A Message from Neal

[MancMagpie]

I'm subscribed to the club email....here's what came in today.


''I know how tough it’s been for you throughout this campaign and we all share the pain inflicted by our current league position.

But, after working incredibly hard to assemble what we feel is a squad capable of preserving our status as the world’s oldest Football League club, what matters now is that we come together and do our best to prove everyone who has written us off wrong.

It was an extremely busy few days in the transfer market and we were able to bring in a total of eight new signings.

We’ve added an exciting blend of youth and experience in various areas of the pitch and we’ve also enhanced the leadership within the dressing room. We’re a far more balanced outfit than we were a month ago and, most importantly, we are all up for the fight.

I’d like to thank the chairman for the brilliant support he has given me in this transfer window. His commitment is a clear display of grit and determination right from the very top.

We now have 17 games left and it's up to each and every one of us to stand up and be counted.

Your support has been magnificent and we need it to continue between now and the end of the campaign.

We have a run of six games in the next 30 days, four of which are at home. This period of fixtures presents you, our supporters, with a huge opportunity to make a difference.

The players are more than aware of the responsibility that rests on their shoulders and you can't imagine how much a positive crowd can alleviate fear in the way we want to play.

I’ve been here before – with AFC Wimbledon – and we got out of it because owners, players, supporters and staff came together as one. If we can develop the same siege mentality here, I have every confidence in our ability to escape the perilous situation we find ourselves in.

Let’s treat tomorrow’s game against Lincoln as a fresh start. Yes, we must learn from our mistakes of the past, but there is no place for negativity now.

I know you will give it your all in supporting the players tomorrow. Every single piece of encouragement you can give the team really counts.

So, let's all stick together and see what the Notts County family can achieve.''

Neal



Can't say any fairer than that. If we all pull together, maybe there can be a miracle!!!

[MancMagpie]

So come on then.....let's cut out all this 'nodding dog' business and Ardley is **** and what not. We might as well have a go for the last 17 games and try and be positive (yes that includes you Durham!!!)

It's easier to just be negative and cynical when it comes to Notts, because most of the time you will be proven right. So how's about we all stop effing moaning and just get on with it and try and save our club?

[KintoreMagpie]

So come on then.....let's cut out all this 'nodding dog' business and Ardley is **** and what not. We might as well have a go for the last 17 games and try and be positive (yes that includes you Durham!!!)

It's easier to just be negative and cynical when it comes to Notts, because most of the time you will be proven right. So how's about we all stop effing moaning and just get on with it and try and save our club?

Agreed.

I thought NA was a good appointment and really want him to succeed, but have been disappointed that he has, so far, only got us a paltry number of points and, as one of our posters has pointed out, taken us from third from bottom to absolute rock bottom in the league table. Whilst I understand those opinions who may have wanted him removed I do not subscribe to them. Those people love their club (probably more than me) and are totally frustrated at the position we find ourselves in. My own view of the situation is that we are where we are because the players as a team, as individuals or both have not been good enough. No amount of management changes can alter that. Mystified by the appointment of HK I was equally mystified by his sacking given that he managed to get 3 wins with this squad. I agree with those who think he was unlucky because he had no transfer window on the immediate horizon to try and improve things. However may I remind you of some of the sentiments that were being expressed after the 0-0 home game with Oldham suggesting it was one of the worst performances by a home side they had witnessed. HK's days were numbered and I suspect that he was alienating more than simply the playing squad before his departure.

I am going to judge NA from today. Sorry Neal you have worked tirelessly to get some semblance of a team that you can work with but that work only starts now. For the next 17 games, barring disasters, you and the team have my whole hearted support. I suspect that it may be too late but I want you to give it everything you have to save this club from relegation. If you do and we still go down I won't be moaning (too much!). If you succeed then it won't just be all those charities that benefit but all Notts supporters will be able to enjoy their summer break with the promise of a new chapter ahead in the history of our great club.

[slack_pie]

It's easier to just be negative and cynical when it comes to Notts, because most of the time you will be proven right.

That's the thing. In my almost 30 years supporting the club, I've learnt that pessimism and realism are basically the same thing when it comes to Notts.

But yeah, I agree - let's get behind the boys and give it everything we've got for the remainder of the season. If we go down, we go down fighting.

[tied_up_in_notts]

“If you’re falling off a cliff, you may as well try to fly. You have nothing to lose.”

[Bohinen]

I like Ardley's message but I don't think we need telling off by other posters about being negative when you look at how far we've fallen. The thing about being negative/realistic is it makes you face up to the realities of a situation and do something about it. So you could say Neal Ardley was negative about the state of his squad, but that motivated him to go out and sign 8 new players to replace the duffers. Anyway, no-one is moaning right now.

[countygump]

I like Ardley's message but I don't think we need telling off by other posters about being negative when you look at how far we've fallen. The thing about being negative/realistic is it makes you face up to the realities of a situation and do something about it. So you could say Neal Ardley was negative about the state of his squad, but that motivated him to go out and sign 8 new players to replace the duffers. Anyway, no-one is moaning right now.

This^^^^^^^^^

[maddogslater]

Absolutely it's been a dog's dinner of a season but rightly now is the time to get right behind Ardleigh and the boys no moaning if a pass goes astray or a slight mistake or even conceding goals keep on right behind the team no picking on individual players given our full backing gives us a chance

[JoePass]

You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks, Churchill. COYP

[SwalePie]

A decent result today please to celebrate what would have been Jimmy Sirrel's 97th birthday. COYP!

Happy birthday Jimmy.