're at. More of the same just seems pointless.

there is a simple solution to the problem of a new man having to work with ardleys players, i dont even need to say it.

[navypie]

As I wrote on another thread, if we were to get Paul Hurst or Darryl Clarke I'd say fair enough but what's the odds of that happening? Sacking managers is easy but our record of appointing them is poor, our record of success is poor, of backing of them abysmal. We gave Kewell ten weeks, Fullerton six games, Short not much more.

We're in the deepest hole in our history and the only suggestion anyone has come up with is to sack Ardley. That's not a plan, that's a reaction. It's nihilistic and compounds our problems because the next mug will have to work with Ardley's players and want his own. More churn and it's all done on the presumption that we will have the revenue to keep funding it all.

So in answer to your question Elite, to me it's not about deserving, but about what makes sense for where we're at. More of the same just seems pointless.

This

[drillerpie]

As I wrote on another thread, if we were to get Paul Hurst or Darryl Clarke I'd say fair enough but what's the odds of that happening? Sacking managers is easy but our record of appointing them is poor, our record of success is poor, of backing of them abysmal. We gave Kewell ten weeks, Fullerton six games, Short not much more.

We're in the deepest hole in our history and the only suggestion anyone has come up with is to sack Ardley. That's not a plan, that's a reaction. It's nihilistic and compounds our problems because the next mug will have to work with Ardley's players and want his own. More churn and it's all done on the presumption that we will have the revenue to keep funding it all.

So in answer to your question Elite, to me it's not about deserving, but about what makes sense for where we're at. More of the same just seems pointless.

Hard to argue with that.

[Elite_Pie]

So in answer to your question Elite, to me it's not about deserving, but about what makes sense for where we're at. More of the same just seems pointless.

But my question was about deserving. I was hoping that any replies would list the qualities that Ardley has that make him worth retaining.
I get the theory that constantly changing managers is unlikely to lead to progress, but if you decide to stick with one there should at least be reasons why he will come good rather than simply saying "more of the same just seems pointless".

Surely sticking with a manager who has done f*ck all is more pointless?

[legs77]

As I wrote on another thread, if we were to get Paul Hurst or Darryl Clarke I'd say fair enough but what's the odds of that happening? Sacking managers is easy but our record of appointing them is poor, our record of success is poor, of backing of them abysmal. We gave Kewell ten weeks, Fullerton six games, Short not much more.

We're in the deepest hole in our history and the only suggestion anyone has come up with is to sack Ardley. That's not a plan, that's a reaction. It's nihilistic and compounds our problems because the next mug will have to work with Ardley's players and want his own. More churn and it's all done on the presumption that we will have the revenue to keep funding it all.

So in answer to your question Elite, to me it's not about deserving, but about what makes sense for where we're at. More of the same just seems pointless.

Well most of the players Ardley signed won’t be here Schofield Barclay Stubbs CMS Gomis.

The only 3 left if they are under contract are Rose O’Brien Doyle and I think it’s fair to say most would want to keep the first two.

We also have players out of contract who were on big money who will be released Jones Duffy Stead Ward Vaughan.

The problem with Ardley if you want me to be constructive is he was too negative when we really needed to go for games more he thought certain draws were good Vale/Morecambe at home it was a disgrace hardly a shot at home against two poor sides as well, he also filled the side with old players which meant we had no out ball no energy and by the 70th minute we were out on our feet sounds just like yesterday !

I have slaughtered him on here abit it is nothing personal I want what is best for us and I don’t think he is the man he doesn’t really want to be here but he is for the money only nothing else....saying things like I almost quit when you have those thoughts you know he isn’t committed to the cause and battle.

Enough of him we need a plan and we need to stick to it experience is everything in football well we have proved that incorrect with our players and manager getting schooled by a rookie in Sol Campbell...we really do need to start playing younger players our OWN like Kennedy-Williams and Osbourne the talk of they are lightweight has to stop Hawkridge isn’t exactly a unit but has made a decent lower league career for himself give them a chance and they might shine.

[optipez]

I don't think Ardley is a lost cause. His recruitment has been good, he is organised, seems thorough, calm and has a resilience that we will need in what looks like being a very tough season coming up for us.

I fully accept his results haven't been good enough, his substitutions uninspiring and safe rather than proactive. He isn't exciting like a Warnock or Allen but, he also has a promotion on his CV and keeping Wimbledon in Div 1 is no mean feat. He stuck around and has always fronted up, taking the pressure off the players when he could have walked, blamed the circumstances at the club and gone for a job closer to home, I've no doubt he will get another chance somewhere if he does leave.

[legs77]

You say his recruitment was good but is that really true it’s a mixed bag if honest.

Exactly my point he has always been behind the 8 ball when it comes to tactics selection and subs I just don’t see anything to make me think he will work here.

He does have a record at Wimbledon but maybe he is like Howe at Bournemouth a real home bird who likes his home comforts.

If we don’t find a buyer and we somehow manage to still play in the national league we might be forced by default to keep him (Can’t afford to sack him) and if we got off to a bad start 4 points from 6/7 games the atmosphere would be toxic we need a fresh approach as the old wounds would soon be opened up.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

Let's be totally honest, I don't think we can judge Ardley on this season? He came in and we were shipping goals left, right and centre. He had to deal with a crazy transfer window where the owner got his tackle out on Twitter and said he was selling the club. The players he got in were an improvement, not enough of an improvement to save us but still. I also don't think he'd wanted to finish the season with two youth centre backs and a rookie keeper but he had to get in what he could, no one wants to join a relegation team who's owner is having a meltdown?

I say give Ardley a chance next season, keep stability, he has been promoted before as well

[navypie]

Let's be totally honest, I don't think we can judge Ardley on this season? He came in and we were shipping goals left, right and centre. He had to deal with a crazy transfer window where the owner got his tackle out on Twitter and said he was selling the club. The players he got in were an improvement, not enough of an improvement to save us but still. I also don't think he'd wanted to finish the season with two youth centre backs and a rookie keeper but he had to get in what he could, no one wants to join a relegation team who's owner is having a meltdown?

I say give Ardley a chance next season, keep stability, he has been promoted before as well

My thoughts Chicken. Hold on ter tin hat though.

ps I wouldn't have it any other way though . We could always argue if a Man U player is worth only 450k sat on the bench rater than 500k

[Elite_Pie]

I say give Ardley a chance next season, keep stability, he has been promoted before as well

You do realise that Ardley's 'stability' here is less than a point per game?

[navypie]

You do realise that Ardley's 'stability' here is less than a point per game?

You do realise that whoever we appointed might have not done any better.

[Elite_Pie]

You do realise that whoever we appointed might have not done any better.

Well they sure as sh!t couldn't have done any worse!

[keldsyke]

You do realise that whoever we appointed might have not done any better.

Spot on, the toxic goings on were here long before Ardley arrived, more reason imo to let him try and rectify things.

[upthemaggies]

You do realise that whoever we appointed might have not done any better.

Just four points better than Ardley managed would have been enough.

[navypie]

Well they sure as sh!t couldn't have done any worse!

Seeing him walk towards us yesterday, arm around the only player who looked like he cared, Smith. Ardley fronted us, he as my respest.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

You do realise that Ardley's 'stability' here is less than a point per game?

With the mitigating factors, I think he has down enough to have a season to put his mark on things with a new owner. Allardyce comes to mind the season before *THAT* season! In the age of social media, he'd have been sacked as well

[irishpete]

I bet clubs are cueing up to snatch Ardley off us after the wonderful season he has had @ Wimbledon & Notts

[slack_pie]

Spot on, the toxic goings on were here long before Ardley arrived, more reason imo to let him try and rectify things.

I've been highly critical of Ardley's tactics in recent months, but I'm actually coming round to this idea now. Why? Simply because he's a known quantity, and as others have said, this season was a uniquely challenging one on and off the field. We still don't know what he could be able to achieve with relative stability off the field and a bit more time.

Also, I genuinely fear that we would end up replacing him with some has-been or never-will-be, who will walk into a nightmare situation (already behind on pre-season, club morale at rock bottom) and struggle from the start. Then we'll be forced to sack yet another manager come November, and the whole thing starts again.

So, I'd give Ardley a chance to rebuild and steady the ship. We can't expect miracles in our first season - look at Chesterfield for what we can expect to achieve. But we desperately need calm heads and stability, and I'd take a mid-table finish over a managerial merry-go-round.

Of course there are huge question marks over Ardley's tactics, but he does have prior experience of turning a club's fortunes around, and for that reason I'd stick with him. I just can't bear the thought of bringing in another Fullarton or Kiwomya.

[Notts78]

I have read a number of comments about Ardleys tactics. Has anyone even considered that Ardley may not have been able to employ the tactics HE wanted? Yes he brought in 8 players, but he couldn’t bring in 24. He couldn’t ship out players who couldn’t or wouldn’t play how wanted them to.
He may have wanted us to be more attacking but realised we were so poor at the back he had to address that with the tactics employed.
If Ardley is to continue, I honestly think he COULD deliver a return to the EFL. He showed in January that he can attract players of a decent standard. Rose, Stubbs and O’Brien are evidence of this.
There is not a manager out there who has not been through tough times, relegations and sackings. It’s how they come back from those set backs that defines them.

[countygump]

With the mitigating factors, I think he has down enough to have a season to put his mark on things with a new owner.


Oh the ironing!!!

[KintoreMagpie]

At 5-00pm last Saturday I required every player, owner, manager and members of the coaching staff to depart from our once great club and not to return. Two hours earlier Mrs KintoreMagpie had commented on how remarkably calm I was. I explained that there was no chance that Notts would be saved and I merely hoped that they would put on a good show for all the travelling fans. Around 4-15 pm things had changed remarkably as both Notts and the footballing gods had conspired to give me hope that somehow relegation could be avoided. Typical of both Notts and the footballing gods that within 10 minutes all allusions had vanished and not only that but any pretence of calm on my part had gone out the window and expletives were being hurled all over the place. So much so that I departed to my bedroom to be alone with my thoughts before I was sent there by my good lady for foul mouthed behaviour.

Having reflected on the position in the interim period I think assuming that we have a club to support going forward, NA wants to stay and the new fairy owners don't bring in their own choice of manager then NA is deserving of the chance to continue. He clearly inherited a dire situation with a bloated squad and egos which were at odds with one another. He did his best in the transfer window to attract players who he thought would save the club from relegation and results did improve but, ultimately, they were not good enough. Sol Campbell has done a brilliant job at Macclesfield but I don't think he would have saved Notts had he come here. Macclesfield are clearly in a bad situation off the field but I suspect a much smaller squad pulling in the same direction gave him a fighting chance of pulling off the miracle. Indeed the shenanigans they faced off the pitch may have only helped concentrate their efforts to take on and beat the world. I am sure that, in hindsight, NA could only dream of using Notts' off the field problems as a motivational tool.

In any event, for me, the choice of manager pales into insignificance as to whether the club survives in any acceptable format. The footballing gods may be the final arbitrators in that scenario and the only Pyrrhic victory on that score is a double edged one in that I have been released from any obligation to make a reasonable donation to a charity of my choice as relegation was not avoided. However I may have to alter that proposal to one whereby I make a charitable donation if my club lives to fight on in any meaningful capacity. The joys of following NCFC!

[ForeignLegion]

you need more paragraphs...please send money to Benny to ask forgiveness.

[countygump]

In any event, for me, the choice of manager pales into insignificance as to whether the club survives in any acceptable format.

This and only this. The takeover??? is all important. It determines our future, any other discussion is secondary.

[slack_pie]

I have read a number of comments about Ardleys tactics. Has anyone even considered that Ardley may not have been able to employ the tactics HE wanted? Yes he brought in 8 players, but he couldn’t bring in 24. He couldn’t ship out players who couldn’t or wouldn’t play how wanted them to.
He may have wanted us to be more attacking but realised we were so poor at the back he had to address that with the tactics employed.
If Ardley is to continue, I honestly think he COULD deliver a return to the EFL. He showed in January that he can attract players of a decent standard. Rose, Stubbs and O’Brien are evidence of this.
There is not a manager out there who has not been through tough times, relegations and sackings. It’s how they come back from those set backs that defines them.

True. The first thing Neal said is that we need to be better in both boxes. The fact he didn't sign an experienced, towering centre back and a beast of a target man is simply because he couldn't. 80% of targets wouldn't come for one reason or another, and so he had to go for 3rd or 4th choice signings. When you consider all of that, the January transfer window was actually pretty successful. Rose, O'Brien, Stubbs, and even Doyle are improvements on what came before.

If he's given the time and funds, there's a chance he might be able to get us playing the way he wants us to. But we'll never know if we sack him. I know I've changed my tune, but I just think a new, untested manager coming into the club at this stage will almost certainly end in disaster. At least Neal knows how ****ed up the situation is.

[KintoreMagpie]

you need more paragraphs...please send money to Benny to ask forgiveness.

Sorry FL I have nothing to reproach myself for concerning the number of paragraphs I have used. In any event you have already said you wouldn't pee on Benny if he was on fire so I am not sending Mr Hinn any of my hard earned cash. However I am seriously thinking of donating to Joel Os**** as he don't ask for money and has a smile to die for! I am confident that he would be a great choice as our next chairman.

[jonnyt1]

If 80% wouldn’t come due to our league position who do you think will come now we have no league membership?

I’d suggest young kids released by EFL clubs or kids in the National League.

Really depressing is it!

[Notts78]

If 80% wouldn’t come due to our league position who do you think will come now we have no league membership?

I’d suggest young kids released by EFL clubs or kids in the National League.

Really depressing is it!

There are no decent footballers in Conference then?
I think the 80% who didn’t come looked at unpaid agents fees, the sh1t storm that was manifesting at the club as well as our League position.
Who is responsible for that? Hardy! Take him out of the equation and add the potential take over and we become an appealing proposition. In football money talks. Ask Adam Rooney.

[LaxtonLad]

There are no decent footballers in Conference then?
I think the 80% who didn’t come looked at unpaid agents fees, the sh1t storm that was manifesting at the club as well as our League position.
Who is responsible for that? Hardy! Take him out of the equation and add the potential take over and we become an appealing proposition. In football money talks. Ask Adam Rooney.

I think you're right about players not wanting to join a collapsing sh1tstorm like Notts, perhaps they could see what we could. In this case money isn't the only thing that talks - players do too, to each other. Players from other clubs know each other from when they played for the same club, or their team-mates did, or who knows? They are professionals not just here for the beer, rumours spread as rumours do and if you sign journeymen, they know more than enough to dissuade or persuade other potential signings.

Of course you will always get mercenaries like Vaughn who are looking for a last big wage before packing it in a la Sol Campbell but are they principled? Do they care enough to pull their weight? Risky signing them, ain't it?

[Notts78]

Of course you will always get mercenaries like Vaughn who are looking for a last big wage before packing it in a la Sol Campbell but are they principled? Do they care enough to pull their weight? Risky signing them, ain't it?

What’s worse about the Vaughn signing us that we were willing to spunk a lot of money on a player who didn’t have the fight or ability to play in League 2. The ball is in the air more often than not, so League 2 was always going to be tough for him. My only hope is that he was on a 1 year contract. Contrast that with the ‘take it or leave it offer’ we gave O’Connor and it’s a bitter pill to swallow. The irony is that although O’Connor has his injury problems, he still would have played more than Vaughn. Also the money spent on Vaughn could have been used to gazump the several very good League 2 midfielders that were signed by other clubs last summer.
It’s not Vaughns fault we threw money at him. I suspect many in the squad looked on in resentment that a hugely successful player (in the past) on a lot of money couldn’t impose himself and subsequently sat out the majority of this season.